Pavillon de la Reine
To be hidden away behind the Place des Vosges, one of the most glorious squares in Paris, is to feel privileged indeed. The lobby looks like the interior of a mini medieval castle. Some rooms are small—and tourists love the hotel—but the duplexes facing the front are truly romantic, even for Paris. Ideal for anyone who prefers the cozy Marais to grand boulevards and monuments.

28 Place des Vosges; 3rd; 800-525-4800; pavillon-de-la-reine.com
Hotel d'Aubusson
Here is everybody's vision of a charming Left Bank hotel, from the huge fireplace and wood-beamed ceiling in the lobby to the handsome rooms (ask for a large one) with Art Deco bathrooms. And yet it's much less cutesy than others of its ilk. Perfect for young lovers who want to be dazzled by the magnificent chaos of Saint-Germain, just a short hop from the Seine.

33 rue Dauphine, 6th; 01-43-29-43-43; hoteldaubusson.com
Hotel Lancaster
No quaint boutique with riffs on Provence, this hotel is a proper baby grand. Swags of cloth drape over floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooms; smoky mirrors cover closet doors. It's old-world through and through, but with an overlay of modern design to brighten the patina of the past. (Alas, the location, though, right off the Champs-Élysées, is a dud.)

7 rue de Berri, 8th; 877-757-2747; hotel-lancaster.fr
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