Hôtel du Savoir is a small independent hotel with just 20 rooms, spread over six floors of a narrow Left Bank townhouse. It has no elevator, which tells you right away this is an old building, not a modern block. The hotel leans into that. Its decor takes cues from the Sorbonne’s lecture halls and old curated libraries nearby. The idea, as the hotel puts it, is to be more than just a place to sleep: a meeting point between the intellectual history of Paris and everyday comfort. It was renovated recently, with work finishing around late 2024.
The address is 1 rue Racine, a quiet, narrow street in the 6th arrondissement. You are right between the Sorbonne and the Odéon theater, in the heart of the Latin Quarter. This is a neighborhood of bookshops, small cafes, and student life. It has been that way for centuries. The Jardin du Luxembourg is a short walk away, and so is Saint-Germain-des-Prés with its higher-end boutiques and brasseries.
This is not a hotel built around a big lobby or a bar scene. It is a small, personal address in one of the most walkable parts of Paris. That trade-off matters, and we get into it below.
The essentials at a glance
- Category: 3-star (per booking platforms; not stated on the official site)
- Address: 1 rue Racine, 75006 Paris
- Nearest metro: Odéon (lines 4 and 10) or RER B at Cluny–La Sorbonne
- Rates: roughly €120–240 a night in most listings, though some dates run well above that (see “What a night really costs”)
- Rating: 4.2 out of 5 across the review sites, from 791 reviews, ranked around #555 of roughly 1,886 Paris hotels
- Included: free Wi-Fi, air conditioning
- The catch: no elevator across six floors, and no restaurant or bar of its own
Our verdict
Walking in, the first thing you notice is how small the reception is. There is no big lobby to linger in. Instead, you get little touches that nod to the neighborhood: shelves that look like a curated library, warm wood, and lighting that feels more like a study than a hotel lounge. It sets a mood fast. You feel like you have stepped into someone’s idea of a scholar’s Paris, not a chain hotel.
The rooms carry that same idea through, on a smaller scale. Expect compact spaces with clean, simple furniture rather than anything ornate. What stays with you is the quiet. Rue Racine is a side street, so once you close the door, the city noise fades fast. That is a real asset in a neighborhood this central.
Here is the honest part. There is no elevator, and the hotel spans six floors. If you land on an upper floor with a suitcase, you will feel it. There is also no breakfast room or bar on site, so mornings and evenings mean stepping outside rather than staying in. If you need those in-house comforts, this is not the right fit.
What makes up for it is the location. You can walk to the Sorbonne, the Panthéon, and the Luxembourg garden without checking a map. For a traveler who wants to feel like they live in the Latin Quarter for a few days, rather than just visit it, that is worth a lot.
The rooms: real square meters
| Category | Size | Capacity | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Classic Single | 10–13 m² | 1 guest | Solo travelers on a budget |
| Classic Double | 13–17 m² | 2 guests | Couples who don’t need much space |
| Double Balcony | 12–15 m² | 2 guests | Couples who want a Juliet balcony |
| Side by Side Family | 20–25 m² | Up to 4 guests | Families or friends traveling together |
Our advice: the Classic Double is the best value for two people. If you want a bit of outdoor air, the Double Balcony is a similar size but comes with a small balcony instead of a slightly larger footprint. Skip the Solo Classic Single unless you truly are traveling alone and want to save money.
What a night really costs
Most listings put Hôtel du Savoir at roughly €120 to €240 a night, depending on the room and the season. That said, a spot check for a mid-October 2026 date came back closer to €338 a night, so prices can climb well past the usual range for busy dates. Treat the €120–240 figure as a general starting point, and always check live rates for your exact dates before booking.
What gets added to the bill
- City tax: about €5.53 per person, per night, at the 3-star rate (children under 18 are exempt)
- Breakfast: around €16 per person, based on third-party listings — the official site does not publish a price
- Parking: not confirmed by the hotel; assume none on site given the building
What is included, and what the hotel does not have
What’s included
- Free Wi-Fi
- Air conditioning
What the hotel does not have
- No elevator (six floors)
- No restaurant or bar of its own on site
- No gym
- Minibar: not confirmed by the official site
Is this hotel right for you?
Yes, if…
- You want a quiet, walkable base in the Latin Quarter
- You are fine with a small, independent hotel that skips lobby amenities
- You plan to spend most of your time exploring rather than lounging at the hotel
No, if…
- You need an elevator, for luggage or mobility reasons
- You want an on-site restaurant, bar, or breakfast room
- You want a larger room to spread out in
The neighborhood
Rue Racine sits in the Latin Quarter, the old university district on the Left Bank. Bookshops and small cafes line the streets nearby, alongside students heading to and from class. It feels lived-in, not staged for tourists. The Sorbonne’s main buildings are just around the corner. The Jardin du Luxembourg, one of the best gardens in Paris for a walk or a rest on a bench, is close enough to reach easily. Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with its shops and cafes, is a short walk in the other direction.
- La Sorbonne — about 5 minutes on foot (estimate)
- Jardin du Luxembourg — about 10 minutes on foot (estimate)
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés — about 10 minutes on foot (estimate)
- The Panthéon — about 10 minutes on foot (estimate)
- Notre-Dame de Paris — about 15 minutes on foot (estimate)
Getting there
The closest metro stations are Odéon (lines 4 and 10) and the RER B stop at Cluny–La Sorbonne, both an easy walk from the hotel.
- From Orly: the regulated taxi fare to the Left Bank is €36. The RER B (via Antony and the Orlyval shuttle) also works. A single “Paris Région ↔ Airports” ticket costs €14 full fare.
- From Roissy–Charles de Gaulle: the regulated taxi fare to the Left Bank is €65. The RER B runs directly from CDG toward central Paris, with Cluny–La Sorbonne just a few stops from the hotel.
Alternatives in the Latin Quarter
| Hotel | Rating |
|---|---|
| Hôtel Baume | 4.7/5 |
| Hôtel Saint-Paul Rive Gauche | 4.7/5 |
| Hotel Odéon Saint Germain | 4.6/5 |
| Hotel Delavigne | 4.5/5 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Hôtel du Savoir have an elevator?
No. The hotel has 20 rooms spread over six floors, and there is no elevator. Keep that in mind if you are traveling with heavy luggage or have mobility concerns.
Is breakfast included?
No, breakfast is not included. Third-party listings put it at around €16 per person, though the official site does not publish a price.
What star rating is Hôtel du Savoir?
Booking platforms list it as 3-star. The official site does not display a star rating, so we use the 3-star classification for the city tax figures above.
Is there air conditioning?
Yes, all rooms have air conditioning.
Is there a restaurant or bar?
Not on site. The hotel shares a bar with the neighboring property, Hôtel Belloy.
How far is it from the Sorbonne and the Luxembourg garden?
The Sorbonne is about a 5-minute walk. The Jardin du Luxembourg is about 10 minutes on foot. Both are estimates.
What was Hôtel du Savoir called before?
Older listings show the property under the name Hotel Le Petit Belloy Saint-Germain. It now operates as Hôtel du Savoir.
Has it won a Travellers’ Choice award?
No Travellers’ Choice award for 2026 was found for this property as of September 2026.
Read next: Best Hotels in Paris, our full guide to the city’s best places to stay.
This page was last verified and updated in September 2026.
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