Hotel: Hotel Lutetia, Paris

Address: 45 boulevard Raspail, Paris 75006

Website: www.concorde-hotels.com

TraveLife ranking:
 
Rooms: 221 rooms and 12 suites

Room rates: $400+

Awards: The Lutetia is listed by most travel magazines among the five best hotels in Paris.

Highlights:  The hotel was built in the days when the great luxury liners like the France and Normandy were the ships of choice of the wealthy and the hotel's owners at the time wanted the designer to make the building reflect that feeling of grandeur. The hotel is designed in such a way that it appears to have a bow. It was back in the time when this area of Paris was just fields. Not any more, though. The narrow streets surrounding the Lutetia are famous for their shops. Down the street is a Picasso statue just sitting in a small square.

History: Acknowledged as the city's first Art Deco hotel, the Lutetia opened its doors in 1910, the same year its stylish neighbor Le Bon Marche department store began selling high-end fashions to high society. In fact, the hotel was built to serve as a place where the wealthy could hang their hats long enough to buy a new one at Le Bon Marche. The landmark hotel served as a hospital in World War II for Allied prisoners and was also the headquarters of Hitler’s infamous Gestapo when German forces occupied the city during the war.

Interior highlights: The lobby has that understated elegance about it. The front desk is made of rich woods and just to show you how old this property is, you pay your bill at a wicket – a turn of the century holdover at this beauty. The small elevators that slowly rise to the floors are built for intimate moments.

In the next room: Celebrities such as singer Joséphine Baker, General Charles de Gaulle; Picasso, Matisse and André Gide from the world of the arts have all enjoyed the luxurious comforts of this distinguished Left Bank beauty. TNNworld saw modern day French actors Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu in the lobby during our stay.

The rooms: Modern facilities at the Hotel Lutetia are cleverly allied with traditional luxury. The rooms are a bit small, though, but what they lack in size they more than make up in views – our room looked out on the Eiffel Tower. The rooms are superbly equipped, with private bathrooms, air-conditioning, phones and cable satellite television, pay-TV, soundproofing, hairdryer, individual safe, computer hook-ups, mini bar, radio, non smoking rooms, 24-hour room service.

Amenities: There’s lots of upscale shops off the main lobby and the bathrooms come jammed with quality products. There’s no spa but the hotel does offer a workout area.

Restaurants: The restaurant’s famous Lutetia's Brasserie is where servers take your fish order and then go outside and fetch it from a street corner fish monger. The seafood is shipped in daily from French seaports and is then perfectly prepared. The Hotel Lutetia's gourmet restaurant has a reputation for delicious cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel also boasts the Bar Lutece and Ernest Bar, with features soothing piano and jazz music that starts at 7 p.m. each evening.

Shopping: The Lutetia sits across the street from Le Bon Marche (Paris' answer to Harrods) and is just a few steps away from the narrow shopping streets of St. Germain Des Pres.

Close by: Within a one mile walk of many famous Paris attractions, including the remarkable Musee d’Orsay – for our money the best museum in Paris – the Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame Cathedral and the lively St. Germain Des Pres neighborhood. The Lutetia also benefits from convenient transport links. There’s also a lovely park across the street.

Tips:  Isn't it funny how most people come to Paris looking for a cheap hotel to stay in but then spend a lot of their time marveling at hotel/museums like the Lutetia. Because of its location, this is a great place to base yourself and discover the many wonders offered on the Left Bank. Even if you decide not to stay at the Lutetia, treat yourself with a seafood lunch or dinner at its Brasserie. TraveLife is confident the meal will rate among the best you’ll eat in Paris.