Part of the pleasures of travelling to Paris is experiencing its many hotel offerings. No other city I know has as wide a selection as “The City of Lights”…from the luxurious to the boutique to the private apartments. Last January I was a guest at the Plaza Athenee’, in September I was nestled into Le Dokhan in the sixteenth arrondissement. Both have much to commend them, but the romantic side of me cherishes this petit boutique with its French spirit and charm, inspiring you to feel as though you are in a home. Part of the success of Le Dokhan is that it was dressed and coordinated from head to toe by one decorator (Frederic Mechiche). Yes, it is small but every inch has been so well considered in the neoclassical style.

And of course I can’t fail to mention that the Dokhan’s Bar is the first champagne bar in Paris, where Sommelier Matthias Breton has created the city’s largest champagne menu with 240 choices. Time to start planning your trip!

Occupying its own elegant corner (the V is such a signature of the Haussmann-designed Paris), Le Dokhan’s exterior is a study in understated ironwork, elaborate dormer windows and black and white-striped awnings.

How about an emerald green velvet recamier-style chaiseto greet you in the ante lobby…with diaphanous roll up shades anchored by brass rosettes?

An irregular space with black and white tile flooring and substantial molding, the ante-lobby is a bright foil to the lobby itself.

If you are an aficionado of wonderful wood floors and dark trim you will be happy with the decor of Le Dokhan; here, they lend an intimate and charming feel to the lobby that lets on to the elevator vestibule

Speaking of…the elevator itself is well known in Paris for its interior created from old Louis Vuitton trunks.

So inviting! Comfortable antiques are interspersed with sturdy seating in intimate conversation areas off the lobby.

How about breakfast in this petit gilded boiserie jewel…or tea…or champagne in the evening?

A quirky corner (leave that jumbo suitcase at home).

The intimate rooms are authentic to the rest of the hotel with every detail carefully considered, always with an eye to romantic touches (the draped canopy)and working around the tight spaces, but the marble bathrooms are large by comparison. The suites on the upper floors are more generous in their layout, but I found this just perfect for a single girl.

Next week on January 16th, devoted Francophile, Vicki Archer, will share her favorite Parisian boutique hotels…a must-read.