The last weekend of our Summer UNESCO tour was spent in Paris, and the first night of that weekend was spent in the Hotel Marignan.
Location
Very centrally located in the Latin Quarter the hotel is equidistant from Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite, the Pantheon and Jardin du Luxembourg. Being so close to the centre of town makes for a great choice of transportation with buses, metro and RER stations all within easy walking distance. The area around Saint Michel is awash with competing restaurants and the hotel is far enough away to be insulated from the lights and noise while still being close enough to enjoy the convenience.
The area around the hotel is surprisingly residential, and feels safe. Upon arrival we’re given a thorough run down of the facilities and the features of the neighbourhood – noticeboards hold recommendations for the best of the restaurants and the days that the museums are closed.
It takes us a few seconds to realise that the numbers beside each museum is actually the arrondissement (neighbourhood numbered from 1-20 in a spiral in the centre of the city) and not the cost of entry in Euros!
Room
Upon check-in we discover that there is no lift so head up the narrow spiral staircase. It’s a little on the snug side – people coming down while we go up pull into the landing to let us past, but before we know it we’re on the 3rd floor and looking around.
Delightful Art Deco flourishes give away the age of the hotel – but they’re in such good condition it is really hard to complain. There’s a desk and bookshelf in pristine condition and the glass in the door to the bathroom is the highlight for me, though the lights in the bathroom are cool too. It’s great to see such artistry in the wild so to speak – when we get to the Musee d’Orsay we spend quite some time looking at signature pieces from that period.
The bed is serviceable and we find out later that some of the rooms have been recently renovated. Like every hotel in Paris, the rooms are small, so it’s always interesting to see the tricks that they employ to make the most of the space available. In the case of Hotel Marignan, they have little cupboards in the corner of the windows. Our room sleeps three which makes it quite comfortable for two, but I would imagine it would be a bit tight with an extra person in there.
Facilities
While the hotel does have a free laundry and kitchen, it makes up for a lack of other facilities by bringing the service culture to the fore, with the staff keen to help discuss things to see and do. This extends to the website also, with a handy one page list of the local sights. They’ve also produced an impressive video to showcase the hotel:
Breakfast
While the breakfast is simple, it’s also fast and free, and we have ended up paying extra for not much more in our travels. It consists of croissants and baguettes with butter, jam and cheese washed down with orange juice and coffee. Not the worst way to start the day!
Pros and Cons
Pros
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Cons
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Would I Go Back?
Definitely – the location alone makes it a steal, and the fact that the staff try hard makes for an enjoyable stay.
