Despite living in France for a year, and visiting on numerous occasions I'd never actually been to Paris before. So for a first visit I really wanted the hotel to live up to the promise of the city - and the Hotel Saint Paul Rive Gauche certainly did that. Right from the welcome at reception we knew things would be relaxed here. The hotel cat, Sputnik, lounging on the reception desk summed up the feel. If anything my only gripe came at this point, and it was nothing to do with the cat (who was fantastic, though I do recognise not everyone would be so happy to see a moggy at reception), but ...
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