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Finding a decent hotel in the middle of Paris is easier said than done. Maison Albar – Le Vendôme certainly ticks a lot of boxes: it is centrally located, has comfy beds, and is tucked on a quiet street in the 9th arrondissement, just a short stroll away from the grand facade of the Opéra Garnier. The building was once Le Lyon d'Or, a playground of sorts for Paris’s well-heeled elites in the late nineteenth century, and the building retains that sense of theatrical luxury in its very structure, with its narrow, unassuming entrance hall opening out into a bright, hushed courtyard.
That said, the interiors of Maison Albar – Le Vendôme lean hard into a particular strain of Parisian chic – teal velvet seating, frosted gold furnishings, padded headboard walls – that will feel either opulent or quietly dated depending on your side of Pinterest. But if you’re more concerned with actually seeing Paris than debating soft furnishings, you’ll find it perfectly comfortable (though you may want to skip the spa).
What are the rooms like at Maison Albar - Le Vendôme?
There are 51 rooms available here, ranging from ‘the essential’ to ‘the deluxe’. Neither are the largest, but that’s Paris for you. I stayed in the mid-tier ‘superior room’, with a king bed, television, small window-side seating area and a dinky walk-in shower and adjoining bathroom. Everything is clean and feels soft, making for a comfortable if basic base to relax in after exploring the city.
What are the facilities like?
One of the draws of this property is basement spa, which is a bit of a treat in Paris but could have done with some improvements. While the pool was fine as standard, there was a lack of seating that was large enough to be comfortable in the space around it, making it difficult to properly relax. The wellness offerings included a steam room and two ‘experience’ shower rooms, one of which had rainbow disco lights and looked like something of an electrical hazard with wires on display from where the water came from the ceiling. They may as well strip the whole thing out and build a sauna.
What is the food and drink like?
‘Le Patio du Vendome’ is the star of this place, a bright, open courtyard through the back of the building that you really wouldn’t know was there, complete with tables, chairs and greenery. Here, they offer a lunch, dinner and wine menu with a focus on modern attempts at the French classics.
Breakfast takes place indoors. Rather than trusting guests to tuck into a buffet, you have the option to order a strict number of dishes from a menu – mine arrived as an assortment of pale, droopy pastries and some dry scrambled egg. With that in mind, I’d recommend grabbing a croissant from the boulangerie down the road.
What’s the area like?
This is centrally located in the opera district – not exactly a trendy area, but close to all sorts of tourist attractions and easily accessible from pretty much anywhere. The Louvre is only a 15-minute walk away, while the Palais Royal is 10 minutes and the Place Vendôme is basically on your doorstep. Since the parent company bills itself as being ‘casually luxurious’, the nightly price starting at €280 is definitely not unreasonable for round here – though you might find you can find slicker facilities elsewhere.
DETAILS
Address: 7 Rue du Helder, 75009 Paris
Price: From €280 per night
Closest transport: Chaussée d'Antin-Lafayette (Lines 7 & 9), a 3-minute walk