Relais Christine is the Paris hotel for couples who want the Left Bank on their doorstep and silence when they close the door. It sits on rue Christine, a short, quiet street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés between the Seine and the cafés of the 6th arrondissement. It has 48 rooms and suites, a Guerlain spa set under 13th-century stone vaults and lounges with fireplaces where an honor bar replaces the usual hotel bar.
The hotel has been a Left Bank favorite since 1979 and was reimagined by the French designer Laura Gonzalez, so rooms mix velvet, warm wood and Carrara marble bathrooms rather than the beige of a chain. It feels like staying in someone's very well-furnished townhouse. The scale suits a honeymoon: big enough for 24-hour room service and a Clefs d'Or concierge, small enough that staff learn your names.
It suits couples who plan to walk everywhere, eat out every night and come back to somewhere calm. It is less suited to anyone who wants a pool, a rooftop with Eiffel Tower views or a grand palace lobby.
Highlights at a glance
- Quiet street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés near the Seine
- Spa Guerlain in 13th-century stone vaults
- 48 rooms by designer Laura Gonzalez
- Garden Suite with a terrace on an enclosed garden
- Free bicycles, tandems and valet parking
Why Couples Love Relais Christine
Location is the first reason. From the front door you can walk to the Pont Neuf and Île de la Cité in a few minutes, to the Luxembourg Garden in about 15 and to the Louvre across the river in about 20. The cafés and wine bars of Saint-Germain are all around you, yet rue Christine itself is a narrow street with very little traffic at night.
The second reason is the mood. Instead of a lobby there are lounges with fireplaces and deep sofas. There is also an honor bar where you pour your own apéritif before dinner. A private flower garden supplies honey for the breakfast table. The hotel lends bicycles and tandems free of charge, which is a fun way to cross the river to the Marais on a Sunday morning when traffic is light.
Rooms and Suites to Book
Paris rooms are small and these are no exception at the entry level, so choose with care.
- Cosy Rooms (19 m²) and Superior Rooms (22 m²) work if you will be out from breakfast to midnight.
- Deluxe Rooms (25 m²) are the sensible minimum for a stay of four nights or more.
- Duplex Junior Suites (30 m²) put the bed on a second level, which gives a pleasing sense of privacy for two.
- The Garden Suite (40 m²) has a king bed, two bathrooms and a terrace on the enclosed garden. That terrace is shared with only two other rooms, so it is not fully private, but it is a rare outdoor space in central Paris.
Every room has Diptyque bath products, a Marshall Bluetooth speaker and free Wi-Fi. Ask for a room with the canopy bed or the Toile de Jouy fabric if you like a period look.
Food, Drink and the Spa
There is no formal restaurant, which in this neighborhood is a blessing. The buffet breakfast runs from 7 to 11 a.m. and costs about €40 per person, or about €32 for continental. Breakfast can also be ordered to your room at any hour. Room service runs around the clock.
The Spa Guerlain is the hotel's best feature for a honeymoon. It is set in stone vaults dating from the 13th century and has a dry sauna, a whirlpool and a small gym. Two private treatment rooms include a double room for couples' treatments using Guerlain products, among them the hotel's signature ritual. Book treatments when you reserve the room, especially for weekend afternoons. The hotel often sells a package that combines a stay with two one-hour treatments, which can be better value than booking them separately.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do Nearby
You are within walking distance of most of the Paris that couples come for. Cross the Pont Neuf for Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame, or follow the river west to the Musée d'Orsay. Spend an afternoon in the Luxembourg Garden with a book on the green metal chairs. Browse the bookstalls along the quays and the galleries on rue de Seine and rue des Beaux-Arts.
For dinner, the Left Bank has everything from oyster bars to classic bistros and Michelin-starred tables. The concierge can secure bookings that are hard to get online. If one of you wants to shop and the other wants to see art, Le Bon Marché and the Orsay are both an easy walk. On a clear evening, take a sunset Seine cruise from the nearby quays and walk home along the river.
Getting There
Most US nonstop flights land at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). A taxi to the 6th arrondissement takes about 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. Official Paris taxis charge a fixed fare from CDG to the Left Bank. Orly (ORY) is closer if you are connecting within Europe.
If you arrive by train from Provence or London, Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord are both a short taxi ride away. The hotel offers complimentary valet parking with electric car charging, which is unusual in central Paris and handy if you are driving on to the Loire or Normandy. The nearest Métro station is Odéon, a few minutes' walk away. The city charges a tourist tax of about €11.70 per person per night at this level, paid at the hotel.
Is It Worth It?
For most honeymooners, yes. Relais Christine costs far less than the palace hotels on the Right Bank, yet it gives you a better neighborhood for wandering, a genuinely quiet night's sleep and a spa that many bigger hotels would envy. Rates vary a great deal by season, so treat any number as approximate, but a Deluxe Room here often costs about what an entry room does at the big names.
Pick elsewhere if you want a hotel that is itself the destination: a rooftop, a pool, a three-star restaurant downstairs or Eiffel Tower views from bed. Pick elsewhere too if you need space, since even the suites are compact by American standards. If you care most about walking out into a beautiful street every morning, this is one of the best-value romantic stays in Paris.
Insider tips
- Book at least a Deluxe Room or a Duplex Junior Suite for a stay longer than three nights.
- Reserve the double treatment room at the Spa Guerlain when you book the room.
- Borrow a tandem on a Sunday morning and ride across the river to Place des Vosges.
- Skip the hotel breakfast on one morning and walk to a café on rue de Buci instead.
