My complete guide to Paris hotels for every budget + Le Grand Cayre review
A mid-revision escape to Paris, testing out the newly renovated Le Grand Cayre, plus my complete guide to Paris hotels for every budget. From cozy boutiques to grand luxury, here's where to stay.#103
As I mentioned before, Mademoiselle is deep in revisions and exam mode so we can’t really go anywhere on holiday for most of the first half of 2025. We built some little breaks during those months to give us a sense of escape, staying at Heckfield Place in Februrary and going to Paris for 36 hours last week.
I share below my review of the hotel we stayed in Paris, Hotel le Grand Cayre. I had actually never heard of it before and was looking at my full list of Paris hotels but then ended up doing a bit of research and came across it. As the location looked good and it’s been recently refurbished, I chose it.
Anyway, this gave me the opportunity to review my whole list of Paris so you have a nicely organised selection below with several choices at all different category prices.
We spent the full Easter weekend at home which ended up being very nice. We tried to walk 10,000 steps a day (or run), cleared up the cellar, gave a lot to charity, completed some admin tasks and finally - finally!- decided on what to do with the first week of our summer holiday at the end of July.
We’ll be off to Portugal, in the Comporta region, staying at Sublime Comporta and then at Vermelho in Melides, the hotel owned and designed by Christian Louboutin which looked like quite something! I’ll make sure to share photos and report as usual.
In my next newsletter, I’ll tell you about my discovery of the Reddit forums on hotels, it is quite fun!
Happy Easter
Hotel Review: Miiro Le Grand Hotel Cayre, Paris
From 290 Euros - Check latest prices and availability
We recently spent 36 hours at Le Grand Cayre in Paris, taking a quick break during Mademoiselle's revision period.
We chose it mainly for its location in the 6th arrondissement, an area we know and love, close to Le Bon Marché. The location really is perfect - right by the Duroc metro station, and you can easily walk to everything. It's about 15 minutes to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 25 minutes to Notre-Dame, and Montparnasse is just nearby. The rue du Bac, a lovely shopping street, leads straight to Le Bon Marché.
The hotel occupies a classic Haussmann building - you know the type, with those beautiful iron gates at the entrance. It's been recently redesigned, and the lobby sets a lovely tone with warm oranges and ochres, all done quite subtly.
The reception welcome was excellent - we arrived early at 11:30, and fortunately our rooms were ready (one of the benefits of staying at a larger hotel mid-week, with around 80-100 rooms).
We had two different room categories - the entry-level for Mademoiselle and a slightly higher category for us. I'd requested high floors with street views for both, as I always do for the extra light. The rooms had a good size, which is not always the case in Paris.
Both rooms had the exact same design, with the main difference being more living space in ours. I think if you book higher categories, you'll find authentic design pieces and more individual looks.
The bathrooms were identical in both rooms - shower-only and compact. Given the extra space in our higher category room, I thought they could have made our bathroom larger for a more luxurious feel. They do use nice Le Labo toiletries in eco-friendly fixed dispensers.The beds were comfortable, we slept well, and the rooms were quiet despite overlooking a side street.
One nice touch is the ground-floor restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and diner- so many Paris hotels tuck their dining spaces in the basement, but here it's bright and welcoming. Though we didn't eat there - Paris hotel breakfasts are rarely worth the premium when you can pop to a local café instead.
We went to les Deux Magots, very famous for its litterary past and only 15 minutes walk from the hotel. Prices are not cheap but it was still half what hte hotel would have charged. Make sure to get there before 9:30am to avoid the tourist rush. You can get a typical French breakfast of hot drink, baguette, butter and jam for much less than the hotel price. And they serve a delicious hot chocolate.
Back to the hotel, worth knowing that there's a well-equipped gym in the basement, along with a refresh room for those awkward post-checkout hours when you still need a shower.
Looking back, while the hotel was lovely, if you're just staying for a quick overnight, you could probably find something simpler and cheaper. However, if you're planning a longer stay, the generous room sizes make it worth considering.
