Background
Hôtel Dame des Arts opened on the Left Bank of Paris in February 2023, following an extensive renovation of a 1950s-built Holiday Inn property. It belongs to EQ Hotels, a European hospitality investment platform, and is also a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Where is it?
On Rue Danton in Paris’ sixth arrondissement on the left bank of the Seine. Set within the Latin Quarter, there are a wealth of attractions within walking distance, with the Jardin de Luxembourg, the banks of the Seine and the Notre-Dame all a ten-minute walk away – plus the beautiful campus for the Sorbonne, where I spent a year, just around the corner.
The nearest metro is Odéon (lines 4 and 10) or you can get the RER from Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame (lines B and C).
What's it like?
While the building’s façade is not as attractive as surrounding buildings, the interiors have been revamped by Paris-based Israeli designer Raphael Navot to transform from Holiday Inn’s chain style to timeless luxe.
A sleek wave-like awning gives way to a moody dimly lit reception, with curved statement sofas, geometric slatted accents on the walls, charred black oak floors and a focus on natural materials. All furnishings are bespoke, aside from two chairs sourced from Navot’s range for Roche Bobois.
The lobby descends into the contemporary restaurant area, which spills out onto a beautiful secret courtyard. The hotel also nods to its artistic surroundings – hence the Arts in the name – with bold typography, 700 original artworks with links to the Saint Germain des Près area, and vintage posters from nearby theatres such as Théatre National de L’Odeon.
Should you be a fan of the branding, you can also buy Dame des Arts merchandise, including some slippers (Dame on the left and Arts on the right), candles and plates.
Check-in from 3pm was seamless and I was offered a refreshing ginger cordial shot, which tasted exquisite after a walk in the 30-degree heat.
There are two lifts for the guest room floors (keycard access required), with only one reaching the rooftop. Unfortunately these were small and infrequent and we had to use the stairs on a couple of occasions.
Rooms
The hotel has 105 rooms and four suites, which range from the cosy Classic at 15 sqm (best for one guest) to the 32 sqm Dame Suite – the latter is located on the ground floor and comes with a separate dressing area and an outdoor terrace.
Signature rooms at 19 sqm sleep two and make up almost half of the hotel’s inventory. I was in this category, which is typically small for Parisian hotels but had all the amenities necessary for a relaxing stay. Rooms are flooded with natural light and those on higher floors are recommended for views of the toits de Paris (Paris’ rooftops).
The design is similarly minimalist to the rest of the hotel, with curved accents, lots of wooden features, a plush and comfortable bed and earthy tones. A window-shaped desk features a beautiful notepad and design- and fashion-focused coffee table books.
Frosted glass sliding doors separate the sleeping area from the petite bathroom, which has large-size soothing Dyptique toiletries, a rainshower and a toilet. By the door is a small wardrobe, with some hangers, a small safe (which does not fit a laptop) and a hairdryer.
Further amenities across all rooms include either a Queen or King-size bed, free wifi, EU plug sockets and USB ports beside the bed (plus well-located EU plug sockets by the desk) a minibar with two complimentary cartons of bottled water, a kettle, biodegradable coffee capsules from Parisian roastery Lomi, a Nespresso machine, and a large flatscreen TV with Chromecast.
To contact reception you can use the QR code on the key, although I waited half an hour for a response from the team via Whatsapp which was a little disappointing for an instant messaging service.
Food and drink
The hotel is perhaps best-known for its panoramic rooftop terrace, which offers views of the Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur and La Défense in the distance. During our visit there was a queue round the block for a table. Thankfully, guests are prioritised and can reserve a spot in advance.
The venue is open from 5pm-10.30pm, and recommended is the bar’s take on a margarita, the Uno Mas, featuring tequila, lime, agave, cardamom and sage.
The hotel’s ground-floor restaurant offers a fusion of Mexican, Japanese and French cuisine from Mexican chef Othoniel Alvarez Castaneda, with a seasonal menu that has plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free offerings. Our meal was fantastic, with colourful plates in an alfresco setting and fresh zingy flavours.
The aguachile with a sesame sunomono (Japanese cucumber salad) starter was refreshing (€19), and worked well alongside the tuna tostadas with chipotle mayo and fried leeks.
The restaurant was busy on our Friday night visit, which meant that service for our main courses was affected – our veggie-packed asparagus, green mole, mushrooms, broccoli dish was missing the vital corn tortillas and I had to ask three times before they arrived. That said, they were quick to replace the dish and were very apologetic.
Desserts were equally delicious, with an addictive chocolate ganache with mole and coffee cream (€11), and a (slightly) healthier strawberries with hibiscus cream and green shiso (€14).
Breakfast is offered from 7am-10am (10.30am on weekends) and consists of a small buffet, featuring pastries from the fantastic Boulangerie Liberté.
Staff are on-hand to offer excellent bar recommendations in the area, with a password to get you into the swanky Prescription Cocktail Club down the road (you’ll have to stay to find out more!)
Meetings
There is a 60 sqm meeting room on the lower ground floor, which can seat 24 people theatre-style and is also used for monthly talks. The rooftop and courtyard can also be privatised for 94 or 95 guests.
Leisure
The hotel’s lower ground floor has a 24-hour fitness centre with NOHRD equipment, an undulating wooden slatted ceiling and matching wood exercise machines. There is also a boxing studio next door, and a sauna open to guests 1pm-8pm by reservation only.
Verdict
Hôtel Dame des Arts is a sleek, design-forward hotel which reflects the artistic legacy of the Left Bank, with excellent dining venues and cosy rooms.
FACT BOX
- Best for Bijou stays in the Rive Gauche
- Don’t miss Rooftop cocktails with dazzling views of the City of Light
- Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in September start from €505 for a Signature room (€470 for entry-level)
- Contact 51 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris; +33 1 81 69 00 60; damedesarts.com
