West-End Hotel

The hotel is situated on a quiet block of five-story 19th-century residential buildings with facades decorated with ornate black iron railings. The hotel’s interior architecture retains much of the historic structure of the edifice by combining the grand wooden staircase that leads up to the rooms, gilt-framed portraits, and chintz curtains with contemporary touches like star-patterned wallpaper and life-size, wall-or-door-mounted portraits of cinema actresses from the 40s and 50s. The downstairs lounge, which hosts the honesty bar, is furnished with handsome plaid overstuffed chairs, framed French theater posters, and a widescreen desktop with a printer. The atmosphere is peaceful and stylish, with a nod to Parisian history.

The hotel is situated two steps from Avenue Montaigne and many of the haute couture houses in Paris. It sits on a quiet side street parallel to one of the spokes radiating from the Arc de Triomphe, which is situated just northeast of the hotel, and is about a 20-minute walk away. The Seine, including a Bateaux-Mouche terminal, is a few blocks away, as is the Metro stop Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Notre Dame area is just under a half hour on public transportation. The Montparnasse train station, where one can catch hourly private shuttles to Charles de Gaulle, is 20 minutes away on the metro with no transfers required (total travel time to the airport, including train and shuttle, is about an hour and a half).

High ceilings and panel moulding combine with contemporary furnishings here; larger rooms are especially modern, combining paisley wallpaper, houndstooth-check settees, and black lacquer furniture. All rooms have bathrobes and slippers, air-conditioning, a minibar, a safe, a hair dryer, an iPod dock, and a flat-screen TV. Alarm clocks are available at the front desk upon request. Many rooms have some form of small balcony outside of the French doors that constitute the windows. Bathrooms are individual just like the rooms; some are bigger and sleeker than others.

The breakfast room, with its black and white tile floor, trompe-l’oeil ceiling, and 2nd-Empire-style buffet is appealing; many have commented favorably on the breakfast, which is included with the room price, as is Wi-Fi. There is a computer terminal available for guests; other services include laundry service, babysitting, car rental, and airport transfers. The plush lounge with an honesty bar is a nice gathering place.