Relais Médicis

The location is hard to beat, right next to Luxembourg Gardens and in the heart of St Germain. Our room was a good size and well looked after. The staff were welcoming, especially Laurence the manager, who went out of his way to make our stay lovely. He’s a really loved man. We also enjoyed the traditional French breakfast. The hotel has a cozy, nostalgic countryside feel, with floral upholstery, ruffled cushions, wallpaper borders, frilly lampshades, and coordinated fabrics, like chintz circa 1981. It may not be contemporary, but we loved its quaintness exactly as it is. This place isn’t cheap, but with the location, amenities, and service, we thought it was worth every penny. Five stars from us, highly recommend.

A woman was calling out in pain near reception when I arrived. I went over and found blood everywhere. One of the employees’ cats had attacked her out of nowhere, and it took a long time of applying pressure to stop the bleeding. I disinfected and bandaged her wounds. I’ve never seen a cat attack that vicious. The receptionist seemed unbothered and stayed by the desk. The next day and the day after, I saw guests trying to pet the cat, so I warned them not to. There was still blood on the couch days after it happened. When I raised it with the manager, he laughed and said it wasn’t his problem because it was his employee’s cat, not his.

The location and price worked well for us, and after three days we left with a homely feeling. It’s a few minutes from the lively streets of St Germain, with food, restaurants, music, and colorful shops, and the Odeon tube is a 5-8 minute walk. Exploring south of the River Seine was easy from here. At first, the apartment felt unfamiliar, like we were walking into a stranger’s house. It seemed more like a store than somewhere to stay, and lacked warmth. We got more comfortable after the receptionist welcomed us and did his best to help us feel at ease. He was professional, recommended places, chatted with us, checked in about our day, and handled our ad hoc requests. The website does set expectations for this kind of atmosphere, though. The rooms and establishment are dated, with wooden features and old charm, and the restrooms are very dated with only basic amenities. It was acceptable, as long as you don’t expect too much from an old building. There’s a lift, which you often don’t find in Paris boutique hotels. I’m giving it 4 stars for the location, price, and homely feeling it left us with.

The staff made us feel so welcome. They learned our names, offered an umbrella when it rained, and tidied our room while we were out. There’s an elevator for the trip back after a long day sightseeing, and the air conditioning kept the room cool at night. The WiFi was a bit spotty but worked well enough. Our room was clean and spacious, and the staff were incredibly kind. The street is quiet enough for a good night’s sleep, but you can walk to all the sights. The hotel is steps from Luxembourg Gardens and in the center of the Cordelier's District, right beside Camille Desmoulins’s home. It’s a charming, magical place we won’t forget. When we come back to Paris in a few years, we already know we’ll stay at the Relais Medicis again, and hope the same lovely staff are still there.