Hotel Sainte Beuve

The lobby lounge at the Hotel Sainte-Beuve blends the warmth of a cozy, inviting living room with the elegance of a classy parlor. The space is chic and vibrantly colored in rich crimson and purple hues that pair well with the more earthy tones of the wooden floors and wicker baskets. Comfortable armchairs and sofas set alongside a coffee table create an intimate seating area, which is illuminated by large windows shrouded in floral curtains. White columns give a  regal touch, and flowers  provide bursts of freshness. Newspapers are on hand in a wooden crate, and the cushioned sofas draped in blankets invite lingering by the marble fireplace. The lobby bar abuts, and is equally cozy and homey yet fiercely chic and elegant. Red walls and couches in shades of burgundy complement the wooden furnishings and floor, and there's plenty of stylish knickknacks about, as well as abstract paintings, glass vases full of seashells, and square-shaped shelving behind the bar displaying books and bottles of booze.

There's no fitness center, business center, or on-site restaurant, but the hotel's charming decor, welcoming atmosphere, and attention to details has many guests returning. There's free Wi-Fi, and the spacious top floor suite is suitable for families or groups.

The Hotel Sainte-Beuve is in the sixth arrondissement  on a quiet side street off the Boulevard Raspail, about a five-minute walk to the Luxembourg Gardens, and a 15-minute walk to Montparnasse and the famous Montparnasse Cemetery, where Sartre, Beckett, and Baudelaire are buried. The hotel is between two metro stations, Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Vavin, which are within a five-minute walk, and is about a 10-minute walk to the Port-Royal RER station.

There are several types of rooms and suites at the Hotel Sainte-Beuve, from the smallest Standard Rooms that overlook a lackluster courtyard  to Deluxe Rooms with lovely top-floor views  to the spacious and light-filled Junior Suite. Though rooms are small, they are cozy and tastefully decorated with vintage-style furniture, such as antique writing desks or wooden armoires, oil paintings, framed prints, and plush white linens on comfortable beds. Color palettes vary from dark burgundy and crimson hues to soft pastels or neutrals enlivened by bright pillow and curtain accents. All rooms are quipped with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free Wi-Fi, though lack coffee- and tea-making facilities. Some rooms have Juliet balconies. The light and airy Suite has a small living room with a comfortable couch and wicker chairs. as well as a thoughtful collection of guidebooks. Bathrooms, with shower/tub combos, are small but elegant in black and white, and include towel warmers, fluffy bathrobes, slippers, and high-end toiletries.

The Hotel Sainte-Beuve has an elegant lobby bar that adjoins the cozy lounge area that has a  fireplace. Breakfast is available, though at an added charge, and can be served in guests' rooms or in the lounge. There is a computer available for guests' use, and room service from a nearby restaurant. There's free Wi-Fi throughout, and daily newspapers in the lobby.