Recommended Hotels in the Southern Marais (4th Arrondissement) and Île Saint-Louis

Only eight rooms, two on each floor, in a 17th-century private house on a side street in the Marais. There’s no lobby, just a small breakfast room that turns into a bar in the evening, and breakfast is brought to your room at any hour you ask. The suites have a kitchenette and a balcony, and some rooms have kept their original wooden beams. Bathrobes and an umbrella wait for you in the closet. It’s very expensive, and that’s the point: if you’re looking for personal service rather than a big hotel complex, this is exactly what you’ll find here. The Centre Pompidou is two minutes away, and I recommend a suite if you’re staying more than three nights, because the kitchenette makes a big difference.

61 rooms on the Rue de la Verrerie, in a maximalist design by Martin Brudnizki: color on color, tapestries and furniture found at flea markets. In the basement there’s an eight-meter pool under vaulted ceilings, with a hand-painted fresco, alongside a hammam and a Jacuzzi, all reserved for hotel guests only. The downside: the hotel’s restaurant and bar are a magnet for Parisians, and it can get noisy in the evenings. I recommend asking for a room on a high floor, far from the lobby.

Twelve rooms in a 17th-century aristocratic mansion right on the Place des Vosges, and all of them face the square. There’s no reception in the usual sense: you ring the bell and someone opens the door for you. In the basement there’s a small Roman bath under vaulted ceilings, and upstairs a tea room with a pâtisserie corner. The suites have a kitchenette, a free minibar and a shelf of books chosen one by one. Keep in mind that the building is historic and so not wheelchair accessible, that there are almost no public areas, and that it’s very expensive. I recommend booking here only if the room with a view of the square is available, because that makes all the difference.

29 rooms on the Rue du Roi de Sicile, in the heart of the Jewish quarter, designed by Philippe Starck. The three suites look out over the rooftops of Paris, and the rooms have Japanese toilets. The bar, Le Confidence, is open every evening from 3 p.m., but note that it doesn’t serve cocktails on Sundays and Mondays. The rooms are small, like everywhere in the Marais. I recommend skipping the hotel breakfast and heading to one of the bakeries nearby, since you’re in the best neighborhood in Paris for breakfast anyway.

A 17th-century convent turned into a hotel dedicated to Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), Napoleon’s first wife. The design by Bambi Sloan makes no apologies: leopard prints, flowers and bold colors in every corner. There are 24 rooms of 15 to 35 square meters, some with exposed wooden beams, and a Champagne bar that’s open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Note that the rooms are small and have no space for an open suitcase, so I recommend booking one category up if you’re staying more than three nights. The Place des Vosges is a five-minute walk away.

Not exactly a hotel: 21 apartments with fully equipped kitchens and daily housekeeping that even does your dishes. The main building is at 19 Rue de Rivoli, home to the reception and a hidden bar, and there’s another wing with one suite on each floor. The smallest studio is 28 square meters and the largest units reach 52, which is a lot for Paris. There’s no classic hotel breakfast, but with a kitchen like this and a bakery on every corner, you’ll hardly miss it. For a family or a couple staying a full week, it’s great value, and I recommend asking for a unit in the back wing, because the Rue de Rivoli is busy.

Only twelve suites, from 40 to 95 square meters, and all of them overlook the Port de l’Arsenal and the boats moored there. The building used to be a printing house. Every suite has a full kitchen with a dishwasher and a bean-to-cup coffee machine, and each floor has its own color scheme. There’s no restaurant and the reception is small, and breakfast is served in the lounge or in your room. Keep in mind that this isn’t the historic heart of the Marais but its edge, and you have to want that. On the other hand, the Bastille is a five-minute walk away and the quiet here is real. I especially recommend it for families staying a week.

58 rooms on the Rue du Temple, across from the BHV department store and two minutes from the Hôtel de Ville (city hall). The 16th-century building was redesigned by Jean-Philippe Nuel, and the lobby is dark on purpose, so if you need lots of light, you won’t find it here. There’s a sauna and a small gym, and the inner courtyard has a vertical garden and a lit-up tree. The same family has run the place since the 1920s, four generations of women, and you can feel it at the reception. The cheapest rooms are small, so I recommend upgrading a category if you’re a couple with two suitcases. The area’s attractions are all around you.

34 rooms on the tiny Rue de Jarente, which opens right onto the Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine, a square lined with restaurants and one of the most pleasant corners of the Marais. A huge mosaic mirror hangs in the breakfast room, and the buffet costs 12 euros. Every room is decorated differently, in shades of gold, lilac or green, with wooden floors. Note one rule: eating in the rooms isn’t allowed, and there’s a sign to remind you. The standard rooms are only 14 square meters, so I recommend upgrading to a bigger room, even if it means paying a little more. The Musée Carnavalet is five minutes away.

A 17th-century aristocratic mansion on the Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, with exposed wooden beams and stairs covered in red carpet. There are 29 rooms and each one is different: the top category has Louis XIII-style canopy beds and marble bathtubs. Breakfast is served in a vaulted stone cellar, with freshly squeezed orange juice, and there’s even a house cat that walks guests to their room. The big downside, and you need to know it in advance: there’s no air conditioning, only fans, and in a heat wave that’s tough. In spring and fall it’s excellent value for money, and I recommend asking for a room facing the courtyard. The Centre Pompidou is just a few minutes away.

