planning for paris: the hotel

earlier this year i decided that i needed to go back to paris...and so we are...at the beginning of june.  since booking the vacation i've wanted to delve into the details of the trip to start getting excited...but have just been way too busy.  now that spring's on it's way and mz's busy season is starting to wind down, we're finally getting closer to the trip countdown (even though it's still 67 days away per my desktop widget). we've been doing some shopping and closet cleaning all with the mindset of 'can i wear this in paris'? ha, so far it's been a pretty good motivator and hopefully will inspire me to dress a little bit more like an adult rather than relying solely on hollister to furnish my summer wardrobe.  maybe i'll share some of our new 'fashion' finds once all the the spring cleaning dust settles!

okay so none of that really had anything to do with what i planned on sharing today...our paris hotel!  when my mom and i went to paris for the first time (for my 16th birthday), she found this superbly charming little hotel on the left bank of paris.  We've gone back there twice since and i love it and love the area...but thought it was a little on the frilly side for a trip with mz and wanted to try something new.  so i did a simple google maps search to find another spot in the same latin quarter neighborhood as Les Rives de Notre Dame.  The Latin Quarter, right near Notre Dame, is bustling with restaurants and nightlife so i knew it was where i wanted to stay again...plus it's so close to Ile Saint-Louis which is probably where i'd live if given the opportunity (regardless of the slightly touristy feel).

i researched a handful of hotels that popped up on the google maps search via their websites and different travel websites and decided that Hotel Le Notre Dame was exactly what we were looking for...a little boutique hotel with a view of Notre Dame and a recent facelift by Christian Lacroix to give it a funky feel.  since making the reservation, i've seen this hotel all of the place so i'm thinking we made the right choice!  it was featured in bon appetit as a pick for their 'snob-free guide to paris' and i saw it listed in another random article as well...so hopefully it lives up to the press!