Hotel Aiglon - Esprit de France

As if paying homage to the early 20th-century creatives who frequented the Left Bank area, the Aiglon Hotel’s design aesthetic is steeped in Art Deco glamour. The bright, light-filled spaces are bathed in jewel-tones and soft neutrals. Geometric shapes and patterns are found everywhere from furniture to textiles. A deep, rich fuchsia is the anchor color that unfolds in the reception and continues into the comfy lounge, which has a small library of art books and mod armless chairs and banquettes. Each morning, an expansive continental breakfast is served (for a fee) in an intimate dining room that gets a lot of natural light. This is a cozy hotel drawing many vacationing couples, though there are a number of families and business travelers as well, attracted by the large suites on offer. 

The 14th Arrondissement was a popular haunt among artists and writers of the School of Paris at the turn of the 20th century. Creative types frequented the many cafes and studios in the area, and today it's still home to a number of small galleries. It’s cheaper than the city center, but with that comes fewer major attractions. However, the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art is about a five-minute walk from the Aiglon Hotel, and the Paris Catacombs are 10 minutes away on foot. There are a few restaurants in the immediate area, but options for shopping and dining really open up on the opposite site of the Montparnasse Cemetery. Fortunately, Hotel Aiglon is on the same block as the Raspail metro stop, which connects  to the rest of the city easily. The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are each around a half-hour metro ride away. Charles de Gaulle Airport is about an hour away by car.

The Aiglon's guest rooms are bright and stylish. Decor varies, but it's modern with Art Deco influences; guests may find comforters in jewel tones (such as purple or blue), sophisticated accent wallpaper, and framed black-and-white photos. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and minibars. Many of the bathrooms feature beautiful, mosaic tile designs, and all come with quality toiletries -- we even spotted bath crystals in several rooms. Some categories may come with robes and slippers. There are several room types, including smallish, entry-level Club Rooms and Classic Rooms, while the largest of the suites can accommodate up to five people, so families traveling together won’t need to worry about space. As the hotel is located on a busy road, low floors do get a bit of street noise, and the elevator is old (and tiny), so it can be noisy as well. It's worth mentioning that some rooms overlook the Montparnasse Cemetery, which is either creepy or cool, depending on your taste.

While the Hotel Aiglon isn’t overflowing with extras, there is a public computer in the lobby, convenient for those without their own laptops, and the art books in the reading nook are a nice touch. There's also on-site parking (for a fee), a rarity in Paris. The hotel offers airport transfers, room service, laundry, and a continental breakfast (including pastries, meats, and fruit), but all cost extra.