When it comes to finding accommodation in Paris, you can’t beat the area around Saint Germain des Prés in the 6ème arrondissement. The ambience alone of this left bank address makes you feel more like a Parisian and less of a transient traveller.
Hotel de Buci
Hotel de Buci is located at 22 rue de Buci, a small street off boulevard St-Germain in the heart of the Quartier Latin. The area is abuzz with life such as the colourful Cours des Halles, the local food markets, Le Bar du Marché with its eclectic day/night vibe, bakeries, boutiques, literary cafés and some of the best restaurants and brasseries in the arrondissement.
It was a lucky mistake that first led us to Hotel de Buci. During a longer stay in Paris where we had split our accommodation between Odéon Hôtel and the Buci, we discovered that we had booked the wrong hotel. A few years earlier, we had an enjoyable stay at what was the hip Hotel Buci Latin and we were keen to return. Unknown to us at the time, it had changed its name to Hotel Artus and we found ourselves at the wrong hotel.
At the check-in, apologies were made but for another reason.
“We’re sorry, m’sieur-dame. Our rooms are fully booked so we are upgrading you to a suite for the duration of your stay.”
Hotel de Buci Suite
Our suite on the third floor had all the comforts to make our 7 night stay into a memorable occasion. The spacious bedroom was elegantly decorated in period style with warm tones, long drapes and plush fabrics.
Bedroom suite
A writing desk, a television in the bedroom and an out of sight built-in wardrobe gave the room a comfortable feel. Complimentary slippers, bathrobes and toiletries added a nice touch with the bed being turned down in the evening.
The marble bathroom was modern and relatively new, with a shower/bathtub combination you often find in Paris. The bathtub was comfortable enough to soak in after a long day of sightseeing.
The lounge area had its own television set, a mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities. The ornate mirrors added a touch of subdued elegance and made it a comfortable spot to sit and enjoy an apéro or a pause café in between charging batteries. The air-conditioned suite had a free wifi, minibar, a room safe, tea and coffee making facilities, an ironing board and little extras that made us feel as if Paris welcomed us with open arms.
Hotel de Buci Double Supérieur Room
For our second stay, we had a double superieur room that overlooked rue de Buci with the bustling market. With a location along rue de Buci, you can expect a little noise in the evenings depending on which side of the building you stay. But with shutters closed, the room was relatively quiet.
Decorated in bold colours and a modern style, the room was a little smaller than that of the suite and had a firm and comfortable bed for a restful night’s sleep.
With a standalone wardrobe and tall boy in matching colours to one side, and a narrow writing desk on the other, there was sufficient space for two people to move around the room.
The bathroom was a touch smaller than the suite but decked out with the same marble, shower/bath combination and modern fittings.
Breakfast was not included in the room rate which gives you the advantage of choosing to eat out in the various cafés around rue de Buci, with Le Bar du Marché being a few steps away.
Part of the Groupe Hôtels Maurice Hurand, Hotel de Buci has 19 rooms, 5 suites, a four star rating and matching service. From the moment you step through the doors, the staff make you feel at home. Service is always welcoming, professional and ready to assist in any way possible. When we could not find a taxi outside to take us to our dinner at La Tour d’Argent, one of the dedicated staff took it upon himself to juggle telephone calls with different taxi companies for nearly forty minutes, regularly reassuring the restaurant that we were on our way so we would not miss our reservation.
With its coveted location, Hotel de Buci has become our pied-à-terre, our home away from home. The location has a Parisian feel with the locals getting around their daily lives. The variety of cafés, brasseries and restaurants that are only a few steps away leave you spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink. Three métro stations service the area, Mabillon being the closest, as well as Odéon and Saint-Germain des Prés making commuting around Paris a breeze.
Hotel de Buci
22 Rue de Buci
75006 Paris France
http://www.buci-hotel.com/
Métro: Mabillon, Odéon, Saint-Germain des Prés
[…] During one of our longer stays in Paris, we split our accommodation among two hotels due to availability. We stayed at Odéon Hôtel for one week then at Hotel de Buci. […]
I love when mistakes turn into causes for celebration. Hotel de Buci seems like a lovely place to stay in Paris. 🙂
First, we couldn’t believe we made such a mistake. Second, we couldn’t believe our luck! It does feel like home for us 🙂
@Gourmantic Hotel de Buci Paris: Pied-à-terre in the Latin Quarter http://bit.ly/gGHoW0 – yes, a darling place & such a great location!
This comment was originally posted on Twitter.
Ah I love that area, it’s on a really lively crossroads isn’t it? Hotel looks very smart too, good tip! In room tea and coffee too, a rarity that.
The area has a wonderful feel during the day and changes into a hip vibe in the evening – and it’s all at your doorstep! We were hard pressed to try another hotel so we came back a second time.
Love this post and that area in Paris. I made a similar mistake in Bordeaux, but didn’t have your luck. My apartment in Paris was right around the corner from rue de Buci and I lost count of how many verres du vin or bierre blanche I’ve had at the cafes along the rue.
I can’t help but call it home. Every shop, café, building and corner makes me feel that I belong there.
This hotel looks lovely. If only all of our mistakes in life worked out so well as this one did! Next time I’m lucky enough to get to Paris, I’ll consider it.
Yes… If only! 🙂
Well, how awful for you, getting upgraded to a suite. No wonder they apologised! 🙂 Next time we go to Paris, I know which blog to come to for planning an itinerary, where to stay, what to eat. Love your Paris posts!
Julia
Paris seems to do that for us. We had a similar story at the Hotel Meurice where we ended up with a suite and Mr G was lucky to get upgrades a few times on his business trips to Paris. As if the city is calling out to us 🙂
Thank you for the compliment. I’d love to help in any way possible 🙂
Dear Corinne,
Thank you so much for your post – We greatly appreciate your interest for the Hotel de Buci!
I am currently working in Sales and Marketing for the Hotel de Buci and I would like to contact you personaly. Please contact me by mail.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Hélène
Hi Hélène and thank you for your comment. I will email you tomorrow 🙂
[…] I take one last look around the dishevelled room. Checking out is swift, as one would expect from an establishment that upgraded us to a suite during our entire stay. A taxi is hollered. We squeeze into the back seat of a Peugeot 307 as […]
Ah, we all should be so lucky. Those ‘upgrade’ words are ones I’m always straining to hear at check-in counters all around the world, but they’re rare occasions. Looks like yet another great tip from you to file away in the Paris mental bank.
They’re getting rarer indeed, and always a pleasant surprise when they happen!
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