A family-run hotel for four generations, with 28 rooms on the Rue Malher, one minute from Saint-Paul station. Breakfast is served in a vaulted 17th-century wine cellar, and that’s the most beautiful part of the hotel. The rooms have air conditioning that works even in a heat wave, a small fridge and a kettle. The rooms on the upper floors are bigger, and some overlook the rooftops. Two things to know before you book: the elevator is tiny, two people with a suitcase barely fit, and there isn’t much storage space in the rooms. I recommend asking for a high floor, because the difference in size and view is worth it. The Musée Picasso is six minutes away.

42 rooms on the Rue de la Bastille, two minutes from the square. The bathrooms have deep bathtubs, which you can’t take for granted at a 3-star hotel in Paris. Breakfast costs 16 euros, includes omelets and freshly squeezed juice, and can be brought to your room. The building next door houses the Brasserie Bofinger, which opened in 1864, with its glass dome, and in my opinion it’s worth eating there at least once. Note that the rooms are small and that the area has nightlife, so I recommend asking for a room facing the inside. The Maison de Victor Hugo is a six-minute walk away.

28 rooms on the Rue Simon Le Franc, across from the Centre Pompidou and three minutes from Les Halles. The breakfast room is a vaulted stone cellar with an ancient well inside, and breakfast is served from 7 to 11 a.m., for 11 euros. The rooms have wooden beams, some face an inner courtyard full of flowers, and there’s also a ground-floor suite with a private terrace. Two things to know before you book: the rooms and beds aren’t big, and the hotel isn’t wheelchair accessible. I recommend asking for a room facing the courtyard, because the street itself is lively in the evenings.

Only 18 rooms on the Rue Caron, which opens at its end onto the Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine. The minibar is free and restocked every day with soft drinks and snacks, and the TV has movies at no extra charge. The bathrooms have L’Occitane products, and every room has air conditioning you control yourself. On the other hand, it’s a hotel with no lobby and no bar, and the bathrooms are tiny. The twin rooms don’t have space for two open suitcases, so I recommend that couples take a double room rather than a twin. The Rue de Rivoli is three minutes away.

23 rooms in a late 19th-century building, on the corner of the Rue de Rivoli and the Rue du Bourg-Tibourg. The design is maximalist and makes no apologies: printed wallpaper, pictures and prints of Paris on every wall, and furniture the owners collected at flea markets. There’s air conditioning, double glazing and an elevator. Note that the rooms are small, the showers are tiny and there’s almost no storage space. Notre-Dame is about a ten-minute walk away. I recommend asking for a room on a high floor facing the Rue de Rivoli, because the view from up there is really worth it.

21 rooms on the Rue du Roi de Sicile, four minutes from Saint-Paul station. Breakfast is served in a vaulted stone cellar, and some rooms have kept a stone fireplace. And here I have to be honest: the street itself is very lively at night, it has bars, and the noise goes on until after midnight. There’s no air conditioning either, only a fan. I recommend specifically asking for a room that doesn’t face the street, and if you’re a light sleeper, pack earplugs. At this price and in this location, with the Marais starting right at the door, it’s a fair deal.

17 rooms in a 14th-century building, right across from Saint-Paul metro station. Two historic buildings are connected by a glass atrium that brings light into the middle of the hotel. Breakfast is organic: jams and honey from the Vaucluse, cheeses from a dairy in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and gluten-free options. Some rooms have a freestanding clawfoot bathtub. Note that the entrance is a modest door between two cafés and easy to miss, and that the rooms are about 14 square meters. I recommend upgrading a category if you’re coming for more than a weekend. The Île Saint-Louis is a ten-minute walk away.

24 rooms on the Rue de Birague, the short street that leads straight to the archway of the Place des Vosges, one minute from the square. The rooms have exposed wooden beams and modern bathrooms with rain showers, and breakfast is served in a room full of antiques. Two things to know before you book: there’s no air conditioning, only ceiling fans, and the elevator doesn’t reach every floor, so there’s always a flight of stairs left. I recommend asking for a low floor if stairs are a problem for you, and avoiding a booking during an August heat wave. The Maison de Victor Hugo is two minutes away.

28 rooms on the Rue Saint-Antoine, a hundred meters from Bastille station and two minutes from the Place des Vosges. Breakfast is served in a room with exposed stone and original beams. There’s a reading room, luggage lockers before check-in and after check-out, and bike parking in the basement. Some rooms face a quiet inner courtyard. An important warning: not every room has a private shower, so I recommend checking this with the hotel before you book. At this price, and in this location, it’s one of the most sensible deals in the area.

A small hotel on the Rue du Temple, three minutes from Hôtel de Ville station, at a price that hardly exists in this area anymore. Every room has air conditioning, and there’s free coffee and tea in the lobby all day. Breakfast costs about ten euros and includes a croissant, toast, cheese and juice, and if you let them know a day in advance, you can also get a savory version. Two things you have to know: there’s no elevator and the stairs are steep, and the top-floor rooms are attic rooms with sloping ceilings. I recommend asking for a room facing the courtyard, because that’s where it’s really quiet. The area’s attractions are all around you.