19 Rue Monsieur le Prince, 75006 Paris

Villa des Princes

Name: Villa des Princes
Address: 19 Rue Monsieur le Prince, Paris, 75006, FR
Rating: 3.85

Hotel 2-star in Paris

Presentation

Villa des Princes occupies a discreet address on Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, two minutes from Odéon station, on that Left Bank where bookshops stand alongside the gates of the Luxembourg Gardens. You enter almost silently: the exposed stone in the lobby absorbs the buzz of the 6th arrondissement, and the black-and-white contrast that structures the décor sets the tone from the very first steps.

The property has eleven rooms in total. The layout is compact, like many addresses in this old neighborhood, and you feel it as you head upstairs. The elevator, inherited from the 19th-century building, remains narrow, not the most practical for a large suitcase or a long stay, but it adds that slightly old-fashioned charm associated with Saint-Germain. For those who find that inconvenient, the stairs work just fine.

The rooms themselves keep things simple. Clean lines, air conditioning, a desk near the window, and a private bathroom with a door that closes properly. Nothing superfluous: enough to put your things down and head back out to explore without lingering.

On the ground floor, the breakfast room is a surprise with its vaulted ceiling and stone walls, a vestige that gives this moment of the day an almost monastic setting. The continental buffet is served every morning; those who like to take their time will find it satisfying.

In the evening, however, you will have to go out. Villa des Princes does not have its own restaurant, only room service with limited hours. That is not really a drawback in this neighborhood: Polidor, an institution of the Latin Quarter, is a five-minute walk away, and there is no shortage of Italian restaurants and brasseries on Boulevard Saint-Germain.

Going out is precisely what makes the location appealing. Luxembourg Gardens are a five-minute walk away, Notre-Dame and the Louvre can be reached in less than fifteen minutes, and the Luxembourg RER B station makes it easy to get around Paris quickly. The boutiques on Boulevard Saint-Germain can fill an afternoon effortlessly.

At reception, there is a safe and luggage storage, which is handy for those who keep their room after the noon checkout. An airport shuttle can be booked at an extra cost, a fairly rare service for a property of this size.

One final tip for the morning: arrive in the breakfast room before 9 a.m. The room is small, service runs at its own pace, and that is when, under the vaults, you can best enjoy the calm before Paris is fully awake.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

Tiny elevator, just about one person with a suitcase. Room on the 4th floor; we used it once and then took the stairs. Otherwise no problem.
Small but functional room. Window facing a wall, so no view, but total quiet at night.
Top-notch welcome. Smiling, efficient staff from the start to the end of the stay, rather rare to see that.
Generous and varied breakfast, served until 11 a.m. Plenty of time to take things slowly in the morning without rushing.
Just a stone’s throw from Odéon metro and the Luxembourg Gardens. You can reach all of Paris on foot, or almost, from there.
No restaurant on site, but Polidor is a 5-minute walk away. We ate there two evenings; convenient and inexpensive for the neighborhood.