My wife and I are celebrating our 17th Anniversary and are going to spend 10 days in Paris. This will be our first time going to Paris. We are staying at the Four Seasons for 10 days, BUT we love modern contempory environments and are thinking of staying at another hotel for part of the time. Any suggestions of a great hotel with clean contemporary architecture and accomodations?

You might take a look at the Artus.

I see that you are new here - - how did I know that? click on your own name (this is one of the numerous useful tips that Fodors fails to tell you when they send you that first e-mail confirming your registration) - - we'll assume that you have also not taken the time to read the "HELP" (little tiny red letters in the upper lefthand corner) - - another oversight that Fodors fails to recommend to you to do.

Anyhow, you owe it to yourself to take a look there: http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm - - especially http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q6 - - which I have listed below, in excerpt form, for you (my own emphasis added):

=========================

Finally, create a title - make sure it is concise and clearly describes your message (<b>and destination</b>, if applicable) -- and write your message in the space provided

==========================

Thus, when you re-post - - and you really should do that - - it would be better (for you, to get useful answers) and more considerate to all to use a message header like &quot;Mixed emotions about a choice of hotel <b>in Paris</b>.

Welcome to the forum.

Best wishes,

Rex

You can try Pershing Hall in the 8th district.

http://www.pershing-hall.com/

What's not contemporary about the Four Seasons / George V? The whole hotel was remodeled only a few years ago.

thank you AnthonyGA, I was wracking my brain trying to think of a Four Seasons Hotel in Paris, forgot about the George V. It is one of the finest hotels anywhere and you are of course correct about a fairly recent renovation.

Another hotel, not in the same top luxury service league from all I've read, but very contemporary and cutting edge in feeling, is the Costes.
See www.tripadvisor.com

I just returned from Paris where I stayed at the Sheraton Prince de Galles, right next to the Four Seasons. The Four Seasons is beautiful and you should consider yourself fortunate to be staying there.

Personally, I did not care for the area. It seemed to busy, too cosmopolitan, too commercial, too high end. But that is just my opinion.

If by Costes, you mean the hotel K on the avenue Kl&eacute;ber, it's spooky--all the places run by Costes are a bit spooky (at least to me).

The George V is favored by Americans and business travelers. Places like the Crillon or the Meurice are nice if you like the Vieille France old-style decor and staff. The Ritz is nice, too, but they've been a bit snooty lately; there's a Park Hyatt right nearby but the decor is spartan (&quot;make it look fancy but stay within this budget!&quot; seems to have been the watchword for the hotel). There are lots of other places: Plaza Athen&eacute;e, Marriot (on the Champs, which is noisy, but nice atrium and good location), the Meridiens if you like upscale French chains, one hotel that has a lot of celebrity clients that I won't name, and zillions of others.

I personally prefer modern places to hotels with tons of faux gold sculpted decor but it is true that the latter seem &quot;more like Paris,&quot; I suppose. I see hotels as a place to sleep, rather than as a destination in themselves, so clean, efficient, comfortable places please me the most.

I agree with elaine on the Hotel Costes, on St Honore, not the Costes K on rue Kleber.
Also there is the Montalembert, sigh, if you want uber modern wonderful..
http://www.montalembert.com
You can also look into L'Hotel,
www.l-hotel.com
(which also has a lovely bar for an evening nightcap)
They are all 4 * hotels.

Rex -- find something else to do than lecture newbies -- it would be a good thing.

IMHO GeorgeV/Four Seasons would be the cat's meow.

I agree, ms fowler, this cat would be meowing over a stay in the George V!

However... you haven't been to Paris and the Georges V is not is the best location for a really atmospheric time in the city. I would stat at two hotels. The Georges V and another with a left bank location. Hopefully, something with sleek lines might be in the heart of the 6th, or the in the 7th but nearer to the Orsay end of the 6th.

For me, Paris is more about neighborhood than hotel.

ms fowler IS the cat's meow!

I have to agree with the sentiment that some of that gold and curlicues and drapery, Louis XIV (or XV) etc is just a bit too much.

I don't stay in that level of hotel, but from what I've read, some of the top hotels that are more contemporary in style are a couple of those mentioned above (Montalembert, Costes), plus a few others like the Pont Royal. I think the Montalembert has two types of decor, though, and part of it is more traditional (but not really formal, maybe more Louis Philippe) This isn't the top level, but the Axial Beaubourg in the Marais just refurbished recently and is contemporary (one of those hotels going for the uber-minimalist thing). It's at least a high-end 3*, maybe 4*. There is also a fairly new 4* hotel in contemporary style in the 7th around Ecole Militaire stop, also, Le Walt, which is modern.
http://www.inwoodhotel.com/

Another I had never heard of but someone was asking about and it looked really, also -- Trocadero Dokhans in the 16th.
http://www.dokhans.com/

Also, what about the Pont Royal in the 7th, where one of Joel Robuchon's new restaurants is? That's really a top level hotel--I'd love that penthouse suite.
http://www.hotel-pont-royal.com/

I know the Four Seasons was redone, but I didn't think it was modern or contemporary in style. I don't really know, though, just my casual impression.

The Lancaster!

For truly contemporary, I was going to recommend the H&ocirc;tel Buci Latin but I see that is now Artush&ocirc;tel, which must be the one Underhill is referring to. Very minimalist, very clean lines. And they have Wi-fi, too!
Price range: 190&euro; (chambre double douche)- 320&euro; (junior suite)
34, rue de Buci
(located in the 6th in the St-Germain, a very atmospheric area)
http://www.artushotel.com/fr/

The other one I'd suggest is La Villa in the same area described as possessing avant-garde chic. There's a nightclub in the cellar where, I believe, jazz is played.
Price range: 255&euro; (Comfort room) - 480&euro; (Junior Suite) - breakfast 14&euro; extra
(but there are so many great places in this area to have caf&eacute; &amp; croissant for breakfast!)
29 rue Jacob
http://www.villa-saintgermain.com

It's just down the street from the historic H&ocirc;tel d'Angleterre where Thomas Jefferson and Ernest &amp; Hadley Hemingway stayed and where Ben Franklin, John Adams &amp; John Jay drafted the Treaty with England.
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/ff647/

Natalie Barney held her famous literary salons at 20, rue Jacob, James Joyce's favorite salon:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/fa9e0/

And at #10 lives Patricia Wells:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/fe107/

Ladur&eacute;e for their famous macarons:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/102c11/

Thanks to all for your help and assistance. I did look up the hotels that were suggested. We will go and have a look when we get to Paris on July 1st. As this trip is our anniversary, we wanted it to be very special and it seems that the George V will be a good start. I think that we will also check out the Marriot Plaza Vendome as it also looks pretty cool. All the best !!

Gee- I'd never noticed that little red help up in the corner. Thanks Rex.

You're very welcome. It's worthwhile for everyone to read those items in the FAQs.

This might make things easier for anniv17 to research hotels, without confusing things with hotels that are &quot;less&quot; than what he is considering.
<b>Here is the link to the Paris Superthread:</b>


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236