Our 2022 Europe trip consisted of 3 parts. We arrived in Paris and stayed for two nights, then went to Switzerland for a few days, and our third leg was back in Paris. For the first two days in Paris, I picked a very American place to ease my wife into her first European visit. I thought the modern tower housing a Courtyard by Marriott near the Gare de Lyon train station worked well.

Now, on our third leg, and with some time getting used to Europe, I opted for something more Parisian. I selected a smaller boutique hotel between the Marais District and the Louvre Museum. The area had a great mix of cosmopolitan and traditional elements, creating a more neighborhood-like feeling.

These were the views out our window. Looking right, we see a busy shopping district along Rue de Rivoli. Samaritaine, a historic department store, was a discovery we made later. Is this a more Parisian view than the first hotel room? While it’s hard to beat a view of the Eiffel Tower, it was small, far away, and the foreground looked commercial. It lacked that neighborhood feel.

This is the view looking left. Much quieter, small shops on the first floor gave way to several residential floors. A block away, there were many cafes and restaurants.

We certainly preferred this area over the first. However, the proximity to the train station worked well for our excursion to Switzerland. But how did the hotel rooms compare? We will see that tomorrow.

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