Hotel Le Sainte-Beuve

A charming owner-run hotel with an open fire and deep sofas in the shimmering salon

The salon at the front is delightfully warm and welcoming, a magnet for guests passing through. There are Ionian pillars, balls of rose petals, beige sofas, smart red armchairs and a big marble fireplace where flames fly in winter; you can saunter up, pluck a log from the wicker basket and pop it on. A perfect example of a fine owner-run Parisian hotel, where you feel at home the moment you walk through the door: Monsieur is charming, his staff are caring, bedrooms are crisply elegant and spotless, the price is spot-on.

Jean Pierre, who ran the Brasserie Balzar in the 5th arrondissement, bought the hotel years ago, but is still a mine of knowledge on local restaurants; staff will book tables, supply maps (and umbrellas just in case), so don’t come to diet. You’re down in Montparnasse, off the south-western shores of the Jardin du Luxembourg, so you can walk off any excess amid glorious formal gardens.

Highs

• The salon, a richly warm spot to linger
• The spirit of the hotel: smart, comforting, very welcoming - Jean-Pierre wants you to think of the place as your home in Paris
• The Jardin du Luxembourg is on your doorstep, the Latin Quarter just beyond
• Good value for its location and charm

Lows

• Three-quarter-sized baths are not big enough for a really good soak
• The cheaper bedrooms at the back don’t get much light
• It's a fair way south of the main sites