If cobblestone streets lined with colorful cafés summon the romantic in you, then the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area in Paris might be just your honeymoon haven.
By: Carla JohnstonHotel Montalembert, Paris, France
If cobblestone streets lined with colorful cafés summon the romantic in you, then the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area in Paris might be just your honeymoon haven. A historic landmark on the city's Left Bank, the 56-room Hotel Montalembert offers guests the perfect Parisian experience.
Its prime location and old-world charm were enough to entice CBS's Rules of Engagement star Oliver Hudson and actress Erinn Bartlett (featured in the film Rumor Has It) to honeymoon there in June 2006.
This luxurious hotel blends early 20th-century antiques with contemporary amenities. In each room, you'll find elegant bronze light fixtures that illuminate photographs and engravings, taupe- and cinnamon-colored Egyptian cotton linens, a flat-screen satellite TV and an iPod with Bose speakers.
Just minutes from the hotel, you can explore the area's art galleries and antiques shops and stroll past famous cafés. Be sure to have a light meal at Les Deux Magots, the restaurant of choice in the 1950s for such luminaries as the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre and novelist Simone de Beauvoir. You'll also want to visit the Pont Neuf, which is the city's oldest stone bridge and connects the Left and Right banks, and stop by the Square du Vert Galant, a small park with magnificent views of the River Seine and the Louvre Museum.
As night falls, return to the hotel and order a bottle of Bordeaux from the extensive wine list at Le Restaurant. And try a tasting portion (dégustation) or larger servings of Limousin beef tenderloin with porcini mushrooms, followed by a caramelized apple turnover. Later, retreat to the library for a rendezvous by the fireplace. Ah, très romantique! For more information visit montalembert.com or call 866-376-7831.
