Hotel Villa d'Estrees and Residence des Arts

Susie Hollands writing for VINGT Paris

The glossy facades of Villa d'Estrees "boutique hotel" is a wrapper hiding a tacky and sub-standard offering, masquerading as a four star joint. Don't be fooled. The plush looking building and décor (rip off Jacques Garcia) will disappoint. Very well-positioned in the on a atmospheric side street rue Git-Le-Coeur near Place St-Michel a stone's throw from St Germain des Prés cannot save this disaster.

The hotel is found just off the heavily trafficked and (heavily kebbabed) rue Saint André des Arts. The ten rooms are reasonably spacious for the area with large, comfortable beds but the level of cleanliness is worse than can be imagined. Dusty bowls of old unwrapped cotton balls are left in the bathroom, white calcaire (caused by Paris' hard water) cover the expensive black marble sinks, and a generally very uncared for and unhygenic feeling remains throughout.

The "welcome" is oblique, the front door is locked and it's hard to get a response from the front desk. If pressed, the harried receptionist will let you in with neither a explanation or a smile. There is virtually no atmosphere and the small and the cramped lobby, which serves as a place to eat breakfast, feels poky and uncomfortable. In terms of suggestions of what to see and do in the area the concierge was able only to suggest that I take a look in the Figaroscope listings magazine.

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