There are plenty of excellent hotels in Paris, but finding one that’s also affordable? Not so simple. Enter Touriste, a small group of attractive boutiques dotted across the city whose owners work with up-and-coming designers to create distinctive hotels, each with a completely different vibe. And they’re clearly having a whale of a time doing it.
Nowhere demonstrates this better than Hotel Les Deux Gares, a ridiculously fun place straight out of Wes Anderson’s playbook that pops with colour and character at every turn. The quirky look and feel comes from English designer Luke Edward Hall, and he didn’t hold back when given this assignment. Each room features a different combination of dizzying wallpaper, bold furniture and checkerboard bathrooms in the kind of colours that fell out of fashion decades ago – think avocado, lemon yellow and burgundy. It shouldn’t work, but it really, really does.
There’s definitely a lived-in feel here and it’s fair to say that space is a bit limited – the corridors are so narrow you’ll get your suitcase wedged and rooms are a bit of a squeeze – but you can’t really argue when a single comes in at just over €100. Besides, there are a few surprisingly luxurious touches, including roll-top baths in the bigger rooms and Diptyque products in the bathrooms.
The best thing about Hotel Les Deux Gares? The location. Sure, you might look out of your window onto a sea of railway tracks, but that’s the small price you pay for being able to roll out of bed and be in the queue for the Eurostar in under 10 minutes, or stepping onto a train heading somewhere else on the continent before you’ve had time to finish your morning espresso. There’s no better spot for travellers who hate the stress of travel – and let’s be honest, isn’t that all of us?
Neighbourhood
Hotel Les Deux Gares sits on a quiet street in the middle of Little India, a vibrant bit of Paris that’s relatively untouched by travellers. You’ll have fun exploring the Indian sweet shops and supermarkets here, but you’re also just a few streets away from Canal Saint-Martin, making Hotel Les Deux Gares an ideal jumping-off point for picturesque walks towards the city’s trendier neighbourhoods.
Nearby
1. Café Les Deux Gares for tasty dishes and fun wines in an effortlessly cool spot directly opposite the hotel. Exactly the kind of thing you come to Paris for.
2. Carburant for an excellent selection of craft beers in one of the city’s best bars.
3. La Retraite for an impeccable menu of natural wines and fancy small plates in an unassuming, casual setting.
Time Out Tip
Don’t forget to make use of the sauna which is tucked away in the basement – an excellent way to unwind after a day out in the city.