Lisa Gerard-Sharp

If your dream trip to Paris involves stunning architecture, boutique shopping and endless bougie restaurants, then look no further than the Marais. This centrally-located neighbourhood spanning the 3rd and 4th arrondissements is stuffed full of great things to do, and its hotels match the vibe too. This list compiles our favourites – a hotel designed by a famous fashion designer, a boutique stay above an old sweet shop, and tons more. Read on for the best hotels in the Marais, reviewed by Time Out travel experts.  The best hotels in the Marais at a glance 🎀 Best boutique: Hôtel du Petit Moulin 🥂 Best luxury: Le Pavillon de la Reine 🍭 Most unique: Maison Saintonge 👶 Best for families: Le Grand Mazarin 💸 Most affordable: Les Tournelles 🏨 RECOMMENDED: Our ultimate guide to hotels in Paris How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Though we have reviewed many of the hotels we feature, we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 📍 Things to do on your next trip in Paris

It’s rare to live out the fashion fantasies of a top designer, but that’s the promise here. Le Petit Moulin was Christian Lacroix’ first haute couture hotel and he put all his crazy personality into it. As a result, this decadent, Insta-worthy boutique retreat brightens up the dullest wintry day in Paris. It helps that this daring creation is rooted in the city’s creative quarter.  Admire the gilded lobby ceiling, a mini masterpiece dating from the hotel’s previous incarnation as an elegant boulangerie. The story goes that this 17th-century building began life as Paris’ first boulangerie and was also where writer Victor Hugo would come to buy his baguette. Today, the hotel is a listed building, secreted behind the original elegant black-and-gold bakery shopfront.  Lacroix did the décor of Le Petit Moulin in 2005, and it feels distinctly retro, even if the hotel’s had subtle revamps since then. The stage-set of a sitting room, a whimsical take on a French literary salon, will still bring a smile to your face. Unsurprisingly, Lacroix has dabbled in design for the theatre, trains and trams, as well as opera houses and hotels.  Why stay at Le Petit Moulin? Welcome to an eye-catching hotel with the feel-good factor and a spirit of adventure. As Lacroix says, ‘Each room is only the start of a story.’ This is a boutique retreat for repeat guests who treat it as their Parisian home from home. The hotel feels like an insider secret and appeals to sophisticated city-savvy couples, with

If this white narcissus were a perfume, it would be ‘Essence of Paris’ – sophisticated, self-indulgent and as stylish as this posh part of Paris. Set a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées, Les Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, this luxe boutique haunt occupies a Parisian mansion set in the cosseted 7th arrondissement. It feels like an invitation to step back in time, with its look distinctly classical, a nod to aristocratic glory days. But that’s only one side of this family-owned hide-away: it’s not resting on its laurels and has slipped into this century intact – with a sleek spa, bar and restaurant – and without any Revolutionary beheadings.  Why stay at Le Narcisse Blanc Hôtel & Spa? The vibe at Le Narcisse Blanc is hushed but not stuffy, discreet but not dull, teasing but not tawdry. This is The White Narcissus not The White Lotus – a slow-burn, seductive not scandalous. From the lustrous floral displays to the sexy cocktails, the mood is faintly voluptuous but never full-on seductive. You are meant to feel like a privileged guest in the private boudoir of Cléo de Mérode, muse to the artists of the Belle Époque and often called the first modern celebrity. Nicknamed ‘the Narcissus,’ Cleo’s enigmatic personality inspired the hotel and gave her name to the gourmet restaurant. What are the rooms like at Le Narcisse Blanc Hôtel & Spa? The 37 rooms open onto a tree-lined courtyard or onto a patchwork of Parisian rooftops, but all promise space, serenity and a chance to switch

