On our recent trip to Paris in October/November of 2024, our primary goal was to view as much art as possible, and eat as much fabulous food as possible during our short, four-day stint in the city. I chose the neighborhood of Saint Germain due to its proximity to the best art museums, and quintessential Parisian vibe. Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain, or Pavillon FSG, is a boutique hotel made up of three connected buildings, close to the Seine, recently gutted and refurbished, and has a bit of literary history to recommend it – it’s said that James Joyce finished writing Ulysses here! All of these factors made it an easy choice to book, and we were not disappointed!

The Location

This hotel is located in the Saint Germain neighborhood of Paris, about three blocks south of the Seine River and directly south of The Louvre. This location is absolutely prime if you are mainly going to be visiting art museums, and also want to experience great food and cafe culture. It takes less than 10 minutes to walk to The Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and L’Orangerie, which is totally convenient. It’s also a less than 10 minute walk to the famous dueling cafes – Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots as well as the other hopping areas of Saint Germain oozing with restaurants and charm.

What we really loved about the location of the hotel, though, was that it was in a total dead zone of Saint Germain – off the main roads, but still close to everything, making the nights very quiet and easy for sleeping. Pavillon FSG is truly a hidden haven, right in the middle of it all!

The Amenities

Pavillon FSG has a treasure trove of amenities, even for such a small hotel, and I highly recommend you try to experience as much as they have to offer. First, and even before you arrive, you are provided a link to their concierge website, so they can assist you with booking tickets or restaurant reservations, tours, rides, spa treatments, and arrival amenities. The responses I received to our requests were timely, and professional. I requested that they assist with booking a restaurant that was very difficult to book, and could only be done over the phone, and they did so without any stress on my end. Their concierge service is excellent. There are all sorts of nooks and crannies to hang out in around the hotel as well. The library contains tons of books, although they are all French.

The basement of the hotel houses its gym, spa treatment rooms, steam room and plunge pool. While we didn’t have time for a spa treatment, we did have time for a few relaxing floats in the pool after long days of walking around. The area is cozy, warm, and well appointed. There are lots of fresh towels, as well as different flavors of infused water, or coffees and teas to try while you are enjoying the space. The steam room was a bit too hot and steamy for me, but the pool was really nice and a good temperature. Everything was clean, and regularly stocked.

The Restaurant and Bar

Breakfast was included with our room, and the buffet breakfast on offer was really excellent, had good opening times, and a wide variety of food. Coffee was brought to us promptly, and I enjoyed a fresh croissant every morning. There were also hot items like scrambled eggs, hash browns (perfectly crispy), and breakfast sausage and bacon. You could also order an omelette or your eggs cooked any way you wished. We really enjoyed our breakfasts here, which were filling, and efficient. We never ate dinner here, although the menu looked full of delicious French fare, and was busy in the evenings.

One of the highlights of the hotel is the James Joyce Bar. We loved having some wine or a cocktail here most nights either before or after dinner, and it was a lively area to get in the mood to go out. The design of the bar is very mid-century modern with plush, velvet pink and blue seating areas and brass accents. We enjoyed a bespoke tarot card reading to choose what kind of cocktail we should have, and that was a fun touch, and our chosen cocktails were unique and delicious. We experienced service ranging from very attentive to non-existent, however it was mostly good. Expect that when the bar is more crowded, the service will be slower. If you’re ordering beer or wine, it will be quicker than the cocktails, which is typical.

The Room

I booked a deluxe room with a king sized bed, which cost 825 Euro per night, inclusive of breakfast. Paris is a very expensive city to stay, but I thought the value was quite good considering all of the amenities available at the small hotel, its location, and our room was a good size and not too tight.

We were on the top floor of the middle building, and there was a very small lift to take us up to the 5th floor. The bed was really comfortable, and the bathroom and shower were large enough to feel spacious, with two sinks and plenty of counter space. We loved the heated towel rack! There was also a changing room with lots of closet space and a spot for a mini fridge (which included complimentary waters, juices and soft drinks) and a Nespresso machine.

The entire room was totally gutted and rehabbed and I really loved the design of it. There was a midcentury modern feel to the room, and the aesthetic was calming, yet hip. Everything was brand new and flawless, and I just adored our home away from home. There was a bit of an issue with the HVAC, but it was quickly resolved. Without some air conditioning, the room got quite stuffy as it was on the top floor, so the alternative was cracking the windows, which was totally fine. As mentioned, there is virtually no street noise here, so we were able to sleep really well. Overall, this is one of my favorite rooms I’ve stayed at in Europe!

The Vibe

The vibe at Pavillon FSG is sophisticated, yet relaxed. With such polished interiors, a place like this could easily feel stuffy, however the whimsical colors at the James Joyce Bar, along with the cheery attitude of the staff, make you feel easy and at home here. You can feel like you are staying at a very luxurious place, without the ultra-luxe price tag. In the evening, the vibe is a bit more upbeat, with a cool bass line underpinning the bar area, and lots of folks coming and going for a pre-dinner drink.

The Recommendation

I would highly recommend staying at the Pavillon Faubourg St. Germain the next time you are visiting Paris. There are literally no notes I could give here, as everything is perfectly thought out and executed. The highlights here are the very nice refurbished rooms, the excellent, quiet, yet convenient location, and the hip James Joyce Bar. Don’t hesitate to book!