Located in the Marais, on a one-way street two minutes’ walk from Place des Vosges, is this former stable for mules of Henry IV, now an ‘attractive, honest, reasonable’ family-run small hotel. Newly-renovated (2012) superior rooms have a modern look; as one reader noted, ‘My fifth-floor room, small, comfortable, clean, had smart decor, state-of-the-art bathroom.’ Classic rooms have original exposed beams and wall tapestries. Rooms at the back are quieter. There’s no air-conditioning, but the thick 16th-century brick walls keep rooms cool, along with fans in each room. A simple breakfast (pastries, bread, yoghurt, jams and cheese) is available at any time.