Hotel Caron

This six-story hotel opened in 2009 after a full renovation, and its current incarnation is quaint and charming -- exactly what travelers expect in a quality boutique hotel. It's situated on a fairly quiet side street, and flowering potted plants hang on the second floor above the entrance. Inside, there's not much to the hotel beyond its lobby, breakfast room, and guest rooms, but all aspects of the hotel are stylish and sharp. The small lobby has stone walls plus a modern gray sofa and chairs set atop a red rug. On the other side is the small front desk. Fresh flowers add a homey touch and the atmosphere is friendly. Jazz music plays in the cozy breakfast room, and petite orchids decorate the tables. The hotel draws mostly couples, but its excellent Marais location attracts some business travelers as well.

This small hotel is located in the lively Marais, in Paris' 4th Arrondissement. It's near several notable sites: the Carnavalet Museum and Place des Vosges are only five minutes away on foot, while the Picasso Museum is less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The immediate area is also full of restaurants, shops, and galleries, and is notable for its historic Jewish population and its LGBT-friendly scene. The Pompidou Center and Notre Dame Cathedral are also both just 15 minutes away on foot. The Saint-Paul Metro station is a two-minute walk from the hotel for those looking to reach farther destinations, like the Louvre (a 10-minute metro trip) or Sacre-Couer and Montmartre (35 minutes away by metro). Charles de Gaulle Airport is a 45-minute drive from the hotel depending on traffic, and getting to Orly Airport takes about 30 minutes. Both can be reached by a combination of metro and trains in about an hour as well.

All rooms are compact, but contemporary and clean, with trendy color schemes of gray, green, or red combined with black. Tall upholstered headboards with graphic floral prints are the primary decoration in the rooms, and furniture is modern and black. Shag carpet in complementary tones add a softer look that pops against the on-trend dark purple accent walls. Amenities include air-conditioning, wall-mounted 32-inch flat-screen TVs, free minibars, and safes. The five Twin Rooms have two twin beds that can be pushed together and bathrooms with tubs. The 13 Double Rooms come with queen-size beds and walk-in showers. Bathrooms are tiny and feature black-and-gray tile, square sinks, hairdryers, and high-end L'Occitane toiletries. Windows open onto views of Rue Caron, and street noise can sometimes be heard in guest rooms if windows are left open. 

Features are few at the Hotel Caron and include free hotel-wide Wi-Fi and free loaner DVDs that guests can watch in their rooms. A continental breakfast is served in the breakfast room in the cellar or delivered to guest rooms, but it's not included in room rates. Laundry services can also be arranged. Otherwise, this small boutique hotel doesn't offer much in the way of services or amenities.