Paris is a city like no other. For many – us included – it’s a true Bucket List destination. Yet, even in Paris, your hotel can be the difference between the trip you’ve been dreaming of, and a complete nightmare. As we noted in How to Find the Best Hotel in Paris, there are some 2,000 hotels in Paris. Finding a hotel is not hard, but choosing the best hotel can be a challenge. We are happy to say, booking Hôtel la Comtesse Paris for our #FallInFrance was the perfect choice.
Note: Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, France’s external borders are closed to all but essential travel, and the U.S. State Department’s advisory for France is Level 3: Reconsider Travel. The French government hopes to reopen for tourism in June 2021.
Location, Location, Location
You can see the location of Hotel la Comtesse in relation to several of Paris’ celebrated sights.
We put a lot of thought into finding a hotel in Paris, starting with location. We knew three things: We did not want to rent a car and did want to see the iconic sites of the Vieux Cité. Since most of the big attractions are close to the River Seine, that narrowed our search to the Arrondissenments, or neighborhoods, flanking the river. Somewhere between the Arc de Triomphe and the Latin Quarter, our perfect hotel waited.
To narrow things down, we pulled out our one Big Wish: A view of the Eiffel Tower. On the internet, we looked at hotel after hotel. As you might expect, some great hotels close to the Eiffel Tower were pretty expensive; the further away you go, the lower the price. Surprisingly, the view from farther away can be just as nice, if not better.
That’s how we found the Hôtel la Comtesse Paris Tour Eiffel. When it comes to location, this is THE spot. The hotel is just about a block off Champ de Mars, the large lawn in front of Tour Eiffel, and you can walk to the tower itself in just about fifteen minutes. Several of the most iconic Paris landmarks are within walking distance, yet the neighborhood was not touristy. We were among locals, walking to work and watching the world from the café on the corner. (See the Good to Know section below.)
[Tweet “We were temporary residents in the very heart of Paris during Our Stay at Hotel la Comtesse.”]
Hôtel la Comtesse Paris at night, in the heart of the 7th Arrondissement.
The Hotel
Hôtel la Comtesse is a boutique hotel; just 40 rooms and suites with an elegant 18th Century flair. The Hausmannian building is typical of Paris, and its wedge shape means the best views are from the four rooms at the “bottom” of the V. Unfortunately, those rooms sell out quickly. (We’ll address the room situation in a bit.)
Entering the lobby is like stepping into a historic Parisian literary parlor of the 18th Century, which is exactly what the hotel is modeled after. Look up to see the beautiful frescoes on the ceiling. Test your French with a selection from the bookshelf. By all means, take time to settle into a comfy chair and watch Paris go past the window.
Adjoining the lobby is the La Comtesse Café. Being at the end of the building, it has windows on two sides, and through the door on the end is sidewalk seating. Also through that door is a view of la Tour Eiffel! Fitness facilities are downstairs, and include a small gym and sauna. Since it was cool during our fall visit, we regret not planning more time in the sauna!
A Room Fit for a Marquise
Feeling very French, we booked a Marquise Room. That’s la Comtesse’s name for a “Superior Double” with a side view of le Tour Eiffel. So, first question: What is a side view? Remember that the building is a V shape pointing towards the Eiffel Tower. If you’re on either side of the V, you get a side view. Not exactly the full-frontal Eiffel we were hoping for, but a pleasant view nonetheless. Considering that waking hours spent in your room in Paris are minimal, it’s hardly worth splurging on a great view unless, like us, that is on your Must Have list.
The room itself was small, by American standards but, well, standard by European. The closets – two small spaces on either side of the bed – were just enough for two of us staying for a few days, but there was hardly any room for suitcases. One desk, two small chairs, and a queen-sized bed practically filled the room. It was a very comfortable queen sized bed, though.
The Queen-sized bed took nearly the entire room. Small by American standards, but comfortable.
Oddly, the bathroom was large, but had one thing in common with so many hotel bathrooms: No counter space. An extra-large sink took valuable room that could have been better used. The entire bathroom was tiled and, as in many modern hotels, the shower was very open. Water tended to get everywhere and, since it was cold, a warm shower condensed on every surface. The result was a wet, slippery bathroom. In the cold weather, the towel warmer was very much appreciated!
In-room amenities included a coffee maker, and a safe large enough for a 15” laptop. There was cable TV as well. The staff was exceptional at keeping us stocked with extra towels, toiletries, and coffee.
We started every day with this Eiffel Tower view at the Café Comtesse.
La Comtesse Café
The café serves a help-yourself breakfast, featuring pastries, cheese and meats, yogurts and fruit. We didn’t know, at first, that made to order eggs were also available. By far our favorite features were the traditional hot croissants and the coffee maker. While the staff would gladly bring you a cup of coffee, they didn’t mind if you got up to make your own. A few button pushes and you had any hot drink you desired, from espresso to tea, hot chocolate to mocha lattes. If it would have fit in our luggage, we might have taken it home!
