I love Paris in the late Fall, when the leaves are all changing and the holiday decorations are starting to go up along the avenues.  Paris at any time of the year is lovely but there is just something about an extra chill in the air and a walk along the Seine that is one of the best feelings in the world.  And after twenty years of traveling to Paris, there are a few hotels that truly stand out among the many that the city has to offer, particularly for someone like me who loves beautiful design and a great neighborhood while I’m traveling.   I’ll be honest, I’m not really into the old traditional hotels that cost a ton of money in the touristy areas of the city.  I much prefer the little boutique hotels scattered through the local neighborhoods of Paris, inset into little side streets, but close to the places you want to see and explore.

When I look for hotels for my trips around the world, I’m looking for these elements: great design, great location, and a place that makes me feel the best for the location I’m in.  I’m happy to splurge on a hotel but if it’s not beautifully designed and in a location that will be easy for the trip I’m taking, then it’s not worth it for me.  I am a traveler who actually likes to spend time in my hotel, a long night’s sleep and naps throughout the trip are essential to having an actual break from my busy life while I travel, so I want my hotel picks to be places that you actually enjoy being in.  These hotels below are where I would stay in Paris right now for a magical trip to the City of Lights.

The Hoxton Paris

Right Bank | 2nd arrondissement

I’m a big fan of Hoxton Hotels and we regularly stay at their properties around the world (our fave is the Hoxton Holborn in London) and their Paris location falls right into why I love the brand so much.  Beautiful design, great location (see the image of the neighborhood above) in a local area of Paris, but near the Opera area which has so much to offer.  The restaurants around the hotel are many and you can get everywhere you need on the Metro.  You can get all around this area easily on foot and have everything at your fingertips and when you need to venture further into Paris and see more of the sites, the Paris Metro is just steps away.

Hotel Pulitzer Paris

Right Bank | 9th arrondissement

For our last trip to Paris, we chose the new Pulitzer Paris after staying previously at their Amsterdam location.  All in all, I liked the Pulitzer Paris for the design, the lovely location which made you feel like you were a local in Paris, and the beautiful lobby.  The one thing that let us down a bit was the hotel breakfast but in Paris, you can just head out and grab a croissant so not a deal breaker by any means.  The one thing that was super convenient though about the Pulitzer Paris was the location to many shops and restaurants (it’s super close to my favorite stop at Sezane when in Paris) and super close to a Paris Metro and bus stop which basically gets you anywhere in the city.

Hotel Oratio

Left Bank | 5th arrondissement

Personally, I prefer the Left Bank of Paris – it’s the artsy, creative side of the river and I always love spending time on the Left Bank.  The Hotel Oratio has become our go-to if that’s the area we’ll be in most and the location of this hotel truly is what makes it one of my picks.  It’s a five minute walk to Notre Dame and our favorite restaurant in Paris (Cafe St. Regis) and the rooms have beautiful little balconies that feel oh so Paris.  Depending on the time of year we go to Paris and what our itinerary is, sometimes this location might be easier for walkability (for example, I kind of prefer this spot in the Summer when we’re walking everywhere).  The design of the hotel is cute and whimsical and truly the balconies do add a great extra to this beautiful little hotel.