Name: Hotel La Tamise
Address: 4 Rue d'Alger, Paris, 75001, France
Telephone: 01 40 41 14 14
Price range: $$

Fodor's Expert Review

This intimate 19-room hotel was once a stately home owned by a noble French family, which, in 1878, was converted to a hotel favored by aristocrats, and later fashion icons. A recent top-to-toe renovation gave La Tamise a beautiful new look, while maintaining its legendary comfort, old-world elegance and superior service. Set on a quiet street in the heart of Paris, this is a rare find indeed.

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Room

These cozy rooms' sophisticated and relaxing color schemes pair beautifully with luxury materials—wood, linen, raw silk, velvet, tweed, marble—with refined custom furnishings and lighting. Tasteful original artworks, colorful throw pillows and gilt mirrors add elegant accents. Two-bedroom connected suites work well for families.

Bathroom

Spacious marble baths have separate bath and shower or ample walk-in rain showers, big mirrors, and plenty of counter space. Toilets are separate and products are from the luxury brands Sothys and Nuxe.

You Should Know Some baths have windows, but they can be shaded.

Lobby

Several elegant wood-paneled lounge areas, including a breakfast room, bar and restaurant, and a computer workstation, make great use of the mansion's original bones, with pretty tiles, leather banquettes and plush velvet seating in sumptuous shades. A cozy room with a fireplace is perfect for afternoon tea. Be sure to climb the hotel's magnificent, typically Parisian, staircase for that to-the-manor-born feeling. In-room Nespresso machines and high-end teas are a nice touch.

Dining

No need to leave the hotel when a light, seasonal lunch or dinner (with a top-notch wine list) is available in a quiet, cozy and refined atmosphere. You can also enjoy a charming teatime with pastries from Fauchon. A buffet and à la carte breakfast has both hot and cold choices to set you up for the day.

Tip Be sure to check for special breakfast offers on the hotel website before reserving.

Drinking

The stylish bar area serves an good range of wines, spirits, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. A great place to relax during the day or in the evening before or after dinner.

Tip If you feel like a classic Parisian teatime, two historic flagship tea salons (which are now both chains)—Angelina, renowned for its velvety chocolat chaud and sinful pastries, and the original Ladurée, a gilded jewel box on nearby rue Royale—are just minutes away. For a more contemporary experience, and some of the most outstanding pastries in Paris, Jean-Paul Hévin's chocolate boutique and tearoom (231 rue Saint-Honoré), and an outpost of superstar pâtissièr Pierre Hermé (4 rue Cambon), are also just minutes away.

What's Nearby

Getting Around

Between the Tuileries and Place de la Madeleine metro stations, you’ve got six metro lines to take you anywhere in Paris. There are also buses galore. But you can also walk pretty much everywhere and there's a Vélib bike vending station in front of the hotel. The hotel is on a quiet street between busy rue de Rivoli and rue Saint-Honoré, one of Paris's top high-end shopping areas, with tons of A-list designers, including Hermès, Chanel, Alexander McQueen and Goyard. Colette, a fashionista’s mecca is around the corner. Just two minutes from the Tuilerie gardens and Place de la Concord, this is as much a neighborhood for flâneurs and museum buffs as it is for shopaholics. You’ll also find a wide array of restaurants, bistros, cafés, patisseries and wine bars within walking distance.

Restaurants

One of three in Bruno Doucet's gastro-bistro empire, La Régalade St. Honoré is a well-priced neighborhood favorite. If you appreciate French-Asian cooking, Yam'Tcha is one of Paris's absolute best. Book in advance.

Bars

Bar 228 at the Meurice is as sumptuous as it gets--and the drinks are good too! Exceptional service. For something a little hipper, and an outdoor terrace in summer, try the Buddha Bar hotel. Hemingway Bar at the Ritz is a Paris institution. The famous barman will dream up a bespoke cocktail just for you (and remember you for the next time!).