Although all of Paris was just outside the window, one of the most enjoyable parts of our entire Fall in France trip was sitting in the café enjoying a Cappuccino while admiring the Eiffel Tower. Every. Morning. If that is Parisian life, sign us up!
A Staff that Shines
As with almost any hotel, the staff will make or break your stay. We were exceptionally pleased with the staff at la Comtesse. From the first day on, everyone at the desk and café knew us, and made us feel welcome. The entire staff was always helpful, friendly, and thoroughly professional. Even when we didn’t think they noticed us, we were greeted with a lilting Bonjour and courteous smile. Watching the staff interact with guests, they were always polite and helpful, whether providing directions, recommending a restaurant, or planning when to leave for the train station.
Good to Know
- Most of the staff is fluent in English, some in Spanish.
- If you’ve forgotten anything, Phamacie de l’École Militaire is across the street.
- Also across the street is a BNP Paribas with an ATM out front. It’s well lit, and we always felt safe.
- Mass Transit
- There are three École Militaire bus stops, as three streets converge in front of the hotel. One is directly in front of the Café Tourville, one on Avenue Duquesne, and another just a few feet away on Place de l’École Militaire.
- École Militaire Metro stops are on either side of Place Joffre, the east/west street that crosses in front of the hotel, on the far side of the Café Tourville.
- Eats: In addition to le Café Comtesse, there are several small restaurants on Avenue de Tourville, from Burgers to Vegan, and three larger restaurants: Café des Officiers, Café Tourville, and La Terrasse
- Sightseeing: Within a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, you will find
- Paris Military School, literally next door.
- UNESCO’s headquarters are directly behind the school.
- Napoleon’s Tomb, Musée de l’Armée, and Musée Rodin are with ten minutes walk down Avenue de Tourville.
- The Champ de Mars park is across the intersection and a block west. Don’t miss the view of the Eiffel Tower at the Mur pour la Paix (Wall of Peace), across from the Military School.
- Strolling through the Champ de Mars leads you directly to le Tour Eiffel in less than 30 minutes, depending on how often you stop to take pictures!
- Within 30 minutes you can also walk to Place de la Concorde, with Champ Elysées on one side, and the Jardin des Tuileries on the other. The Arc de Triomphe and Musée du Louvre lie in either direction.
- Walking to Notre Dame will take about an hour.
Pros & Cons at Hôtel la Comtesse Paris
We very much enjoyed our stay at Hôtel la Comtesse, and have very few cons. The pros far outweigh any shortcomings we found, which were really only annoyances. While the room size could be an issue for some, it’s not uncommon in Paris.
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The biggest questions about any hotel are whether you would recommend it to others, and would you return? We have no reservations in saying yes to both!
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Disclaimers & Details: Our stay at Hôtel la Comtesse was neither solicited nor compensated, and was booked anonymously. All views are our own, and are based on our experiences.
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Wow you guys definitely found an awesome location – Paris hotels can be a bit hit and miss but it sounds like you stumbled on a gem here! SO close to everything and looks great too!
Hey Lexx! Seriously, we walked to almost everything except Versailles! Okay, and we took a pedi-taxi part way to the Louvre one day…because we had walked literally everywhere else for days. 🙂 But that’s exactly why we wanted a hotel right in la coeur de Paris – it’s such a walkable city, why stay somewhere you need a car? (We did take the Metro back to the hotel a few times. Tired legs, man!)
This sounds like a great find. Ok, so small rooms, but unless you pay a fortune in Paris, they all are. Great view, friendly staff and a comfy bed. All sounds good to me. I’ll be pinning this for the future.
Thanks for the pin & the comment, Shona! We think it was a great find, and are happy to share! 🙂
I’ve heard that finding good accommodation in a good area in Paris can be somewhat of a challenge so having a recommendation like this is worth its weight in gold. I prefer boutique hotels because with a smaller size you can expect a bit more personal treatment. Plus, an Eiffel view 🙂
Thanks David! For us, the problem was narrowing things down while still having the details we wanted. We seriously considered one of the big chain hotels in La Marais for proximity to the Louvre. Glad we decided on the boutique route, though – great hotel, great staff. And yeah, that view! 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
I would stay there, that is a gorgeous view and the bed looks the coziest. I always love little intimate rooms like that. I’ll add this to my list for Paris one day 🙂
Hi Scarlett! That bed was super cozy, and there were outlets along the headboard so we didn’t have to leave the warm, comfy covers to turn off the alarm on chilly mornings. 🙂 On a different topic, not sure how pet-friendly the hotel is, but we did notice a few pups in the lobby. I assumed they were locals, but maybe not. As always, merci for your comment!