Set in the middle of Le Marais, this quaint hotel evokes a whimsical world aimed at our inner child. Forget the hipster Marais: this boutique bolthole embodies the low-key side of the district, with its quirky cafes, narrow alleys and nostalgia for a lost childhood that never was. Cast as an old-school sweet shop, Maison Saintonge is what the French call a ‘confiserie’ but it also happens to embrace a home-sweet-home mood that is equally endearing.   Maison Saintonge feels like a waltz back to a 1950s childhood, one filled with retro lollypops, brightly-coloured bons-bons and pop-eyed kids squandering their pocket money on sweets. In fact, the Maison seems so unlike a hotel that passing tourists regularly mistake it for a sweet shop and come in, entranced, to sample a version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Even the pink exterior is adorned with twists of candy and sticks of rocks. You almost expect to be greeted by an Edwardian maiden aunt praising your school report and thrusting liquorice all-sorts at you.   Why stay at Maison Saintonge? The hotel is part of the innovative Chapitre Six brand whose ethos revolves around so-called ‘sleeping beauties,’ and the revival of unsung neighbourhood properties. Like the others, Maison Saintonge boasts a certain je ne sais quoi that is both individualistic and theatrical. The vintage chic style runs from retro telephone sets to candle-like bedside lamps, second-hand dressers and recycled floral crockery. The look takes in stone

Le Pavillon de la Reine reigns supreme over the Place des Vosges, the most royal of Parisian squares. Not that this secluded residence flaunts its celebrity status or aristocratic lineage. In fact, with its ivy-clad façade and hidden courtyards, this patrician hideaway feels more like a secluded garden retreat with a heart-of-the-city setting.   Much like a slightly snooty old aristocrat, this Marais mansion expects guests to have sent the butler round to approve the bedrooms. Take it as read that the family portraits are intact and that the pillow menu leaves nothing to be desired. Trust that the spa and the gourmet restaurant deliver and that your bedroom promises a perfect night’s sleep. Trust that the leafy location is the most tranquil base from which to explore the arty Marais area. But beyond the box-ticking lies the assurance that this low-key luxe boutique retreat represents the most beguiling haven around the lofty Place des Vosges. This is a grown-up hotel for romantics ready to wallow in old-school charm and arty interiors. Your only task is to come with a kindred spirit and bask in beauty.      Why stay at Le Pavillon de la Reine? Set on a show-stopping square, the Pavillon de la Reine feels timeless, with its garden-like setting and seductive interior. Although the air of Ancien Régime grandeur is authentic, there is nothing pretentious about the warm welcome to your discreet new home-from-home.  Slip into an understated hotel designed for low-key luxury, not fo

Monsieur Aristide is a fantasy figure, a charming piece of storytelling set to conjure up the spirit of Montmartre. As portrayed by this delightfully eccentric neighbourhood hotel, Monsieur Aristide is a singular Parisian gentleman who loves art, music, cabaret and fine-living. His discreet 19th-century home stands on a cobblestoned street that meanders around the Butte Montmartre. Aristide’s presence evokes the arty cabarets that made Montmartre the centre of bohemian Paris – but also appeals to the Emily in Paris crowd.  Set amidst galleries and bistrots, this quirky boutique retreat still feels true to that elusive mood. At its heart, the hotel’s Café Aristide is a Parisian bistrot and bar inspired by the golden age of Montmartre, with the décor a nod to the Belle Epoque. In the retro-chic lounge, the mahogany and travertine bar and the floral banquettes are the stage-set for a night of cabaret or live music. That story flows seamlessly into yours, from the vintage jukebox to the retro-chic bedrooms, taking in a secret garden and sun-terrace which is currently yours.    Why stay at Hôtel Monsieur Aristide? In such a sought-after spot as Montmartre it’s exceptional to find a garden, sun-terrace, reliable restaurant and bar in a small boutique hotel. Even more surprising is the fact that this hideaway succeeds on most levels, from the seasonal restaurant-bar to the stylish bedrooms and sleek bathrooms. Monsieur Aristide’s 25 cosy rooms and chic suites mostly entrance couples