Hotel Palm - Astotel

The Hotel Palm - Astotel is situated in a classic six-story French Haussmann building studded in wrought iron French balconies. Though the hotel has limited amenities, this solid three-pearl spot offers refreshingly clean and contemporary decor. In the lobby, neutral white walls and tiled floors offer a blank backdrop for bright pops of color. A sitting area near the large front window features gray shag carpets and modern chairs upholstered in hot pink, gray, and lime. Furniture has a gentle mid-century modern vibe with tapered wood legs while shelves full of books and brochures create a homey feel. Guests find the staff incredibly friendly and love the free afternoon soft drinks and light snacks. With its convenient location and rooms for one to three guests, this hotel attracts travelers who want a good deal and comfy digs.

The Hotel Palm is located in the 9th arrondissement — a safe, picturesque, and well-maintained neighborhood right near the geographical heart of Paris. While slightly outside of the main tourist area, the hotel is close to eateries, shopping, and popular spots like the Rue des Martyrs (four-minute walk), Grands Boulevards (10-minute walk), the shopping district near the opera (15-minute walk), and Montmartre (20-minute walk). For sights further out, two metro lines are an easy five- to six-minute walk (Cadet, line 7; Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, line 12). Most sights are reachable via public transit in a half hour or less.- 12 minutes to the The Louvre by metro

• 13 minute walk to the Galerie Lafayette Haussmann
• 17-minute walk to Opera Garnier
• 20-minute walk to Sacre-Coeur 
• 20-minute walk to the Moulin Rouge
• 20 minutes to the Champs-Élysées by metro
• 25 minutes to the Musee d’Orsay by metro
• 25 minutes to the Eiffel Tower by metro
• 30 minutes to the Arc de Triomphe by metro
• 55 minutes to Charles de Gaulle Airport by public transit

Rooms satisfy the three C's of a solid mid-range Paris hotel: clean, contemporary, and compact. Leaf-patterned beige carpeting meets white walls, while floor to ceiling windows are finished with gray drapes that match the bed runners. Low-hanging pendant lights, nice wood desks, and bright headboards and desk lamps add contemporary character. Bathrooms are modern but basic, tiled in beige with square white sinks and wet-room style showers. Rooms are air-conditioned and include desks, 30-inch wall-mounted LED TVs with 50 channels, iPhone docks, safes, and free Wi-Fi. While there's no in-room coffee and tea service, rooms do have mini-fridges stocked with non-alcoholic beverages like water, juice, and soda — these items are free and are replaced daily. Bathrooms include hairdryers and nice Algotherm individual toiletries. While rooms are on the small size, they are fairly typically sized for a Paris hotel and make efficient use of space. Room sizes include Singles (~105 square feet), Doubles (~140 square feet), Twins (~150 square feet), and Triples (~215 square feet). Rooms face either the street or courtyard, and double-glazed windows protect guests fairly well against street noise. Select rooms have French balconies, and on higher floors, guests might catch sight of the Eiffel Tower.

The Hotel Palm has the extra properties guests expect from a mid-range city hotel — that is, very few. The lobby offers some lounge spaces and reading material, in addition to the "open bar" — a small spot in the lobby with free coffee, non-alcoholic drinks, and light snacks available in the afternoon. There's no actual bar, though, and the hotel doesn't serve alcoholic drinks. The basement level, exposed-brick breakfast room serves up a daily breakfast buffet, which includes a decent offering of standards like cereal, pastry, sausage, and fresh fruit — but it's not always included in the room rate. There's no on-site restaurant. For guests traveling with kids, baby beds and high chairs are available, and there's even a small play area in the breakfast room. The hotel's front desk is open 24-hours and guests find staff very helpful. They can offer recommendations, ticket assistance, luggage storage, or dry cleaning and laundry service. Wi-Fi is free throughout.