Hotel Verneuil: No cookie cutter hotel
Review of Feb. 2004:
The small, 26-room Hotel Verneuil is my personal discovery although it's been known to a very discerning few.
I'd read the review in Travel & Leisure (in 2000) and decided it was time to see for myself last February.
My room, a std. double (room #401), was very small yet charming with a desk and chair included. The bathroom was all beige marble, large, and had a wall shower/tub combination with a shower screen. My aunt's room (room #402), a deluxe double, was much larger and with a canopy bed, same large marble bathroom but with two bathrobes included.
Has a normal hairdryer
Breakfast which we chose to take there was a buffet continental with the typical croissants, baguettes, pain au chocolats, fresh fruit salad, juice, cereal, and coffee and tea.
Caveat: The elevator is one flight upstairs from the ground floor.
Some rooms have a/c (usually the standard and deluxe rooms-ask the hotel)
2006/2007 Update: Room #402 is pictured in the book, 'Hip Hotels Paris', by Herbert Ypma.
Unique Quality: The hotel's located on extremely quiet rue de Verneuil which is off of rue des Sts. Peres which is quite busy.
Rooms have beamed ceilings due to this being an old building.
Nice surprise: The manager must believe in the power of chocolates! My aunt & I were there over Valentine's Day weekend so we came back from dinner to find a box of chocolates on our pillows. I learned from a travel acquaintance who stayed there at on a different occasion that she & her husband were given chocolates too.
Uniqueness: The hotel is directly across the street from Serge Gainsbourg's home. Therefore, one notices alot of graffitti covering the walls of his home. It's some sort of ritual done by his fans.
Also if you want to purchase chocolates, the hotel is a couple of blocks away from the first chocolatier in Paris, Debauve et Gallais, at 30 rue des Sts. Peres.
Also there's a branch of Cacao et Chocolat on rue de Buci not far away.