Hôtel Récamier

Saint-Germain-des-Prés is not just one of the oldest and loveliest neighborhood in Paris, it’s one of the most centrally located for shopping. Hidden just off the Place Saint-Sulpice in a district that is its own hotbed of stores (Annick Goutal, Saint Laurent, Carven, and Louis Vuitton, among others), this discreet boutique hotel is the perfect combination of classic Parisian (checkerboard marble floors, tasteful wainscoting) and thoughtful mod cons (flat-screen TVs with iPod docks).
Doubles from $335. 3 Place Saint-Sulpice, 33/(0) 1-43-26-04-89.

The Hotel Recamier is just 24 individually-decorated, well-appointed rooms and the cozy atmosphere is enhanced by an outdoor courtyard for breakfast and complimentary afternoon tea.

The decor is French-chic-meets-modern-funk, and despite the small space, they’ve managed to tuck amenities in everywhere. If you can, stay in the large club rooms, but all the rooms overlook the wonderfully quiet square and the church. Recamier is ideally located just a few blocks from the pulse of the up-and-coming local designers and terrific nouveau bistros, making it especially ideal for a shopping holiday.