23 Avenue René Fonck, 75019 Paris

B&B HOTEL Paris Porte des Lilas

Name: B&B HOTEL Paris Porte des Lilas
Address: 23 Avenue René Fonck, Paris, 75019, FR
Rating: 4

Hotel 2-star in Paris

Presentation

The B&B Hôtel Paris Porte des Lilas marks the boundary between the capital and its inner suburbs, at the exact point where the ring road still traces Paris’s invisible frontier. From the highway bypass, the first thing you see is its façade, a play of pink and green reflections designed by Dominique Perrault, the architect of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Completed in 2014, the building plays on the colors of the neighborhood, lilac, without turning it into a spectacle.

You get off the metro at Porte des Lilas, line 11, and a five-minute walk is enough to reach reception. The neighborhood is nothing like a Paris postcard: you come here more for practicality than for the charm of Haussmann façades, and you should allow a good twenty minutes of transport to reach Châtelet or République. Those dreaming of walking down to Notre-Dame will be disappointed. But the metro and tram line 3b run right nearby, and the trip to the center remains quick, with no transfers.

Inside, reception is open 24 hours a day. The staff, often praised for their friendliness in online reviews, speak several languages, which reassures passing travelers. A luggage storage area lets you drop off your bags before check-in time, a coworking space is tucked into a corner of the ground floor, and a vending machine with drinks and snacks remains accessible at all hours for late-night cravings.

The 265 rooms follow the same pattern from one version to the next: a bed dressed with B&B By Bultex bedding, a desk, wardrobe, air conditioning, and a flat-screen TV. The bathroom, however, remains compact, as several guests have noted, without affecting the overall comfort of the night. This can be seen as the logical compromise of a hotel of this size, designed to optimize every square meter rather than to offer grandeur. Soundproofing, on the other hand, is universally praised: despite the proximity of the ring road, silence prevails once the door is closed.

On the ground floor, breakfast is served buffet-style, sweet and savory, from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. Bread, pastries, cereals, and fruit juices on one side, eggs and bacon on the other for those who prefer savory. The formula is not meant to surprise; it provides a proper start before a day of sightseeing. Expect to pay around 12 euros per adult, an extra cost added to the room rate, something to keep in mind for budget-conscious travelers.

The underground parking lot, private and secure, reassures drivers arriving via the A3 or A4. However, you need to reserve a space in advance: availability is limited, and the ceiling height, capped at 1.90 meters, rules out taller vehicles. A point to check before leaving, especially for anyone driving a utility vehicle.

When you go out, head to Belleville or Ménilmontant if you want to stroll along cobbled streets and unpretentious cafés. Buttes-Chaumont Park is about a twenty-minute walk away, and Père-Lachaise a little less. Concert lovers will find the Bataclan and Rue de la Roquette just a few metro stops away, and families visiting Disneyland will appreciate the direct proximity of the A4.

Pets are allowed for an extra fee, which makes family stays in the broad sense easier. In the evening, you can settle for the ground-floor vending machine or head to the neighborhood restaurants: there are none within two minutes on foot, so it helps to know that before arriving hungry after a late flight.

One final piece of advice for those arriving late: keep the confirmation code you received by email, as it allows you to access the hotel even after the desk has closed.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

Well-designed accessible room and easy access. Very attentive staff for check-in, pleasant breakfast.
Bathroom rather small, but the room was clean and the bed comfortable. No noise from the ring road once the window was closed.
Warm welcome from the moment we arrived. The person at reception spoke several languages and took the time to point us in the right direction around the neighborhood.
Generous breakfast, simple but fresh products. Practical before a day of sightseeing in Paris.
Secure underground parking, direct access from the ring road. A real plus for those arriving by car.
Five minutes on foot from Porte des Lilas metro station. No restaurant right downstairs, but the center is still quickly accessible.