Hotel du Louvre

Location. The 19th-century Hotel du Louvre is located in Paris, France, opposite the Louvre and 1 block from the Tuileries Gardens. The hotel is 800 metres from the Musee d'Orsay, while the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre are both two-and-a-half kilometres away.

Hotel Features. Built on the orders of Napoleon III for the International Exhibition of 1855, the grand Hotel du Louvre has restored its facade and filled the interior with colour and contemporary design. The marble-floored lobby is decorated in crimson and greens, with a contemporary chandelier, velvet tapestry and suspended vases above reception.

At the Hotel du Louvre, a buffet breakfast is served daily (surcharge). For lunch and dinner, the Brasserie du Louvre serves fresh seafood and classic French dishes. In summer, guests can dine on the terrace, with views of the Palais Royal and Louvre. Le Defender Bar offers cocktails and snacks amid black marble columns and velvet chairs. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

The Hotel du Louvre's small 24-hour business centre has a computer workstation, with high-speed Internet access (surcharge) and printer. Fax and secretarial services are available. There are eight air- conditioned meeting rooms for hire and a grand reception hall.

The hotel has a small fitness room, with cardio machines and free weights.

Guestrooms. The Hotel du Louvre's 177 air-conditioned guestrooms are decorated in eight different colour schemes, including patriotic red and blue, and dark green with mahogany furniture. Rooms have views over the inner courtyard, Opera Garnier or the Louvre. Features include cable television and high-speed Internet access.

Expert Tip. The 17th-century arcades of the Palais Royal Gardens, opposite the hotel, are a shopper's paradise, even for Paris. Tiny shops sell everything from antique toy soldiers to vintage couture. There is even a boutique dedicated to the little black dress.