Le Pigalle is less so a hotel than a means by which one might explore the vibrant, historic, and culturally vital Montmartre. This is not to say that Pigalle falls short as an establishment: the hotel itself is as authentic as it is high-end. And yet Le Pigalle’s draw—by its own admission, and advertisement—lies in an association with the restaurant owner across the street, with the neighborhood artists, the local baker, the resident musicians. They broker these connections along with a room; if one resides at Le Pigalle, they receive both elegant housing and guidance on what to do and where to do it. In other words, one mustn’t book Le Pigalle just to stay, but to experience. —Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan is an Editorial Assistant at AIR MAIL