30 hotels in Paris for any budget
I went back to my database and picked up 30 hotels arranged by price category. There are a few more where I stayed before on my blog as well.
Budget-friendly (under €200)
Hotels in this category:
Hotel Dalila (€105)
Hotel Ami (£138)
Hotel Rosalie (€149)
Hôtel du Savoir (€160)
Hotel Wallace (£163)
Hotel Arvor (€163)
Hotel Dalila
Starting price: €105 - Booking link
Near Montmartre and Pigalle in the 18th arrondissement, this charming boutique hotel combines urban elements with country touches. Recently renovated with warm, eclectic décor, its salon transforms from daytime coworking space to evening social spot, embodying the lively spirit of the neighbourhood. No pool.
Hotel Ami
Starting price: £138 - Booking link
Nestled in the 15th arrondissement, this 3-star boutique hotel has welcomed travellers since 1925. Redesigned by architect Gesa Hansen with a Nordic, minimalist style, it offers warm, intimate spaces throughout the day and family rooms for group accommodations. No pool.
Hotel Rosalie
Starting price: €149 - Booking link
Located in Paris's 13th arrondissement, this four-star boutique hotel with 60 elegant rooms is decorated by architect Marion Mailaender with a floral, bohemian aesthetic. The hotel serves brunch daily from 7am to 3pm in its garden setting and offers rooms for 3 or 4 guests. No pool.
Hôtel du Savoir (Ex Petit Belloy)
Starting price: €160 - Booking link
Located in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this intimate 20-room boutique hotel embodies Paris's intellectual heritage with understated elegance, clean lines, and neutral tones. Its minimalist aesthetic creates a refined atmosphere in one of the city's most culturally rich neighbourhoods. No pool.
Hotel Wallace
Starting price: €163 - Booking link
Quietly nestled in the 15th arrondissement, this totally redesigned 4-star hotel features retro-chic decor, an open lounge bathed in natural light, and a planted rooftop terrace with Eiffel Tower views across its 45 rooms. Family accommodations are available. No pool.
Hotel Arvor Saint Georges
Starting price: €163 - Booking link
My usual base in Paris. It’s a 15 minutes walk from Gare du Nord so handy when you come via Eurostar. The bedrooms are simple but the welcome is always very warm and the breakfast in the morning with home made cakes is worth staying for.
Mid-range (€200-€399)
Hotels in this category:
Hotel Les Deux Girafes (€206)
Hotel Filigrane (€240)
Hôtel Chamar (€240)
Hotel Dame des Arts (€300)
Nuage Hotel Paris (€300)
L'Eldorado Boutique Hôtel (€350)
La Fondation (€376)
Château Voltaire (€387)
Hotel Les Deux Girafes
Starting price: €206 - Booking link
This boutique hotel in the vibrant Saint-Ambroise district of Paris's 11th arrondissement features 34 rooms ranging from cosy 15m² Club rooms to spacious 37m² Junior Suites. The hotel offers wellness services with high-quality Codage skincare products and a gym equipped with premium fitness equipment. No pool.
Hotel Filigrane
Starting price: €240 - Booking link
On historic Rue Vivienne near the Bourse, Hotel Filigrane offers 43 rooms and suites in distinct monochromatic colour schemes. Drawing inspiration from encrypted banknotes and literature, the design incorporates geometric patterns throughout this vibrant neighbourhood location with easy access to Paris's covered passageways.
Pool: Private-bookable pool in the wellness area, alongside a relaxation bath, hammam, and sauna.
Hôtel Chamar
Starting price: €240 - Booking link
In trendy South Pigalle, this intimate hotel occupies a classic Parisian building featuring 24 custom-designed rooms, including two suites. The Art Deco-inspired property combines authentic Parisian elements with contemporary touches through hardwood floors and fluted glass partitions. No pool.
Hotel Dame des Arts
Starting price: €300 - Booking link
We liked our stay at this hotel this past December. Very well located in the Latin Quarter, and with a fabulous rooftop bar and restaurant with spectacular views. Bedrooms are a bit tight though. No pool.
