10 hours ago
The hotel worth splurging on if the rest of your Euro trip in on a budget this summer
Location location location.
It's something my parents have drilled into me whenever I bring up wanting to buy my own home one day.
And on a recent trip to Europe, I learnt the true power of staying in the right spot.
In Rome, I stayed at a nasty budget hotel, and it ended up being on the wrong side of town.
Meanwhile in London, I crashed at a family member's home who lived on the city's very edge, which was a 20 minute walk to the nearest train station – and the train itself only came once every 25 minutes.
I found myself regretting booking these places and cursing myself for not splashing out a little more cash to be right in the middle of things.
That all changed when I got to Paris, and for the purpose of this review — I got to experience what staying somewhere in the perfect location meant for a long weekend in the city of love.
The Hotel Dame des Arts, Paris
I hadn't even arrived to the hotel's front door, yet I found myself smiling as I walked past Saint Chappelle and crossed the River Seine to get to the property which I knew was just around the corner.
I could see the spires of the newly restored Notre Dame in the not-so-distant distance (this turned out to be a four-minute walk from the hotel).
And I soon realised the hotel, though expensive, was so close to everything I'd wanted to see — it made my Paris visit the easiest, least stressful part of my trip.
After five weeks of travelling in Europe on a jam-packed-but-equally-as-exhausting trip of a lifetime, I was starting to miss my own bed and pillow.
When I arrived, the Hotel Dame des Arts looked kind of unremarkable on the outside.
I later learned it had been a Holiday Inn but was converted into absolute luxury just two years ago — and when I got inside, the real magic began.
The concierge was super helpful when I asked for recommendations of places to go, and the more she talked, the more I realised how everything seemed pretty much walking distance. The Louvre was 15 minutes away, the Pantheon just 10 (which I discovered by accident just by walking around blindly). The Eiffel Tower was a bit further – but the hotel was also very close to about three train stations.
The hotel manager even used a contact to get me a ticket to the Musee D'Orsay the next day – they were fully booked out in their website.
I also learned that the location was clearly very good – because outsiders also wanted in.
The hotel's rooftop bar had to be booked out days in advance as it was highly sought after – from other hotel guests and even locals.
When I looked at the view from my table on the rooftop, it wasn't surprising. It gave a panoramic shot of the entire Parisian skyline. I was able to sip on my Aperol Spritz as the sun set over the Eiffel Tower.
Dame des Arts also had its own restaurant, Pimpan, with its own courtyard. Although the food was nice, it wasn't nearly as in demand as the rooftop — which gave the space a nice, relaxing retreat from the hustle and bustle of Paris.
I was absolutely desperate to tuck into some French cuisine. (I had just come from Amsterdam, which, to put it mildly, isn't known for its food).
But I made the mistake of rushing out and finding somewhere. The food was average at best (I got beef bourguignon) and it wasn't any better than French fare I'd had in Australia.
When I came back to the hotel, the manager said there were a lot of tourist traps – and she directed me to some of the more authentic French places.
A real standout while staying at the hotel was how friendly and helpful the staff were throughout my stay — with every suggestion or recommendation hitting the mark.
I wound up at Le Procope and got the coq au van (a fancy French way of roasting chicken).
The concierge also helped me organise a walking tour around the area and I learned the restaurant I'd eaten at the night before is the oldest cafe in Paris, founded in 1686, and had one of Napoleon's iconic bicorne hats on display.
The street it was on – 13 Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie – was also famous street, crucial to the French Revolution.
An important printing shop that spread revolutionary ideas used to operate in the alleyway, and the first guillotine was made here by a carpenter.
I also learned the Hotel Dame des Arts is located in the Latin Quarter, which got its name because the first university opened in 1253 and they only spoke Latin. Latin was the common language in Europe at the time.
The Hotel Dame des Arts has a lowest pricing offer during off-season for €260 (AU$460) and its lowest pricing during peak is €500 (AU$885).
