Hotel Odéon Saint Germain

It has been my dream to visit Paris ever since I was a teenager. For one reason or another, we always ended up somewhere else. But this year, my wish finally came true. Our family trip brought us to Paris. While I am not someone who travels in luxury, I did want to spend a little more for comfort and convenience. We chose this hotel based on reviews from other platforms, and I’m so glad we did. There are plenty of pros and really just one small con. The area is packed with amazing food options. Almost every dinner we had was within walking distance. There is a supermarket called EPIC just a few blocks away, and I stopped in almost every night to pick up water, a few cans of beer, or a bottle of wine. The gelato shop just down the block served some of the best ice cream we had on the trip. There is also a Uniqlo and a MAC store nearby in case you need a fresh t-shirt or any electronics support. The Louvre and Notre Dame are about a 15 to 20 minute walk away, which made sightseeing super convenient. Our room was on the fifth floor. While not huge, it was a good size by Paris standards. The bed was made from two twin beds placed side by side for my husband and me. There was also a one-arm sofa, separated by a half wall, where my son slept. We stayed for eight nights and requested housekeeping twice during our stay. Each time, they did a fantastic job. One day I noticed the housekeeper in the room next to us on her knees scrubbing the shower by hand. I was so impressed by how thorough she was. At the end of our stay, we left five euros as a small thank you. The front desk staff was also very helpful. When we had trouble getting tickets to the Louvre, one of the staff gave us tips on how to secure same-day tickets, which worked out perfectly. City Pharma is a few blocks away and has a great selection of skincare. Prices were consistent with other pharmacies, and the staff even helped me complete the paperwork for my tax refund. As for the one con, while there are a couple of chain stores, most of the boutiques in this area are very high end. If you are coming to Paris for shopping and are not looking to spend a fortune, this might not be the best area for that. That said, my husband and son are all about food, so they were thrilled. They also love watches, and were happy to find a Seiko store just a few blocks away. I was happy too, but I do wish I had been able to treat myself a little more.