05 April, 2019
Inspired by the global adventures of the Alexandre Dumas' book, The Count of Monte Cristo, Hotel Monte Cristo is a 19th-century odyssey reimagined in Paris. The Left Bank boutique accommodation revives Dumas' writings through far-flung sleeping chambers and a curiosity cabinet in the lobby. Adventurer or not, you'll be glad to know it's also a rather convenient 15-minute taxi ride from Gare du Nord.
Boudoir-inspired rooms on the top floor serve up moody scenes. Rich velvet-covered furniture, custom-made curtains and fringe-hemmed divans complement the suites' jewel-toned colour palette. For something particularly plush (and a little lewd) The Edmond Suite - inspired by Dumas' Edmond Dantès - is impetuous. Complete with a hammam, this suite means business. For the less hedonic, or solo travellers looking for additional space, the superior rooms are a solid choice.
A buffet breakfast will set you back €16 and while velvet banquettes, ceramic urns, fig trees and modular seating amp up the atmosphere, the food here is a little lacking. If you go in for breakfast, edge on the side of simplicity, opting for coffee with scrambled eggs and bacon. The rest is frankly a smidge synthetic.
You'll need to go elsewhere when hunger strikes. It's Paris, so this really shouldn't be a problem. Take a look at our favourite restaurants in Paris.
Yes, a rum bar called Bar 1802. Choose from 40 rum-based cocktails or a house-aged pour and toast to Dumas himself - a Caribbean native whose family worked in the rum business.
A palm-dotted indoor pool tucked away below the lobby has its draw - as does the larger than expected sauna.
Small dogs are allowed at a charge of €15 a night. You bring the pooch, they'll supply the bowls.
The Jardin des Plantes. The city's primary botanical garden, it's less crowded (and less showy) than the nearby Jardin du Luxembourg.