PARIS - France 2014 - page 236

island's main drag, Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, where I list several restaurants (see here ). For
nearby services, see the Marais neighborhood section; for locations, see the Marais Hotels
map, earlier.
$$$ Hôtel du Jeu de Paume****, occupying a 17th-century tennis center, is among
the most expensive hotels I list in Paris. When you enter its magnificent lobby, you'll
understand why. Greet Scoop, le chien , then take a spin in the glass elevator for a half-
timbered-tree-house experience. The 30 rooms are carefully designed and tasteful, though
not particularly spacious (you're paying for the location and public areas). Most rooms
face a small garden; all are pin-drop peaceful (Sb-€190-260, standard Db-€290-370, de-
luxeDb-€460-570,2-3-roomsuite-€630-920,breakfast-€18,54RueSt.Louis-en-l'Ile,tel.
01 43 26 14 18, www.jeudepaumehotel.com , [e-mail] ) .
$$$ Hôtel de Lutèce*** comes with a welcoming wood-paneled lobby and a real
fireplace. Rooms at this appealing hotel are handsome, and those on lower floors have
high ceilings. Twin rooms are larger and the same price as double rooms. Rooms with
bathtubs are on the louder street-side, while those with showers are on the courtyard (Db-
€230, Tb-€260, 65 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. [phone], www.hoteldelutece.com ,
[e-mail] ).
$$ Hôtel des Deux-Iles*** hasthesameownersandsamepricesastheLutèce(listed
above),withfoursinglerooms(€200)andatadlesspersonality(59RueSt.Louis-en-l'Ile,
tel. [phone], www.hoteldesdeuxiles.com , [e-mail] ) .
$$ Hôtel Saint-Louis*** blends character with modern comforts. The well-main-
tained rooms come with cool stone floors and exposed beams. Rates are reasonable...for
the location (Db-€175-195, top-floor Db with micro-balcony-€245, Tb-€289, iPads avail-
able for guest in-room use, 75 Rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile, tel. [phone],
www.hotelsaintlouis.com , [e-mail] ) .
In the Luxembourg Garden Area
This neighborhood revolves around Paris' loveliest park and offers quick access to the
city's best shopping streets and grandest café-hopping. Hotels in this central area run
the gamut from cheap sleeps to pricey boutique places. Sleeping in the Luxembourg
area offers a true Left Bank experience without a hint of the low-end commotion of the
nearby Latin Quarter tourist ghetto. The Luxembourg Garden, Boulevard St. Germain,
Cluny Museum, and Latin Quarter are all at your doorstep. Here you get the best of both
worlds:youthfulLeftBankenergyandtheclassic trappingsthatsurroundthemonumental
Panthéon and St. Sulpice Church.
Having the Luxembourg Garden as your backyard allows strolls through meticu-
lously cared-for flowers, a great kids' play area, and a purifying escape from city traffic.