Oh la la! Hotel - Paris Bastille

Romance depends on a little bit of mystery, and at Oh la la! Hotel it starts when you arrive. Rather than stroll into a street-level lobby, you’ll walk through a cocktail bar on Place de la Bastille and push against a bookcase that opens a secret door. From there, it’s up a spiral staircase — there’s no elevator — to the upper levels of this one-time apartment building, now shaped into bright rooms overlooking the square. It’s practically the definition of bohemian-chic, which is just what you’d want from a budget-friendly boutique hotel in a lively section of Paris.

Rooms are compact, and the aesthetic is minimalist, with blonde wood floors, white walls, and design accents in royal blue and slate gray. The beds are slightly elevated on platforms, and floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light; triple rooms, with two separate sleeping areas, occupy the full width of the hotel’s building. Many have views over the square below, though those facing an interior courtyard are quieter at night. Bathrooms are modern and practical, with walk-in showers and L’Occitane products. Apart from breakfast, happy hour, and a few helpful staff members down at the bar level, there's not much more to Oh la la! than simple, stylish lodgings with easy access to cafés, restaurants, and a metro station where you can hop on a train to pretty much anywhere in the city.