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Paris Hotels The best hotels in Paris if you love history, luxury, out-thereness or strange. Hotel St Merry This 3 star hotel is situated in the immensely popular Marais district. You'll be spoilt for choice for bars and restaurants if you stay in these gorgeous gothic lodgings - it was formerly part of the attached Eglise St-Merry. Elaborate medieval furnishings, flying buttresses in your room, wrought iron candelabra - this 3 star hotel has it all. Although the rooms can be on the small side (as are very many Paris hotel rooms), for atmosphere and history this former brothel/presbytery (not at the same time) cannot be beaten. Hotel St Merry 78 rue de la Verrerie, Marais, 4e
1, Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy
Metro Châtelet or Hotel de Ville
RER Châtelet les Halles
Website Hotel St Merry, Le Marais L'Hotel  For a real treat - an anniversary weekend away, or a birthday treat - this is the place. Brimming with history, this was formerly a Pavillon d'Amour where La Reine Margot held her amorous dalliances. Oscar Wilde also breathed his last breath here when it was known as the Hotel d'Alsace. His last words may have been either "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or other of us has got to go," "I am dying beyond my means," or, "I can’t even afford to die". Whichever, they were all pearls of wit supposed to have been uttered in this particular hotel. There's a plaque above the door dedicated to the old scoundrel, if you'd just like to see that instead. L'Hotel is situated on the left bank in the midst of the bars and galleries, and near the Café Flore. You can go and sip coffee and pretend you're a French intellectual if you like! Beautifully and luxuriously decorated and extremely hip, if you've a bit of extra pocket money to distribute, then this is certainly a place to stay in. L'Hotel 13 Rue des Beaux Arts, 6e
Metro St Germain des Prés
Website L'Hotel Everland Truly quirky, this one. A touring hotel cum art installation, its last port of call was on the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig. It now sits on top of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, looking out at the Eiffel Tower (the view of the Eiffel Tower at night must be breathtaking). You'll only be able to stay for one night (and it's extremely popular), and you'll be served by staff from a nearby hotel. In the prefab pod, you'll find a well-stocked mini bar, record player and LPs - which have been known to disappear, as have the towels. It'll be open to the public during the day (for external viewings only) from 16th November 2008. Bookings are being taken in Paris until 28th December and then it'll be off again! Everland Palais de Tokyo
13, avenue du Président Wilson, 16e
Metro Iéna, Alma Marceau
Website Everland Hotel Hotel de Nesle  This budget accommodation is to be found in the Saint Germain area - so again, a great location for your stay in Paris. Half of the rooms are decorated in an individual, colourful way - with each dedicated to different aspects of the arts. Molière is represented, as is Notre Dame de Paris, and there's even a Turkish style room with a hammam (a Turkish bath). Beware though - booking is by phone only (even though they have an email address) and has been known to have failed. Re-confirm your booking before you go, and arrive earlier in the day to make sure you have a room to stay in! Another reason for making the effort, though, is the large garden with a pond and pathways. Hotel de Nesle 7 Rue de Nesle, 6e
Metro Odéon
Website Hotel de Nesle Hotel du Petit Moulin  Another Maris charmer, not far from Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum, this 4 star Christian Lacroix designed hotel is sumptuous and not for lovers of minimalism. A former boulangerie, some of the original features such as wooden beams and the original sign have been retained - and lots of sequins, pink fabric and industrial plastic have been added. The beds are extremely comfy, and an added bonus is that the staff are lovely - not really expected in such a trendy place. The only downside that I've found is that a lot of the rooms have baths with hand-held showers rather than stand-up showers, but hopefully this won't be an insurmountable problem - just don't wash! Hotel du Petit Moulin 29/31 rue du Poitou, 3e
Metro Saint Sébastien Froissard or Filles du Calvaire
Website Hotel du Petit Moulin
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