18 Place des Abbesses, 75018 Paris

Hôtel Regyn's Montmartre

Name: Hôtel Regyn's Montmartre
Address: 18 Place des Abbesses, Paris, 75018, FR
Price range: 167 EUR
Rating: 4.15

Hotel 2-star in Paris

Presentation

Regyn's Montmartre Hotel announces itself as soon as you exit Abbesses metro station, on the square of the same name, right across from Saint-Jean-de-Montmartre church. The neighborhood needs no introduction: it is the one from Amélie Poulain, the one also recognizable in Emily in Paris, with its stairways climbing between the façades and its streets that turn without warning.

At reception, a mural depicts the vineyards of Montmartre, a discreet reminder that the neighborhood was long a village before being absorbed by Paris. The staff speak several languages and remain available day and night. A safe and luggage storage make it possible to head off and wander the streets without a second thought.

The 22 rooms were recently refurbished in a retro style carried by the Toile de Jouy fabric that covers the walls, each with its own pattern, except on the fourth floor, which changes tone. The rooms remain in the compact format often found in this kind of 19th-century Paris building: count on about a dozen square meters for the entry-level categories. Enough to sleep and set down your belongings, not necessarily to spread out three open suitcases. Those who like a bit more space will rather aim for the rooms on the upper floors, which are more spacious.

The bed stands out right away, with its mattress topper and Egyptian cotton sheets. Free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, satellite channels: nothing out of the ordinary on paper, but everything works, and the bathroom, with shower or bathtub depending on the room, has a hairdryer.

As for the view, it all depends on the floor and the façade. Courtyard side, quiet guaranteed, softer light. Abbesses square side, you open the window onto the neighborhood’s lively atmosphere. Higher up still, some rooms reveal the Sacré-Cœur, others the rooftops of Paris all the way to the Eiffel Tower. Room 50, for example, overlooks the hill and the basilica. Rooms 56 and 58 open onto the rooftops. Those views cost a little more, but they are worth the detour.

On the ground floor, room service is available, with limited hours: convenient for a late meal after an evening out, less so for a full dinner at any hour. Breakfast is served buffet-style from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in a small room with bistro furniture and naïve murals, for an extra charge to factor into the budget.

The hotel has also made concrete environmental commitments: reducing water and energy consumption, sorting waste, and choosing responsible suppliers. Nothing is advertised with great fanfare, but you can feel it in the small details of everyday life.

Around it, everything is within walking distance: Place du Tertre and its painters, the Moulin Rouge less than ten minutes away, the Montmartre Museum for those who want to delve into the neighborhood’s history. Pink Mamma and Pizzeria Popolare are among the area’s well-liked Italian spots, worth booking if you don’t want to wait on the pavement.

One point to keep in mind: Montmartre is best experienced on foot, but with steps, lots of steps. A wheeled bag and sloping cobblestones do not always go well together. Nothing insurmountable, but it is better to plan on comfortable shoes and a little time between the taxi and reception.

One last tip: head out early in the morning, before the shops open, to have Place des Abbesses almost to yourself. The café across the way is already serving, and the cobblestones are still wet from the night’s cleaning.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

We arrived earlier than expected, and reception still found us a free room right away. Efficient staff, no fuss.
Room on the fifth floor with a view stretching far over the rooftops. On a snowy morning, waking up was worth the trip.
Right on Place des Abbesses, metro exit two minutes away on foot. Bakeries and small shops right below the hotel.
Simple but decent breakfast, fresh croissants and unlimited coffee. Small room, but enough to start the day.
Late departure, bags left in storage while we enjoyed the neighborhood one last time. Staff were happy to help with that.
Top-floor room accessible by elevator, convenient with luggage after the walk up from the metro.