Secrets of Paris

42 rue Vaugirard, 6th
M° St-Sulpice or RER Luxembourg
Tel 01 53 10 36 50 fax 01 53 10 36 59

www.hotelluxparc.com

The magic is in the details at this darling boutique hotel facing Luxembourg Gardens. I first visited this hotel four years ago, and today it's even more adorable than I remember it. Everything has been carefully arranged for guests' comfort. The style is classic French, with a mix of antiques (Louis XV and Napoléon III) and luxurious fittings complementing the ancient wooden beams, exposed stone walls and marble floors. The lobby has a view over the interior sculpture garden, a bar where you can have exotic cocktails or just an espresso, and tucked in the back is a quiet library lounge with a fireplace where you can check your email for free or play a game of chess. There is a newly opened fitness room machines include a PowerPlate), and the hotel provides maps of the park across the street for runners.

There are 23 rooms accessible via a glass elevator. All are air-conditioned and equipped with free Wifi Internet access. There are minibars, satellite TV with international channels, hair dryer, and marble bathrooms. Most rooms have wooden floors with area rugs, some have exposed wooden beams on the ceiling. The decor is either Second Empire or Louis XV/Louis XVI. The junior suite has a Nespresso coffee maker, plasma TV screen, DVD player, and separate sitting area. Room 26 has its own private garden terrace (with space heaters in the winter) where you can lounge year round.

I just had clients staying at the hotel with their children and they report that the service and quality is excellent.

You can find internet discount rates on the hotel's own website. Rack rates start at €230 for a double, but check for early-bird and multiple-day discounts.