Paris hotels - Susan Luraschi

Talk about spoilt for choice! Cosseted or cool and contemporary, simple or decadently baroque. Sensual, shimmering and feminine - partitions of pale organza, crinkly taffetas. The rectangle is out, undulation is in; carpet is out, parquet is in. Soft velvets in chocolate, apricot and prune, bedheads in burnished crocodile (fake). Interior patios and private terraces in old and 'new' neighbourhoods: the Marais, the Bastille and the Canal Saint Martin. Bars with warm fires and deep sofas, flea market finds, a grand piano in the lobby and a Parisien beauty who sings at cocktail hour. An 18th-century staircase, Empire antiquities, home-made jams and croissants, country-house style. Can't get to the Caribbean? Come to Paris Plage 21 July - 20 August. The entries in this guide are special in many different ways: we choose places for the warmth of their welcome, their style - whether simple or sumptuous - and look for good value for money and for environmental awareness. Every property in the book has been inspected. Symbols, maps, colour photos, clear directions and quick reference indices help guide our readers to the best choice for them, and our well-researched, fresh and lively write-ups paint an accurate and vivid picture.