Pavillon de la reine

There are five very good reasons to book a stay at Pavillon de la Reine: 1) the amazing “Golden Key” concierge service (no request is too small), 2) the attentive and warm staff, 3) the quaint and exclusive garden terrace, 4) the general atmosphere of staying in a former 17th century palace built by Henri IV— and of course 5) the location, tucked away behind a colonnade off of the buzzing Place des Vosges in the heart of the Marais district.

The Paris of everyone’s imagination is here and just out of the hotel’s doorsteps: charming cafes, endless galleries, boutique shopping and lots of history. But don’t select Pavillon de la Reine Chateaux if ultra luxury rooms is what you’re after. While the rooms are clean, well-appointed and basically nice, they can be dark, on the small side (starting at 20sqm) and a bit heavy on the traditional French side. Styling at the hotel is a bit of a mixed bag, with a broad contemporary French theme interspersed with modern touches and some flashes of Old World elegance. Overall, it's what we'd call quaint. Each of the hotel’s 54 rooms is unique, and therefore you can likely find one that suits you—and don’t be afraid to ask the very obliging staff to move you until you find a room you like.

Rooms facing the lovely terrace can have a gorgeous view, but noise from fellow guests enjoying the space can be bothersome, and hallway corridors (and some rooms) can be on the dark side.

The hotel can be tricky to find for the first time, as it’s accessed through a narrow gap in the colonnade off of the Place des Vosges, which is usually thronging with people, especially on sunny days.

Ask staff to explain in detail about the building’s storied past, which began in the early 1600s when the hotel was a private palace and meeting spot for Paris’s elite and high society.