In the heart of the Saint Germain quarters in Paris, France sits an artistic hotel for those who dream of the bohemian Paris of writing and painting, the Hotel de Nesle (pronounced nell). With 20 rooms uniquely designed by the owner and her son, they feature frescos based on historical French events and themes. The hotel not only provides distinctively unconventional yet comfortable accommodations, it’s great location on a calm backstreet only one block from the Seine River puts you within walking distance from all the major attractions such as Notre Dame de Paris, the Louvre, the Palais Royal and much more. Feel free to enjoy a leisurely stroll past the art galleries and fancy shops found throughout the St. Germain area.
From scenes of Egypt and the Orient to playful caricatures of Moliere and other locals, the artwork that adorns the rooms of the Hotel de Nesle each tells a story through its design. Some rooms even offer a rare privilege in the heart of Paris, a view of a sprawling country garden. Some of the room highlights are the Notre Dame room, which is painted a wonderful turquoise and features four murals decorating the walls with various characters including Quasimodo, the Moroccan themed room, Le Hammam comes complete with functional Turkish bath. The rooms are pretty spacious and some of them (9 rooms) have their own private bathrooms with large golden mirrors. The building courtyard is home to the beautiful garden some rooms are lucky to have as their view, the courtyard garden features wonderful trees, remarkable stone statues and a stone walkway that takes you through.
This interesting one star hotel keeps it simple, no telephones or televisions in any rooms, no breakfast, and fair warning… the walls are a little thin so expect to hear things throughout your stay like the creaking floors, people climbing steps, traffic, etc. Rooms at this bohemian enclave are quite reasonable with prices starting at around $69 – $82 for 1 person, $95 – $126 for two guests. Extra beds are available for a small charge of $15. Free Wi-Fi is also available during your stay. So if you are interested in a funky place to sleep for a few hours between excursions to see all that Paris has to offer this hotel is definitely for you. If you’re looking for something luxury with the usual amenities, you may want to look for something a little further out from the city center. Make sure someone in your party speaks a little French as Madame Renée, the hotel’s owner, who camps out at the reception desk all day seems to require it.
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