I was inspired to write this article by a Financial Times piece about French comfort food served in the bistros and brasseries of Paris. At present I am living in a city known for its excellent restaurants (notably those serving Asian food). But these restaurants also come and go with alarming frequency, and even if [...]

A new boutique hotel called Mon Hotel has just opened near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The decor might be described as urban glam: slick, dark, mysterious, high-tech. It has 37 rooms (five of which are executive suites) equipped with free Wi-Fi and espresso machines. There’s a spa, massage room and fitness center for [...]

Here’s another unique place to stay in Paris: 6 Mandel, a chambre d’hôte located in a 19th century hôtel particulier with a view of the Eiffel Tower on the avenue Georges Mandel in the 16th arrondissement. The mansion and its beautiful garden were restored by Jean-Christophe Stœrkel, who uses the building for art exhibitions and culinary classes. [...]

I love the neighborhood of Saint Germain des Pres in Paris, so I was thrilled to find out that a lovely boutique hotel called the Villa Madame has opened very close to my favorite park, the Jardin du Luxembourg. Located on rue Madame, it is also only minutes away from the church of St. Sulpice [...]

If you are planning a trip to Paris, don’t panic. The euro has diminished in value against the dollar but just as importantly, the city has so many good bistros and brasseries that continue to serve very good food at reasonable prices. The French have always eaten well, during good times and bad. Visitors, however, [...]

I never thought I’d write a headline with “boutique hotel”, “budget” and “Paris” all together, but there you have it. Mama Shelter is a boutique hotel owned by the guys who started Club Med and designed by Philippe Starck. It is located in the St. Blaise neighborhood of the 20th arrondissement, close to the Pere [...]

I can’t believe it took me this long to write this post. I have had a long list of favorite restaurants and cafes in Paris on my laptop and just forgot to post them to Mapplr. So here they are. And if you think there’s a restaurant or cafe that I should add, please post [...]

There are so many good restaurants in Paris so it’s hard to decide which ones to visit when you’ve got only one week in the city. Last December, while attending the LeWeb 3.0 conference, I headed down to Afaria, a small neighborhood restaurant in the 15th arrondissement, which was recommended by several French friends and [...]

Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day and I’ve been posting about romantic hotels in Paris, what about romantic places to have dinner? If I had but one choice, it would be 1728, a restaurant situated in a 17th century town house on quiet side street off the rue du Faubourg Saint Honore. This isn’t just [...]

I missed two more hotels that should have been mentioned in the previous article: L’Hotel and Hotel Bellechasse. So if Hotel Particulier Montmartre and Hotel Odeon St. Germain are fully booked, you should consider these two dazzling hotels.
L’Hotel

Located in the 6th arrondissement, this opulent 20-room design hotel is probably one of the most romantic and [...]

If you are looking for a romantic place to stay in Paris — it could be for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion — check out these two design hotels: Hotel Particulier Montmartre and the Hotel Odeon St. Germain (Left Bank).
Hotel Particulier Montmartre
Of the two, the Hotel Particulier Montmartre is very special indeed. It [...]