I’ll never forget the first time we rented an apartment for a month in Paris.  In the weeks and days before the trip,  I envisioned waking up every morning to the Eiffel Tower out my window and smooth jazz serenading me to sleep each night (think opening track to Woody Allen’s movie “Midnight in Paris”).

Then the taxi dropped us off on a tiny side street leading to our temporary home in the 1st Arrondissement (Les Halles) and reality struck.  It was early, around 7am, so the little green men had yet to pick up last night’s garbage, and there were a few remaining party goers from the night before, singing and staggering down the street.   This was not the Paris featured in any travel magazine. There would be no view of the Eiffel Tower and the only thing that would wake me up each day and serenade me to sleep each night would be the clatter of cafes opening and closing, the stacking of chairs and dragging of tables, and the banging of construction crews as they began assembling the new Forum des Halles.

Living in an apartment for a month in Paris was one of the most amazing learning experiences I’ve ever had.  In truth, it was exhausting at times, city life can be that way, but it was invigorating and real.  I wasn’t just sightseeing, but surviving in a city I really knew nothing about.  Just buying metro tickets was an endeavor.  Would there be a person or a machine?  If there was a person, how would I say, in French, that I needed to buy tickets?  How many did I need?  If there was a machine, would it have an English option?  The thinking never ended and it was often a relief to just sit at a cafe with a cold beer and decompress after a hard day of just figuring it all out.

So here is my advice to our readers:

If you want to get a glimpse of what it is like to actually live in Paris, rent an apartment.  It will change your life and transform you in ways you’d never imagine.  You’ll even eat less when you get home.

But, if you want dreamy, can’t take my eyes off the Eiffel Tower, jazz serenading me to sleep Paris, then you need to head straight to Hotel Londres-Eiffel.

This is where you can get a full dose of travel magazine Paris.

This tiny hotel is your Paris dream come true.  From the moment you step inside, you will be treated like you’re a guest in their home.  On our most recent trip to this marvelous hotel, the front desk staff was sitting with a family in the lobby, guiding them through a map of Paris, giving them recommendations, while the hotel Golden Retriever sat snoozing peacefully nearby.

The rooms are small and cozy and some have an Eiffel Tower view.  From this bed, I could watch the top of the Eiffel Tower sparkle above the buildings of Paris.

The hotel is family run and clean and comfortable.  It is located just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, but tucked away just enough to escape the crowds and tour buses.  Breakfast is available in the morning, but you can also venture out on your own and grab a croissant at one of the nearby cafes or the local boulangerie.  The famous market street Rue Cler is just a few blocks over and offers a multitude of cafes and shops.  We recommend making your way over there for a relaxing stroll and a glass of wine.

When our friends ask us where to stay in Paris, we send them straight to the Hôtel de Londres-Eiffel.  Everyone should experience romantic, travel magazine Paris, at least once in their lives, or more than once like we have.  We promise it will be an escape you’ll never forget and the Paris of your dreams.

Hôtel de Londres-Eiffel

1 Rue Augereau, 75007 Paris, France

http://www.hotel-paris-londres-eiffel.com