Nuage Hotel Paris
Starting price: €300 - Booking link
A renovated hotel near the Champs Elysées in Paris's 8th arrondissement featuring cosy rooms and suites, an in-house cinema, bar, and lounges designed for peace and simple luxury. Interconnected rooms and cots are available for families. No pool.
L'Eldorado Boutique Hôtel
Starting price: €350 - Booking link
This stylish 4-star hotel offers 22 rooms in the main building and 4 in a garden pavilion, plus an indoor/outdoor restaurant. Inspired by Victor Hugo's Guernsey house, the interior combines Victorian hangings with vintage chinoiserie to create an eclectic British-inspired atmosphere. No pool.
La Fondation
Starting price: €376 - Booking link
La Fondation is a five-star hotel in Paris's 17th arrondissement featuring 58 contemporary rooms designed by Roman & Williams with brutalist architecture and modernist touches. Beyond accommodations, it serves as a creative hub with event spaces and cultural programming. The hotel offers multiple dining options including a brasserie and a rooftop with panoramic views.
Pool: Semi-Olympic swimming pool in the health club, accessible to both guests and local subscribers.
Château Voltaire
Starting price: €387 - Booking link
This luxury hotel combines three 17th and 18th-century buildings with interior design by the Festen agency to pay tribute to Parisian art de vivre. With 31 rooms, suites, and a top-floor apartment, Château Voltaire offers the charm and surprise of a palace in central Paris.
Pool: Indoor swimming pool available.
Luxury (€400-€699)
Hotels in this category:
Hotel Hana (€450)
Le Norman (€450)
Hotel La Fantaisie Paris (€469)
Hotel Balzac (€500)
Château des Fleurs Paris (€500)
Maison Proust Paris (€500)
Maison Barrière Vendôme (€600)
Villa des Prés (€650)
Hotel Hana
Starting price: €450 - Booking link
Between Opera Garnier and La Bourse, Hotel Hana blends French and Japanese aesthetics across its 26 rooms and suites. Designed by Laura Gonzalez with a zen-like atmosphere, the hotel features the Hanabi restaurant led by chef Shirley Garrier serving French-Japanese fusion cuisine.
Pool: Lap pool with counter-current swimming system in the spa area.
Le Norman
Starting price: €450 - Booking link
Reimagined in 1960s style, this cosy hotel near the Champs Elysees features 37 rooms, some with balconies offering Eiffel Tower views, and one suite with a roof terrace for panoramic Paris vistas. The property offers connecting rooms for families seeking to accommodate children. No pool.
Hotel La Fantaisie Paris
Starting price: €469 - Booking link
Another Martin Brudnizki-designed hotel in the 9th arrondissement, featuring bucolic-themed rooms with floral wallpaper and green accents. One of the few five-star hotels with a full garden and expansive rooftop bar in central Paris.
Pool: Indoor pool in the spa area.
Hotel Balzac, Paris
Starting price: €500 - Booking link
Taken over by French hotelier Olivier Bertrand and his sisters, the former Hotel Balzac is undergoing complete transformation. Upon opening, it will feature warm, muted 1930s-inspired decor and world-class amenities including Pierre Gagnaire's three-Michelin-starred restaurant and a Japanese spa. No pool.
Château des Fleurs Paris
Starting price: €500 - Booking link
Located at the top of the Champs Elysées, this luxury boutique hotel occupies a magnificent 1900 private mansion near the Golden Triangle and Arc de Triomphe. Behind curved doors, 37 rooms and suites offer a cosy, sophisticated atmosphere, while the lobby and lounge invite relaxation.
Pool: Small pool in the spa (opened August 2023).
Maison Proust Paris
Starting price: €500 - Booking link
In the Marais district opposite the Carreau du Temple, this 5-star hotel pays homage to 1920s literary salons. Its 23 rooms and suites are distributed across 6 floors, while the ground floor houses a library under a gold leaf-painted rotunda inspired by the Opéra Garnier vestibule.
