A Top Boutique Hotel In Paris Has Eiffel Tower Views, A Wine Bar, And Italian-Inspired Interiors

You won't find a shortage of hotels in the vaunted city of Paris,  one of Europe's most visited cities, which draws just shy of 50 million visitors per year. While most of us would love to check into one of Paris' most luxurious hotels, plenty of budgets are better suited to something more approachable. Fortunately, competition among the city's roughly 2,000 hotels — coupled with uncompromising French standards — means affordable, delightfully fabulous overnights are squarely within reach. Enter Hotel Wallace and Bar, a boutique property with 45 guest rooms and peek-a-boo views of the Eiffel Tower. The hotel's Italian-inspired interiors, along with a range of thoughtful Italian wines served during aperitivo at the hotel's classy Bar Tuco, have guests reveling in la dolce vita.

A proper urban escape, Hotel Wallace and Bar is nestled in an unassuming residential neighborhood in Paris' 15th arrondissement. The property opened its doors in late 2021 after its developers, Paris-based Orso Boutique Hotels, snapped up and transformed the bones of a dilapidated, Left Bank hotel. The renovation added seven floors to the old building and the French design team of Hauvette & Madani draped the interiors in textiles, materials, accents, and furniture inspired by 1970s living along the storied Italian Riviera. The result? Splendorous southern Europe meets minimalist-luxe French chic.

Guests and locals alike flock to the hotel's Bar Tuco, a neighborhood temple to Italian wine, cocktails, and small plates. The bar occupies two distinct areas — both an upstairs and a downstairs space – each with its own vibe but a shared Riviera-influenced design. Bar Tuco downstairs is a cozy, dark-hued venue situated in a lower-level courtyard beneath a dazzling 26-foot glass ceiling. On the rooftop, you'll find a more expansive outpost home to playful pink cushions and sprawling neighborhood views, including the top of the Eiffel Tower. According to Orso Boutique Hotels co-founder Louis Solanet, the split design strives to give hotel guests a different kind of gathering space. "We wanted to create a real common space instead of the typical small lobby you so often see in Paris," Solanet told the magazine Travel + Leisure. Breakfast is served in the Bar Tuco courtyard, while the rooftop bar opens primarily in the warmer months.

Every day starting at 3 p.m., Bar Tuco treats guests to aperitivo, serving up Italian nibbles and 100% natural Italian wines. The bar sources classic Italian and Mediterranean goodies like mozzarella, mortadella, and hummus from local Italian purveyors, assuring patrons feast on authentic, high-quality nosh. Bar Tuco's wine list is slim but mighty, with the San Lorenzo Le Oche Marches IGT and Reva Nebbiolo d'Alba AOC sharing the spotlight. Birra Moretti is on tap, and the Limoncello Spritz is perfect to refresh your palate. If you prefer to keep it French, indulge in the Vodka-based cocktail La Vie en Rose.

Several of Hotel Wallace and Bar's 45 rooms offer Eiffel Tower views. However, not every retro-chic quarter showcases this dazzling monument, so be sure to call ahead for special requests. There are, however, two classes of rooms that leave no doubt that this hulking monument is within view. The Superior Riviera Eiffel View features a bathtub and whimsical 70s decor, while the fifth-floor Junior Suite Eiffel View boasts infinity windows, an ample terrace decked out with lush plants, and stellar Eiffel Tower views. Both lodgings can accommodate two people and feature homemade toiletries and Nespresso machines.

The Family Room is perfect for parties of four. It has two connecting rooms, one equipped with a Queen-size bed and the other with a pair of double or single beds. The hotel's Single Room Cabin isn't the roomiest, but it was designed with single sojourners in mind, affirming why Paris remains a top-rated, stress-free destination for solo travelers. At the time of this writing, nightly rates for all rooms in spring start at $235 on the hotel website. Online reviews are mainly positive. "Excellent service and very nice hotel. Staff were all very kind and made sure I had what I needed. Good location on a quieter street," gushes one Tripadvisor review entitled "Excellent Hotel." It has a 4.4-star rating on the platform, too.

The hotel's excellent location means several desirable attractions are easy to reach on foot and by public transport,  so you might be able to completely avoid taking Paris' taxis. The Eiffel Tower is a 20-minute jaunt across the river, and the Musee Rodin and Hotel des Invalides — home to Napoleon's tomb — are a 25-minute walk. The Metro Cambronne is the closest metro station, and the area is well served by buses.