Hidden away on a quiet corner of Paris's most extravagant neighbourhood, Hotel de La Trémoille offers understated opulence and discreet service.
Situated on the corner of rue de La Trémoille and rue du Boccador in the 8th arrondissement, the hotel is just a stone's throw away from the Champs Elysees and Avenue Montaigne, a street filled with designer stores.
In keeping with the neighbourhood the hotel has a classic 19th-century Haussmann façade with wrought iron balconies; some offering views of the Eiffel Tower.
A framed photo in the hotel lobby shows jazz greats Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong hanging out of the hotel's windows. The pair often stayed here in the 1960s and in tribute the hotel hosts weekly Bubbles & Jazz evenings on Thursdays where they invite the city's up-and-coming jazz talents to entertain the guests in their Louis2 bar-lounge.
Unlike the thronging crowds on the Champs Elysees, the spacious bedrooms offer quiet and calming decor of grey, gold, light blue and deep burgundy hues. A deep, luxurious mattress and heavy, velvet curtains guarantee a peaceful night's sleep, while the elegantly furnished bathroom is all marble and dark wood, and offers a selection of at least half a dozen Molton Brown bath products.
An inspired idea is the serving hatch with openings inside and outside of the room, meaning breakfast in bed can come without the indignity of hotel staff seeing you in your pyjamas.
In the relaxed setting of the restaurant the cuisine is French with a modern Asian twist, and there's plenty of choice. With a comprehensive wine list and lighter-than-air patisserie - I recommend the Paris-Brest, puff pastry filled with a light chocolate cream - you can do a lot worse than stay in for dinner.
www.tremoille.com/uk
Eurostar operates up to 21 daily services from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare Du Nord with one-way fares starting from £29 (price based on a return journey). Fastest London-Paris journey time is 2hr 15 minutes. www.eurostar.com
