'Charming' Paris hotel is like having your own French townhouse

Outside it's close to -2 degrees but as soon as we step over the threshold of the Hôtel des Grands Hommes it feels like I'm getting an actual warm hug.

This is not like walking into a grand hotel lobby with shining marble floors and copy-paste reception desks lined up to assist you.

Instead, there's a sparkling Christmas tree, a plush, inviting sofa, and a small rustic desk from behind which we're greeted by a "Bonjour!" - it's like walking into someone's living room.

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Where to stay in Paris

Visiting Paris as a family, we wanted to stay somewhere that was a little outside the hustle and bustle of the main tourist areas, yet still close enough to the action that we could dip in and out of it as we pleased.

The Hotel des Grands Hommes is a refined townhouse hotel, which sits on the doorstep of the Pantheon in Paris' 5th arrondissement, just a short walk away from the Luxembourg Gardens.

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Walking in from the cobblestoned street, the charming, classic décor is immediately what stands out inside.

The ground floor lounge area has plenty of comfy chairs, a bar, and an abundance of coffee table books to get lost in. A small nod to its location in the Latin Quarter, on the left bank of the Seine River, which is known as a historic literary hub, and a traditional haunt for writers and scholars.

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The room

Like walking into your own Parisian apartment, the antiques-filled rooms are so tastefully decorated that they hardly feel like hotel rooms at all.

And with only 30 of them, the building feels very private. There was no noise from neighbours at any time of day which was great.

The room was small but what you would expect from a Paris apartment, though as we also had a baby cot there was virtually no real floor space to place our luggage.

The Queen-size bed was comfortable and the renovated bathroom included a very large shower and a separate toilet.

Funnily enough, the bathroom door became somewhat of a highlight for our toddler who was beside herself that she could reach the antique brass door handle.

I lost count of how many times that door was opened and closed during our three-night stay.

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Hotel des Grand Hommes has been family-owned since it opened in 1946.

It has a 24-hour reception with a tour desk and a ticket service, which makes it feel like you're getting very personalised attention during your stay.

To be honest the only time we saw any other guests was during check-in and during breakfast one morning.

Though if you're wondering whether to pay for the breakfast or not, that is the one thing I wouldn't really bother with. There are plenty of delicious cafes and patisseries just steps from the hotel.

Visiting Paris sights with a two-year-old

If you're thinking about travelling to Paris with a toddler, here is what it was like visiting some of the city's top sights.

Eiffel tower

We were here just after Christmas, and it was FREEZING! So make sure you wear layers. Many, many layers. Especially as it can get windy once you're at the top.

You need to book a time slot well in advance online. Walk-up tickets are available to buy but with a little one, it's all about reducing time standing in a queue wherever possible.

With a prebooked ticket, you'll also be able to join the shorter line at security and get into the precinct much quicker. Even people who don't have tickets to head up the tower are able to go through to enjoy the view from right beneath, so that line can get long.

We were extremely lucky that we made it to the top of the tower for golden hour. If you want to try and do the same you'll want to book a ticket for around two hours before the sun sets.

Once you're up the first lift, go straight to the top floor, then you can explore the second floor on the way back down.

Musee du Louvre

To get a timed entry ticket you also need to book a fair way in advance. But if you miss out don't despair. However, definitely don't try and just wing it on the day. The lines are immense even before doors open.

Again, with a little one, this was not really an option. So we booked a last-minute (like 3-days out) tour that included reserved Louvre access with a host that takes you through the museum to the Mona Lisa (and other highlights).

I found it via GetYourGuide, and it was run by Paris City Vision. Though more expensive than a standard entry ticket, it was so worth it. We didn't want to spend a long time in the museum and didn't need a proper guide.

This way we could simply follow our lovely host, who still pointed out some highlights and shared a few factoids along the way, until we had seen what we wanted to. All up it took around two hours.

Hotel des Invalides

The Hôtel des Invalides was commissioned in 1670 by Louis XIV in order to provide accommodation and hospital care for wounded soldiers. These days it houses the Musée de l'Armée among other displays, as well as the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte under its iconic golden dome.

This museum was much easier to enter on the day. Lines were not long at all and we were able to walk straight in to see Napoleon's tomb.

If you have a pram and you're happy to cloak it that may be a better option as the rest of the museum is spread across multiple levels with limited lift access. Though for us the staff were more than accommodating when we needed to keep our tired little one strapped in.

There was some construction going on within the museum which took away some of the impact but overall still an interesting place to learn of the country's military history.

Best way to get around Paris

The hop on hop off Tootbus was a great first introduction to Paris. We could sit inside where it wasn't as cold and were able to see some of the big sites straight away. Of course, the bus was a hit with the little one as well.

Paris traffic is notoriously bad though, so don't be surprised if the trips between stops take a little longer than expected.

Buses operate daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. Frequency at stops is every 20 to 30 minutes. You can start your visit at any bus stop and your ticket is valid for 24 hours.

If you don't want to deal with traffic at all, and you care more about getting from A to B than seeing too much along the way, then the Metro is, of course, the most efficient way to get around Paris.

We used it every single day, multiple times a day. Tickets and passes are easy to purchase at counters, or via the app online.

It's only let down this time around was having a pram (and sometimes luggage). Only some stations have actual lifts. Some have escalators, but many are just stairs. Plus, you can't push a pram through the usual metro gates. Again, some stations have a larger access gate that you can tap on as normal to open.

However, many of the stations just have a gate you have to buzz an operator to open (and then don't forget to still tap on once through). Some workers make it seem like an inconvenience. But alas, overall still an easy way to get around.

The writer travelled to Paris at their expense, with support from Atout France and Eurail.