It´s so complicated to find a good hotel in Paris, I mean price/quality. This one looks really nice: love its boutique style and of course, the views… thanks for sharing #TheWeeklyPostcard
You are not kidding. When someplace is as pricey as Paris, it’s even more important to find that “sweet spot.” All things considered, we were really happy with La Comtesse, and really enjoyed the boutique atmosphere. Thanks for reading!
Lovely location. What a view! We do agree, the staff will make or break your stay. It is really important to have courteous and warm staff for a comfortable stay. We will keep hotel la comtesse in mind for our next Paris trip.
Bonjour Siddharth & Shruti! We can’t say enough about the staff at La Comtesse. They obviously took great pride in their hotel and their work there. The view definitely sold us, but it’s the staff that made it a great stay. As always, thanks for reading!
This does seem like a great hotel with an ideal location! I’m glad to hear that the staff were so wonderful too! Maybe that’s just because I finished my research paper on soft skills in the hospitality industry…
Ha! It’s amazing how much you notice things like that when you’ve been working on it. Their soft skills were excellent, and far better than many reports we’ve heard about stuffy staffs and rude service. I also noticed that people from neighboring businesses would stop by and chat with them. Nice to know they seem to be an active, connected part of the neighborhood! Thanks for reading, Jenn!
Wow, love the location of the Hotel La Comtesse Paris. You are correct in saying it is hard to pick a hotel and for me on my first trip was location. That was before I travelled frequently I did not search correctly. The cons of the hotel simply do not compare to the wonderful pros. Love the quaint view of the rooms even if your stepping over suitcases which in my case happens a lot overseas. Also love the restaurant with a full view of the tower. I pinned this for later use for when I return to Paris. Thanks for sharing! #WeekendWanderlust
Hi Stephanie – Thanks for pinning! Hopefully, you’ll get to turn that into a real life trip soon. 🙂 I know what you mean about stepping over suitcases. This was the same trip where we tried out the Yotel in London, which is even smaller! That was the theme, I guess. And we learned that small and comfortable actually do go together! (We’re from Texas, so who knew?) Thanks for your comment!
That is an amazing breakfast view, I think you struck gold here and I never thought that the further away you are from the Eiffel Tower the better the view could be (although I did know the price would be cheaper). This hotel is gorgeous; I love the outside, the bed – that’s all I need is a nice cosy bed! Thanks for bringing this to my attention, pinned for the future! #feetdotravel
Hi Angie! That was a great view. I mean, it’s hard to miss that you’ve woken up in France, but when you look up and see that…you’re in Paris alright! You know, we didn’t mention it, but that bed was really comfy. Or maybe we were really worn out from walking all over Paris? Either way, we slept like babies. 🙂 As always, thanks for stopping by our blog!
I like to stay near the center of cities I visit even if I have to pay a little bit more. It is a time thing. I do not want to waste time in transit to the city every day. To me, the pros of this hotel outweight the cons. I do not mind a small room if it is clean and safe. Thanks for sharing your find!
Hi Ruth – Time is a big part of it, and also the ease of being able to walk to your destinations and not have to deal with a car, and parking, and street signs in a language you barely remember from high school! Plus, we really like the feeling you get for a city by staying right in the middle of it. That’s definitely our travel style. Thanks for reading!
Very useful information. I agree with you that the location of your hotel is of utmost importance when you travel. For me, equally important is the cleanness and the comfort of the room. It seems you made a great choice with Hôtel la Comtesse. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Hi Anda – We loved la Comtesse. About the only thing that would have made us happier would be the old-town feel that you get in the Latin Quarter, but then that Eiffel Tower view is the sacrifice. We’re with you on cleanliness – you can’t enjoy a nice room if the place is a mess! Thanks for your comments!
The location sounds perfect. And I feel like your list of cons is pretty standard for most European hotels. I will definitely keep this hotel in mind for my next trip to Paris. #TheWeeklyPostcard.
You’re right, Anisa. In many ways, the Comtesse is much like most European hotels. I tend to think that we Americans (maybe especially those of us from Texas!) are spoilt by big rooms and loads of space. And honestly, not many hotels anywhere really nail the bathroom experience. Thankfully, the Pros were strong with this one. 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Opps, meant #Feetdotravel #8 🙂
Hehehe…or both! 🙂
Oooh I like the look and sound of this hotel! Will be saving this! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Hi Lolo – We can very much imagine you liking the Comtesse. It’s quaint and modern at the same time, small but big on service and style. We hope you get a chance to check in and enjoy that view!
This is a beautiful hotel and I love the location. Who wouldn’t want to have a view of the Eiffel Tower from their room and eating breakfast. Would love to stay at someplace like this in Paris.
Hi Mary – It is pretty hard to resist that view. Can’t wait till we see it again! Despite the view, the location is what really made La Comtesse such a great decision. Thanks for reading!