Hotel Atala, Paris, review

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Neighbourhood

Located on a quiet street in the 8th arrondissement, Hotel Atala is close to some of the most celebrated luxury hangouts in Paris.

The designer flagships on Champs-Élysées* and Michelin three-star restaurant Pierre Gagnaire are all within a five minute walk.

It’s also extremely accessible by public transport (more below).

At lunch, there are decent and reasonably priced takeaway spots that are popular with office workers.

But for dinner, there’s a dearth of good, affordable options nearby.

Vibe

This boutique property feels like a smart, modern pied a terre.

Everything’s design-minded, but at times too much so.

There’s an electic collection of contemporary art in the lobby and lounges, for example, that at times feel loud and brash because they’re so colourful.

But then upstairs, the shades chosen for the bedrooms are calm and serene.

Without a bar or restaurant, the public spaces are generally quite quiet, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

It also feels private, because you can order just about everything to your room using Sonder’s dedicated app*, and most people do.

Rooms

Rooms at Hotel Atala vary enormously, even within the same category, so it’s worth doing a bit of sleuthing if size and position are important to you (more below).

The bedroom

Every room at Hotel Atala is individually decorated so there’s a bit of variation in colour schemes.

The central theme is understated luxury – think plush, upholstered furniture and heavily cushioned carpet but without going overboard on the velvets and chromes.

In terms of space, the suites are incredibly spacious but some of the rooms can feel a little compact. You’d struggle if you had a lot of luggage.

The double is the standard bed size here but some rooms also have queen or king size beds.

And as it’s a four-star property, all of the rooms feature tea and coffee facilities; the coffee pods supplied with the Nespresso machine are truly excellent.

The bathroom

Again, every bathroom is different here.

Most have showers, but some also have soaking tubs.

In the bigger rooms and suites, double sinks come as standard.

MALIN+GOETZ does the toiletries, and there’s enough fluffy towels to go round.

There are also slippers but sadly no fluffy dressing gowns.

One thing to note – while there are hairdryers, they’re not brilliant.

The view

The view at Hotel Atala is really what sets this property apart, but it really depends on which room you’re staying in.

Those on the top floor have a view of the Eiffel Tower or the Sacré-Cœur in the distance.

Some also have a little private balcony or terrace where you can enjoy Paris at its finest.

Most, though, look out over the building opposite – it’s not ugly as such, but it’s not particularly interesting either.

Food and drink

There’s no bar or restaurant at Hotel Atala, which makes it feel quite sparse compared to other places you could stay nearby.

Instead, there’s a lounge where a small but excellent buffet is set up for breakfast. Most people seem to go for room service though.

In the evening, some guests also use this lounge for drinks, but it’s not quite set up as a hotel bar.

Other amenities

The small gym – equipped with TechnoGym gear – is the main amenity.

Just outside it is an open lounge where you can work or play games – a small selection is available.

Guests also have access to a tranquil little courtyard.

Highlights

Aside from the location of the hotel, the highlight has to be the aforementioned views.

If this is the main reason you’re choosing this property, consider booking directly through Sonder*. You can then make any special requests via their dedicated app.

Downsides

The lack of a restaurant and a good bar in situ feels like a bit of a shame.

As nice as the rooms are, it’s always fun to enjoy an aperitif before heading out for dinner.

And while you can do this in the lounge to a certain extent, the drinks options are a little limited.

Asides

Hotel Atala would make a great couples’ retreat if all you want to do is hole up in your room and soak up the romance of Paris.

Do book one of those rare rooms with a terrace or balcony though.

For families 

Cots, high chairs and babysitters are available on request at Hotel Atala.

Beyond that, it’s not particularly geared towards families.

There are no family rooms, for example.

For digital nomads

Digital nomads might like Hotel Atala.

One of the lounges here doubles as a co-working space during the day, and there are lots of plugs about.

Inside the rooms, some have desks but most are too small to feel comfortable for work.

There are also laptop-friendly safes.

For pet owners

Hotel Atala is a pet-free environment.

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Getting here

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Paris-Orly Airport are both close to Hotel Atala – it’s around 30 minutes by taxi.

For public transport, George V is the closest station on the Metro. It’s served by Line 1.

A better connected option is Charles de Gaulle – Étoile, which is served by Line 1, 2, and 6 and RER A.

A short walk away is Ternes on Line 2, Kléber on Line 6, and Saint-Philippe-du-Roule on Line 9.

Loyalty scheme

Hotel Atala is part of Sonder*, a collection of hotels with a big focus on design and digital-first service.

That means most reservations and requests are made through the dedicated app.

You can join Sonder for free, which gives you a member’s rate at hotels.

You don’t collect any points or get any additional reward though.

When I stayed

I stayed as a guest of Hotel Atala in November 2021. My stay was hosted by the hotel.

This entry was last updated in July 2024 and was correct at the time of publication.