Best Western Premier Le Swann

Forget the chain-hotel affiliation: Le Swann is a chic Parisian boutique hotel offering elegant, modern decor with accents commemorating the famous writer Marcel Proust. It's situated in a stylish 1890s building -- which won an award at the 1898 World's Fair -- with a quintessential Parisian feel. A cream-colored facade features elegant detailing and wrought-iron Juliet balconies accented by gray and white awnings. The bottom-floor entrance features a large front windows accented with a large-format design of elegant cursive handwriting. The hotel was a literary hotspot in Proust's time, but thanks to a 2013 refresh, the interior is stylishly modern.

Each of the hotel's rooms is named after a character from Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past" or an artist associated with the author, and common areas feature period clothing, related paintings and prints, and large-format black-and-white pictures of the author. In the lobby, a green wallpapered accent wall shows off framed literary drawings, while a long black couch sits before ottoman poufs covered in reading material. A chaise lounge is placed near an open bookshelf, and there are cursive quotes from the author throughout the hotel. The breakfast room is a real standout, with an Art Deco-inspired glass ceiling. The hotel attracts business travelers and tourists alike, including couples and lovers of the arts.

Le Swann sits slightly beyond the hectic bustle of central Paris in a lively residential area on the northern edge of the 8th Arrondissement. The nearest metro station is a two-minute walk from the hotel (Europe, Line 3) while the Gare Saint-Lazare -- one of Paris's main train hubs -- is a seven-minute walk from the hotel. A number of national train lines stop at the station, as does the RER Line E along with metro lines 3, 12, 13, and 14. Guests can walk to several attractions in about 15 minutes or less, including the Opera Garnier and Moulin Rouge. It's a 10-minute walk to Parc Monceau; and most Paris attractions, including Montmartre and the Louvre, can be reached in around 20 minutes or so by metro (though the Eiffel Tower takes closer to half an hour). The hotel offers an airport shuttle to Charles de Gaulle for an extra fee and a discount on parking at two lots that are a five- and eight-minute walk from the property.

Le Swann has 81 chic, modern, air-conditioned rooms -- but they're somewhat tiny in size. Each is named after a character from Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past" or an artist associated with the author. Decor is modern and fresh, with gray-and-white patterned wall-to-wall carpeting and elegant coordinating wallpapered accent walls. Abstract art pieces hang over the beds and are flanked in mirrors. Gray Philippe Starck chairs and large crepe light fixtures (resembling the pages of a book) create a modern setting for decorative details such as side tables with black-and-white images of Proust. Amenities include flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, iPad/iPod docks, minibars, safes, and Nespresso coffeemakers. Sliding glass doors are accented with handwritten quotes and lead to tiny bathrooms with farmhouse sinks and small walk-in rainfall showers. All feature anti-steam mirrors, hairdryers, and free toiletries.  

Le Swann has a chic lobby with sitting areas that extend into the bar's lounge, reading material, and an iMac with a printer for guest use. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. An elegant breakfast room serves up a daily buffet for a fee, and room service breakfasts are also available. The stylish Swann Bar is open during the evening hours, and evening room service is available from an external caterer. Other features include a luggage room and a 24-hour reception desk where guests can get help arranging tickets, tours, and airport transfers. Same-day laundry service is also offered.