Hôtel Sublim Eiffel
A contemporary kitsch boutique hotel, with Métro map carpeting and Paris skylines screened or lit on walls and curtains. The one suite and other rooms on the top floors have views of the Eiffel Tower a few blocks away. Amenities include a steam room and fireplace bar. • 94 boulevard Garibaldi, 15th, +33 1 4065 9595, sublimeiffel.com. Métro: Sèvres Lecourbe. Doubles from €189
Hôtel Design de la Sorbonne
In the heart of the Latin Quarter, a recently-renovated stylish boutique hotel. Rooms boast lush, colorful fabrics and wallpaper, new bathrooms and an iMac for surfing the web or watching a DVD. Each floor showcases a different themed photo exhibition. The Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens and Notre Dame are just a few minutes walk away • 6 rue Victor Cousin, 5th, +33 1 4354 5808, hotelsorbonne.com. Métro: Cluny-La Sorbonne or RER Luxembourg. Doubles from €165
Hôtel Bonaparte
A stylish budget hotel in one of Paris’ most expensive neighborhoods, Saint Germain des Prés. The décor is somewhat outdated, but the rooms boast classic 19th-century elements such as stone fireplaces and crown moldings, and the coveted air conditioning for the sticky summer months. • 61 rue Bonaparte, 6th, +33 1 4326 9737, hotelbonaparte.fr. Métro: Mabillon. Doubles from €130
Hôtel Petit Belloy St Germain
Behind the Odéon Theater just off of Boulevard Saint Germain, rooms in this classic boutique hotel are comfortable and tastefully decorated, with double-paned windows to shut out the noise. Location, location, location. • 1 rue Racine, 6th, +33 1 4326 8713, hotel-petit-belloy-saint-germain.com. Métro: Cluny-La Sorbonne. Doubles from €165
Hôtel du Cadran
In the western 7th arrondissement just off the popular rue Cler market street, this modern boutique hotel is one of the standouts in the neighborhood. The rooms are comfortable and modern, with a self-described “Zen minimalist” design. Rooms all have air conditioning and double-glazed windows. • 10 rue du Champs de Mars, 7th, +33 1 4062 6700, cadranhotel.com. Métro: Ecole Militaire. Doubles from €115
Hôtel 7 Eiffel
Even the small rooms in this contemporary design boutique hotel feel more spacious, thanks to furnishings and layout that is well thought-through. Marble bathrooms have separate toilets, rain shower heads, bathrobes and Fragonard toiletries. Open-Space rooms with private balconies have a generous, luxurious feel. The top floor of the hotel boasts a hidden terrace garden, perfect for enjoying the view over the rooftops of Paris. • 17 bis rue Amélie, 7th, +33 1 4555 1001, hotel-7eiffel-paris.com. Métro: La Tour-Maubourg. Doubles from €185
Hôtel de Lille
Most of the rooms in this old coaching inn on the prestigious rue de Lille in the heart of the Carré des Antiquiaires have been given a complete modern makeover, including tasteful décor and air conditioning. • 40 rue de Lille, 7th, +33 1 4261 2909, hotel-paris-lille.com. Métro: Rue du Bac. Renovated doubles from €160
Hôtel La Manufacture
Off the beaten path but well-located in a lively residential neighborhood, a contemporary budget hotel. Rooms are basic but bright, with art deco-inspired décor and some with small balconies. Splurge for a deluxe top floor room for €195 with a view over Paris. • 8 rue Philippe de Champagne, 13th, +33 1 4535 4525, hotel-la-manufacture.com. Métro: Place d’Italie. Doubles from €165
Le Fabe Hôtel
A small boutique hotel away from the tourist crowds, with themed rooms mixing contemporary fabrics and furnishings with Louis XVI chairs. Great access to the Paris Expo exhibition center, Montparnasse train station and the Orly Airport, it’s a comfortable, good choice for the short-stay business traveler who still wants to feel like they are in Paris. • 113 bis rue de l’Ouest, 14th, +33 1 4044 0963, lefabehotel.fr. Métro: Pernety. Doubles from €90
La Maison Montparnasse
In the same neighbourhood as Le Fabe, each room of this family-run hotel boasts it’s own color scheme in pink, yellow, purple, or orange, toned down with high-quality bedding and tiled bathrooms in white. A ground-level breakfast room with a small patio garden are a nice way to start the day. • 53 rue Gergovie, 14th, +33 1 4542 1139, lamaisonmontparnasse.com. Métro: Pernety. Doubles from €119 American-born travel writer and tour guide Heather Stimmler-Hall is a dual-citizen who has lived in France since 1995. She is the editor of the Secrets of Paris newsletter and blog, and has written for Fodor’s Guides, Michelin Green Guides, Moon Metro Guides, Time Out, ELLE.com, the Guardian and the London Times. Heather is the author of several travel guides, including “Paris & Ile de France Adventure Guide” and the award-winning “Naughty Paris: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City“.