Seven New Low-Priced Paris Hotels

Above: The Hilton Paris Opera, opening in January

Hotel Indigo Paris Opera (2)

Villa Saxe Eiffel

The Idol, opening next month

Le Lapin Blanc

Hotel Moliere (2)

citizenM Charles de Gaulle (3)

The big Paris hotel news lately has been the recent opening of the Peninsula and re-opening of the Plaza Athénée, both of them on August 1, 2014. There’s also big buzz about the renovation of the super-luxe Crillon (reopening in late 2015)  and the three-year, €300-million redo of the Ritz (reopening fall/winter 2015). But for those of us who need a more approachable (love that euphemism!) address in the City of Light, here are seven stylish new Paris hotels to consider...all of them new this year or just getting set to open soon. 

*The four-star, 48-room Villa Saxe Eiffel opened in February, in the 7th arrondisement. The goal, the owners say, was to create a soothing atmosphere, with rooms that are “beautiful, simple, and above all, inviting and comfortable.” The minimalist décor is graced by amenities such as linens by Garnier-Thiebaut, Italian lighting, Fragonard bath products and lots of nice tech such as HD TV, iPhone 5 docks, connections for other devices and international satellite TV. There’s a fitness area, with sauna and massage chair, and a restaurant, called La Verriere, open all day. Rates from 165€. villa-saxe-eiffel.com , +33 (0)1 47 83 86 90, hotel@vseparis.com.

*Le Lapin Blanc opened in June.  It's a boutique hotel in the city center, close to close to the Sorbonne,  the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Latin Quarter.  It has 27 rooms including three suites….and serves breakfast but otherwise has no restaurant. The artist and architect who collaborated on the design chose an Alice in Wonderland theme, with soft colors and whimsical patterns.  Le Lapin Blanc (and the two hotels that follow) all belong to the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, which celebrates reasonably priced, independently owned hotels with unique personalities. Rates from 150€. hotel-lapin-blanc.fr, +33 (0) 1 53 10 27 77, info@hotel-lapin-blanc.com

*The four-star boutique Hôtel Molière (in the 1st arrondisement) opened in September, not far from the Comedie-Francaise and the Chatelet Theater, within walking distance of the Seine, Place Vendome, Louvre and Opera Garnier. It's an area that was once home to Royal families, now known for culture, entertainment, traditional architecture, haute couture and formal French gardens. The building itself dates to 1840 and, as its name suggests, the decor celebrates the theatrical: look for dramatic red drapes, furniture inspired by the 17^th century and more. The 27-room hotel has a wellness center (sauna, steam, fitness) and belongs to the Chateaux & Hotels Collection, like Le  Lapin Blanc just above and the Idol just below. Rates from 250€.  Hotel-moliere.fr, +33 (0)1 42 96 22 01, info@hotel-moliere.fr

*The four-star, 32-room Idol Hotel (in the 8th) will open next month (December). Set on rue d’ Edimbourg, it’s just a (Rolling) stone’s throw from the Garnier Opera on the same street as the Conservatoire Municipal de Paris. It’s an area known for musical instrument makers and instrument shops. Appropriately, this fun, funky hotel celebrates all types of music but especially jazz, soul and funk from the 1960s to the '80s. The website lists upcoming musical festivals and shows, which you can see here.  Opening rates from 195€. idolhotel-paris.com, +33 (0)1 45 22 14 31, contact@idolhotel-paris.com

*The Hotel Indigo Paris Opera--the first Hotel Indigo in France-- opened in September  on a quiet pedestrian street just next to Place de l’Opéra, close to the Louvre and the Tuilleries, Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. The area is best known for its ornate opera house, The Palais Garnier, which inspired Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera. GM Vincent Poulingue says “We’re right at the heart of the action. Paris is brimming with history and culture, and this neighborhood provides the perfect base for exploring our enchanting city.” Like the other 59 Indigo Hotels around the world, the Indigo Paris Opera is designed to reflect its surroundings; it’s a fully renovated 4-star boutique property, which the company (IHG Hotels) calls “a modern interpretation of the authentic Parisian style.” Among the 57 rooms there are 12 suites and duplex apartments, some overlooking the Eiffel Tower. The hotel restaurant and wine bar, Tartares, has 42 seats, a terrace, and a sommelier who loves to propose perfect food and wine pairings. Rates from 150€. Hotelindigo.com, +33 (0)1 44 80 00 32. Toll free from US:  877 8 INDIGO.

*The Hilton Paris Opera will debut in January, 2015 following a $50-million restoration by designer Fiona Thompson, who also did the Trianon Palace (Versailles), the Four Seasons Anahita (Mauritius) and The Langham (London). Formerly the Concorde Paris Opera, the 268-room hotel (with 29 suites) sits in the heart of the Right Bank, a stone’s throw from the Champs-Elysées, Opéra Square and Rue de la Paix. Many museums are within walking distance. "The hotel will be quite a departure from how most travellers think of 'a Hilton,' a spokesperson told me. "It offers a modern blend of history and glamour, with sleek styling in celebration of the 125-year legacy of this classic Parisian hotel." The design includes a magnificent entrance hall adorned with frescoes, Corinthian colonnades, original balustrades, chandeliers set with crystals and mosaic flooring. There are seven meeting rooms--including one with vintage Baccarat crystal chandeliers--plus a new Executive Lounge and state-of-the art gym. The hotel GM is Sofia Vandaele, who was last at the London Hotel (New York) and, before that, with W Hotels in New York and the Sheraton Belgravia in London. Rates from 299€. parisopera.hilton.com, +33 (0) 1 40 08 44 44. 

And one at the airport…

*The citizenM Charles de Gaulle Airport opened in June, boasting one-minute check in times, XL king beds, wall-to-wall guestroom windows, high-pressure rain showers, free WiFi throughout, free current movies, hair dryers (“and not the dodgy kind!”)…and rooms starting at 79€. Plus, members of the loyalty club get 15% discounts. Its located in the central zone of the airport, ½ hour from central Paris. Instead of a restaurant, the hotel has the CanteenM, a “24/7 food and drink oasis” where you can get sweets, sandwiches, soups, drinks and much more, to eat in or take out. This is the first citizenM in France, and the 7th hotel worldwide for the Dutch-owned brand.  Their first US property opened on Times Square in Manhattan in May, 2014. Future plans include another hotel in New York (on the Bowery, coming in 2016), plus three additional London properties and hotels in Rome, Istanbul, Zurich, Barcelona and more. Booking is online only at: citizenM.com

Note: For more affordable Paris hotels, click here and make sure to see the listings at the end of the story as well.