Hotel Esmeralda

Hotel Esmeralda, situated just across the river from Notre-Dame, takes its name from the hunchback’s heartbreakingly beautiful gypsy love interest in Victor Hugo's novel – a fittingly romantic association. Nestled between the Melkite Greek church of St-Julien-le-Pauvre and the Shakespeare & Company bookshop, this establishment, housed in a 17^th-century building, oozes quaint charm from each of its sixteen rooms. Twelve look out over the cathedral (from €110); the other four (from €80), onto an inner courtyard that offers welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the Left Bank cafés. The décor is on the plain side, but all’s forgiven when the price-to-location ratio is this good. One of the best budget options in the city centre.