Hotel Saint-Honore

This basic, no-frills hotel offers an incredible location on one of the main streets of the Right Bank, but little historic charm besides grillwork on the facade, stone walls in the lobby and courtyard, and the vaulted chamber that serves as the hotel's breakfast room. Speaking of breakfast, it's one of the hotel's only real amenities. This is more of a centrally located crash pad than a cushy hotel experience. Rooms are comfortable enough, but their tiny proportions (common in Paris) may be challenging to two people with full sets of luggage, and their stale decor and signs of age (like dinged work desks) belie their 2011 renovation. The fantastic location, however -- a short block from Les Halles and a quick walk from Ile de la Cite, Le Marais, and the Louvre -- is such an asset that short-term guests staying for a night or two should happily look past any downsides. Hallways are quite narrow, and some rooms require going down a couple of steps (though there is an elevator to get to the room floors).

Hotel Saint-Honore has a primo spot in central Paris: it's on one of the main streets of the city and a block away from Jardin Nelson-Mandela, with the imposing Sainte-Eustache church on one side and the underground mall Forum des Halles on another (metro line 4 is available here). A little beyond the shopping center, about a 10-minute walk from the hotel, is the Pompidou Center, a contemporary art museum, and Le Marais, one of the hippest neighborhoods in Paris. It's a five-minute walk to Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris and the connector to Ile de la Cite, where Notre-Dame and Saint-Chapelle stand. The hotel is three blocks from the Louvre-Rivoli metro stop (line 1) and about four blocks from the Chatelet-Les Halles station (lines 1, 4, 7, and 11, plus the RER). Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports can both be reached by car in 25 to 35 minutes, depending on traffic, and by metro in about 50 minutes.

Hotel Saint-Honore's 24 air-conditioned rooms are split between two easy categories: Standard and Superior. All are essentially the same, though Superiors are slightly larger. Even so, rooms are all a bit cramped, especially for two people with two pieces of luggage each. Decor varies slightly between the two categories: Standards are overarchingly beige, with burgundy accents on the bed runner trim and the floral-print throw pillows and curtains. Superiors adhere to a more peachy-orange color scheme. In both categories, furniture is a little dated and often nicked (especially the desks and bedside tables). The same amenities are found in all rooms, including mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, safes, and courtesy trays with electric kettles, free tea, and candy.

Some rooms have views of Rue Saint Honore (and are susceptible to street noise), while others overlook the hotel courtyard. Rooms are available with either two twins or one double bed. Bathrooms have shower stalls with standard showerheads, hairdryers, and hotel-branded toiletries. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, but the signal can be glitchy and doesn't support streaming or long periods of use; on our stay, we sought out a nearby co-working space to find a reliable connection. One room is designed to accommodate handicapped guests.

Aside from the small lobby and courtyard, the only real common area in the hotel is the vaulted breakfast room. For a fee, guests can access the buffet of croissants, baguettes, boiled eggs, fruit, cereal, jams, and Nutella. Laundry service is available for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but it's only strong enough for searching and checking emails, not streaming or doing serious work.