Villa-des-Prés
29 rue de Buci, Paris, Île-de-France, 75006, France
Why We Like It
One of the best things about this 34-room refuge—a newcomer in the neighborhood—is its under-the-radar cachet. But nothing this alluring can stay secret for long. With meticulous attention to detail and an acute eye for harmony and beauty, designer Bruno Borrione transformed a typically Parisian Art Nouveau apartment building into an epitome of bespoke 21st-century style that perfectly reflects its chic Left Bank address.
Fodor's Expert Review
This exclusive boutique hotel in the heart of St-Germain-des-Prés is ultrachic and offers a quiet haven from the exciting surrounding neighborhood. It features original artwork, custom-made furniture, a lively bar, and an excellent spa. The friendly staff is eager to make your stay comfortable, which is to be expected at these prices.
PROS
- Beautiful decor
- Central location
- Luxurious spa and pool
CONS
- Steep prices
- No restaurant on-site
- Breakfast not included
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Room
Light-filled rooms mix stylish designer furniture, parquet floors, and plush, color-block carpets with state-of-the art lighting and plenty of artsy coffee table books. Warm ivory walls are the perfect backdrop for the many original contemporary artworks commissioned for the hotel from nearby gallery Amélie Maison d’Art. All of the rooms are generously proportioned, especially the 14 airy suites and two spectacular top-floor apartments, complete with balconies overlooking the silvery Paris rooftops with views to the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur. Rooms are triple soundproofed so not a peep will reach you from the bustling streets below. They also come with top-of-the-line Illy espresso machines and well-stocked minibars.
Bathroom
As chic as the rooms, roomy bathrooms sport jewel-like red-lacquered ceilings and gold and red Italian tiles, Merino-glass sconces, Italian fixtures, walk-in showers (there are also baths in the suites and apartments). Luscious Diptyque bath products and top-of-the-line Dyson blow-dryers are a nice touch.
Lobby
The discreet reception area’s sculptural use of wood (latticed, curved, and undulating), warm lighting, original artworks for a splash of color, and bespoke furniture extend to the lustrous lounge and bar, where you can recline on comfy leather sofas for a coffee or drink.
You Should Know This is not a blingy hotel, it’s for those who want a genuine and discreet experience of true Parisian elegance and art de vivre.
Pool
The basement is reserved for the marble-clad 42-foot lap pool, gym and fitness studio.
Spa
After a day of shopping or gallery hopping, head to the tranquil treatment room for a short menu of facials and massages from the clean-beauty brand Odacité. A beautiful semi-circular sauna is perfect pre- or post-massage.
Gym
The fitness room—as stylish and state-of-the-art as the rest of the hotel—offers cardio and weight training, with a studio for yoga or Pilates sessions. It’s 24/7 hours let you work out any hour of the day in perfect peace.
Dining
There is no in-hotel restaurant, which isn’t a big deal, with some of Paris’s most exciting dining a few minutes’ walk away. The hotel partners with a top-notch brasserie nearby so you can enjoy a classic Parisian dinner in your room if you so desire. A gourmet breakfast buffet, with hot foods to order, is served in a lovely curved dining room or on the outdoor terrace.
Drinking
Settle into a leather sofa or banquette for a cocktail or glass of wine in the evening. In warm weather you can lounge with a coffee or drink under a giant fern on the pretty outdoor terrace.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
The hotel is minutes from great restaurants, landmark cafés (Flore, Lex Deux Magots, Brasserie Lipp), Paris’s thriving art gallery scene, and the Carré Rive Gauche antiques quarter. It’s a 5-minute walk from the Luxembourg Gardens, 10-minutes from the Bon Marché, 20 from Notre Dame cathedral.
A minute walk to the Mabillon metro station serving the crosstown metro line 10, and the Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Odéon stations serving line 4. It’s about a 10-minute walk to the Saint-Michel Notre-Dame RER station serving RER C to Versailles. Taxi stands abound on Bd Saint-Germain, a minute away.
Restaurants
There are countless excellent restaurants nearby. A few of my favorites: Blueberry maki bar, Cyril Lignac’s Au Prés, Baillote, Ze Kitchen Galerie, Semilla.
Bars
There are plenty of great cocktail lounges in the neighborhood: Cravan, Le Castor Club, Bar des Prés, and the beautiful Joséphine bar at hotel Lutetia Paris. Freddy’s wine bar around the corner has the one of the city’s best selections of wine by the glass and excellent gourmet snacks (and meals).
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