okay, i know that there are plenty of people out there whose travel philosophy is of the "i-won't-be-spending-any-time-in-my-room-so-i-don't-care-how-it-looks, let's-save-the-money-for-(blank)" sort. well, i am not one of them. i love hotels, and a big part of a trip to me is getting away... and a ruffled floral bedspread will instantly break my "yay! i'm traveling!"mood upon check in. so although i don't have a huge disposable income, i still can't manage to compromise my aesthetic principles. i'm not asking for the ritz, and i can adhere to plenty of different styles - all i ask is that the concept and design is well thought out and up to date. is that so much to want?
when my husband and i went to paris last fall, we were in search of an affordable hotel (100 - 120 euros) in the st. germain area that would satisfy our intangible aesthetic requirements. there are so many tiny hotels in paris, each with their own charm. there were plenty of places i would have loved to stay in...that were out of our budget, of course. after much research, i came across a recommendation online for a small place that fit the bill. i am almost loathe to share this secret, but we're all friends here, right? for our precious pennies, the hotel saint thomas d'aquin was just right. great location on a lovely, quiet street, close to the metro, and easy to walk everywhere from. the front desk clerks were helpful and tolerant of our lame attempts at french. i asked for a room on the street side in hopes of having a bit more light, and would recommend that. yes, the rooms were petit, but for 120 euros in the heart of the most fabulous neighborhood in paris, what more do you want? and best of all... no ruffles in sight.
Great read always !
Posted by: shawn | March 10, 2008 at 02:02 PM