The Monte Cristo Hotel Monte Cristo a 4-star hotel with oriental charm located in the 5th arrondissement, a 10-minute walk from the Jardin des Plantes. It is one of our favorite hotels in Paris, particularly because of its captivating interior design and unique personality. Many hotels in Paris look alike, but that is not the case here. Watch our video on site to immerse yourself in this world.

Reservation

We recommend booking your stay at Monte Cristo (external link) through Booking.com, which often offers free cancellation. Send us a message on Instagram if you go—we’d really love that.

Our experience

We visited the hotel for the first time and then came back to spend the night a little later. It's exactly the kind of place we like to show you.

What we liked best:

- The neighborhood and street are very quiet (the Luxembourg Gardens are a 15-minute walk away)
- The very friendly welcome despite the fact that it was busy
- The staff are generally very cheerful everywhere
- The colors in the room are warm and colorful
- The hotel has real personality, which is nice
- The welcome madeleines in the room
- The paintings throughout the hotel

Immersion in the novel

The hotel beautifully recreates the world of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel: The Count of Monte Cristo, published in 1846. You are immersed in a 19th century atmosphere with purple colors, stuffed animals, colorful fabrics, colorful patterns, exotic plants, mottled objects and noble materials.

Here is a brief summary of the novel (warning: it contains major spoilers):

The story begins with the arrival of Edmond Dantès, a 19-year-old sailor, in Marseille to become engaged to the beautiful Mercedes. Betrayed by jealous “friends,” he is denounced as a Bonapartist conspirator and thrown into prison. Edmond spends 14 long years there, at first alone and desperate, and then secretly educated by a fellow prisoner, Abbé Faria, who reveals to him the location of a vast treasure hidden on an island.

Edmond Dantes manages to leave the prison, finds the treasure, returns to Marseilles and poses as various sumptuous characters, including the Count of Monte Cristo, in order to be able to act in the shadows. He undertakes to guarantee happiness to the few who have remained faithful to him and... decides to take methodical revenge on those who had him imprisoned.

The rooms

The hotel offers 50 rooms, including 5 unique suites named after characters from the novel: 1802, Mercedes, Haydee, Edmond, and Alexandre. Each room is like a secret compartment on a ship, filled with objects and elements reminiscent of expeditions to faraway destinations. Here is a video of our room.

Some of our favorite rooms:

1 • Superior Room • Photo • 🪭
2 • Deluxe Room • Photo • 🖼️
3 • Room 1802 • Photo • 🦜
4 • Edmond Suite • Photo • 🧘
5 • Alexandre Suite • Photo • 🎋

Depending on the room you choose, you will have the following amenities: king or queen size bedding, private bathroom with precious materials such as earthenware and terrazzo, mottled mirrors, wall paint, welcome products in the bathroom, air conditioning, Nespresso machine and safe.

The team

The staff, under the direction of Emilie, is of a rare kindness and great availability. The team speaks French, English, German, Spanish and Italian. Special mention to Cassandre, very dedicated.

Catering

In the morning, enjoy a delicious buffet with a selection of fresh, high-quality, artisanal products at Bar 1802. Savor high-quality products in a lush, exotic setting.

In the evening, head to the Grand Dictionnaire restaurant (just across the street but part of the hotel), with its charming and welcoming atmosphere. The dishes are elegant, refined, balanced, and perfectly executed. It's a treat from start to finish.

At the end of the evening, the Bar 1802 becomes a rum bar and it is the largest bar of its kind in France with more than 1000 references! If you wish, you can participate in a tasting and take a tour of the world of rum with the hotel's sommelier.

Spa and exotic pool

During the day or late into the evening, head to the hotel spa for a moment of pure pleasure. Among the facilities available to you: a 15-meter-long swimming pool surrounded by exotic plants, oriental décor, deliciously warm water, ambient music, sauna, and optional massages.

We tested it out, and let's be honest: the pool is more like a long swimming lane. But it's still really nice. You have to choose a 45-minute slot when you check in, and it's limited to 4 or 6 people at a time. Our advice: go as early or as late as possible so you can have it all to yourselves.

Location

The Monte Cristo located in Paris's 5th arrondissement, near the Luxembourg Gardens and the Jardin des Plantes. Notre-Dame just a 25-minute walk away, and the Louvre Museum is 40 minutes away.

The nearby Jardin du Luxembourg is the most beautiful park in Paris (along with Square des Batignoles) with its shaded paths, statues, flowers, and majestic trees. Tip: go early in the morning to avoid the crowds and sit nearthe17th-centuryMedici fountain. Could this be the most romantic spot in Paris?

Looking for another restaurant? We tried Lesar (external link), which is a 5-minute walk away. The service is unpretentious, and the atmosphere is cozy. You can eat at the bar that surrounds the kitchen. Be sure to try the excellent Alsatian wine from Domaine Achillée. It’s really delicious (the straciatella is a treat!), but we were still hungry when we left.