Pool: 10-meter lap pool in the basement surrounded by tiled columns, with private one-hour access included in room rates.
Maison Barrière Vendôme
Starting price: €600 - Booking link
Opening January 2025 near Place Vendôme, this luxury boutique hotel will feature 26 uniquely designed accommodations inspired by influential women throughout history. The George Sand Grande Suite, the property's crown jewel, will include a dining room for 12, professional kitchen, and Paris-view balcony. No pool.
Villa des Prés
Starting price: €650 - Booking link
A short stroll from Boulevard Saint-Germain, in the Rue de Buci celebrated by Apollinaire, this elegant 34-room haven features interior design by Bruno Borrione, a welcoming bar, and tranquil spaces throughout.
Pool: Indoor swimming pool overlooked by a large half-moon sauna.
Premium luxury (€700-€999)
Hotels in this category:
Le Saint James Paris (€690)
Le Grand Mazarin (€719)
Les Jardins du Faubourg (£739)
Maison Villeroy (€906)
Le Saint James Paris
Starting price: €690 - Booking link
We loved our stay at le Saint James in Paris back in May a few years ago. It is really a great experience and special given how difficult it is to have a hotel with a garden, a pool, a nice design and good food all in one place in Paris. It is a bit excentred as it’s in the 16th but you can go everywhere quickly in Paris.
Le Grand Mazarin
Starting price: €719 - Booking link
The fourth hotel in Maison Pariente's collection of 5-star boutique properties, this Le Marais address features Swedish interior designer Martin Brudnizki's décor across 61 rooms, including 11 suites, complemented by a restaurant and bar.
Pool: Indoor swimming pool available for guests.
Les Jardins du Faubourg
Starting price: £739 - Booking link
This 5-star boutique hotel is hidden on a quiet street near Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and the Elysée Palace. The fully renovated Haussmann town house retains its original character and centres around a plush garden. The property features 36 rooms, including 4 suites.
Pool: 15-metre swimming pool, complemented by a hammam and sauna in the spa.
Maison Villeroy
Starting price: €906 - Booking link
With a quintessentially Parisian façade, Michelin-starred restaurant, butler service, and private wellness floor, this intimate 11-room hotel exemplifies opulence. Located in Paris's golden triangle just a kilometre from the Eiffel Tower, the 1908 listed building offers chic, discrete comfort. No pool.
Ultra-luxury (€1000+)
Hotels in this category:
Bulgari Hotel, Paris (€1,307)
1, Place Vendôme (€1,400)
Cheval Blanc Paris Hotel (£1,542)
Bulgari Hotel, Paris
Starting price: €1,307 - Booking link
In the famous Triangle D'Or, Bulgari's hospitality venture features 76 accommodations—mostly suites—designed with 19th-century roots and contemporary luxury. Notable offerings include a Bvlgari restaurant and bar opening to a charming courtyard garden.
Pool: 82-foot swimming pool.
1, Place Vendôme
Starting price: €1,400 - Booking link
Chopard's five-star property occupies a revamped 18th-century listed building at the corner of Rue Saint-Honoré. With only 15 suites and rooms across 28,000 square feet, it functions more as a townhouse than hotel, offering all-day snacking and elaborate French cuisine that can be served anywhere on the premises. No pool.
Cheval Blanc Paris Hotel
Starting price: £1,542 - Booking link
LVMH's first Parisian hotel occupies an Art Deco landmark built in 1926 on the Seine, offering stellar river views. Interiors by designer Peter Marino showcase the work of 600 French artisans across four restaurants and a Dior spa. The hotel uniquely features a kids club, rare among Paris properties.
Pool: 100-foot infinity pool, one of the largest in any French hotel.
fais moi signe si tu passes a Lisbonne avant ou après Comporta cet été ;)
Hi! Two questions - I've noticed that many hotels are not refundable at all - I've never experienced that before in other global cities before.
Second - is the bedbug issue still something to be aware of and concerned about? Thanks.