Secrets of Paris

Mon Hotel
1-3 rue Argentine, 16th
Tel 01 45 02 76 76
M° Argentine or Etoile

www.parismonhotel.com

Contemporary, sleek, cool, masculine, design….and it’s actually comfortable! Oh, how many design boutique hotels miss the mark! Just a short stroll through the chic 16th from the Arc de Triomphe leads to the small street where this hotel, opened in 2007, is perched on the corner with views of the scenic Avenue Foch. The entrance is decorated with black columns, red lights, silver mirrors, cozy grey felt armchairs and black lacquered ceilings. To the left, reception, to the right the temporary bar (the actual bar, almost twice the size of the current lobby, will be finished by summer).

Rooms (37 of them) have a sleek contemporary style, with framed black and white photos of famous Hollywood personalities (and Bill Clinton), “open” bathrooms, MP3 players, free Wifi, A/C, over 1000 cable channels on the flat-screen TVs, custom-made beds (very thick) and in the jr-suites Nespresso machines and “spa” showers that work with a remote control (waaaaaay too high tech for moi, but cool looking). The hotel has silver leaf everywhere, a red Hermès elevator, neutral colors in the rooms with blue accents, and “open” closets in some rooms (just the rack, no doors). The walls are a light beige faux-suede (no idea how they keep that clean).

My fave room is the #1 on the 6^th floor, corner with great views, spacious, bathroom window, and funny typo in the closet (you have to see it).

A small fitness and hammam will open in the spring.

Doubles from €300 rack rate, look for discounts before the bar opens.