Paris has no shortage of great neighborhoods, but for me, the Latin Quarter, while not the most posh, has and always will a favorite.
Sure, it's less bohemian and trendier than it was when I was 19 and studying at the Sorbonne, but the narrow streets, innumerable cafes and tiny shops — not to mention the proximity to the Luxembourg Gardens — lend the neighborhood its enduring charm.
So when I heard that a new hotel, the Grand Coeur Latin, was set to open on Rue Cujas near the Pantheon, I pounced, arriving just in time for the soft opening in September.
The four-star, 82-room property is on a side street — our taxi driver had a hard time finding it — and its facade and interior are decidedly contemporary, despite the fact that it was built on Roman ruins.
Architect Vincent Bastie and interior designer Marie-Paule Clout collaborated on the project, which, despite its modern aesthetic, offers an homage to its storied location with a 50-foot-long indoor, thermal swimming pool inspired by ancient Roman baths.
Housed in a 19th century building, the hotel makes generous use of natural materials, such as oak, leather, textiles and marble, and features an open-air terrace with views of the cobblestone streets and narrow passageways that define the neighborhood.
Inside the Grand Coeur Latin
The accommodations are spread over seven floors and feature seven categories, including a junior suite and a full suite with a terrace, some with views of the Pantheon.
The bathrooms include organic and vegan products from the Terre de Mars brand.
The ground-floor restaurant serves a buffet breakfast with seasonal fruits, a variety of cereals, pastries, fresh-baked bread and a menu of hot dishes.
The jewel in the crown, though, is the wellness center, with its tiled pool, dim lighting, hammam and treatment room, where guests can book a single or couple's massage.
Rivaling the spa for our attention was the patio — an open-air atrium space in the center of the hotel, where guests can relax over coffee and enjoy the contrasting quiet from the hubbub of the city.
Public spaces also include the vaulted-ceiling bar, which serves drinks, including craft cocktails, along with small plates and cheese and charcuterie boards in the evenings.
As to the neighborhood, guests can easily stroll to the newly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral; Les Invalides, a historic site that houses Napoleon's tomb; the famous Bouquinistes antique book sellers along the Seine; and the Luxembourg Gardens, one of the most charming, laid-back parks in the City of Lights.