Hotel Langlois, Paris, France

Formerly the Hotel des Croisés, the Hotel Langlois was renamed after the fictional hotel used in a French movie shot a few years ago. We had heard alot about it, and wanted to take a look for ourselves. The typically Parisian staff take a little while to warm up, but the place is worth every benefit of every doubt. You can see why they chose it for a film - a well proportioned townhouse hotel, the rooms give off a central staircase and spacious landing, with an antique wrought iron lift running up the centre. Rooms themselves are well proportioned, generally light (at least those at the front) and decorated and furnished with evident care - well chosen antiques, rugs, fabrics and the occasional original fireplace.

The rooms
Much of the atmosphere of the hotel comes from the fact that they haven't cut about the rooms - the original floorplans have been retained. One resident takes a room for the whole summer on one of the higher floors, a profusion of flowers and potted plants brought in to enliven the place. It really feels like home, and you'll want to come back again and again, especially at this price. One word of warning, however - no air-con! So if you come in high summer, avoid the top rooms, which can become stifling. Sure, you can open the window, but the street life below will keep you entertained late into the night. As the man said in another (nameless) hotel we stayed in, when we asked to be moved due to the stench of Gauloises in the room, with a Gallic shrug - "Eh bien, mate, what do you expect, this is Paris!"