THE FACTS ABOUT HOTEL LA VILLA ST-GERMAIN

France Paris

FAMILY Just around the corner from the magnificent Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, on rue Jacob, stands Hôtel La Villa St-Germain. Originally designed by Marie-Christine Dorner in the 1980s, the hotel was refurbished last year by Jean-Philippe Nuel, who installed a softer, friendlier look while retaining key Dorner elements such as the elongated 'La Villa' logo. From the moment you walk into the lobby/bar area it is apparent that this is a relaxed, informal operation suited to young couples or families - no cream sofas or fragile antiques here. Equally the service is loud and lively rather than solemnly grand. From the lobby you descend a wide spiral staircase into the hotel's most stylish feature: the basement breakfast room, decorated with cream walls, sea grass flooring and dark Japanese-style tables. ROOMS The 31 good-sized bedrooms and suites in two colours are discreetly funky. On the whole though, they are lightly designed in a simple, geometric style using muted earth tones. Bathrooms are well equipped, some with Hansgrohe fittings, but painfully small. Ask for a corner room on the fifth floor as they are bigger and lighter than the rest. CONTACT Hôtel La Villa St-Germain, 29 rue Jacob, 75006 Paris (00 33 1 43 26 60 00; email: hotel@villa-saintgermain.com) ££