Maubert & Notre-Dame
Hôtel Esmeralda, Paris
1-star hotel · Atout France classification of 16 October 2024
- Address
- 4 rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, 75005 Paris
- Area
- Maubert & Notre-Dame
- Rooms
- 16
- Price range
- €
Hôtel Esmeralda, 4 rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre — 16 rooms, one star, views of Notre-Dame claimed for five room types, metro and limits. Checked October 2026.
© Roman SUZUKI, CC BY 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons
A one-star facing the cathedral
The hotel stands at no. 4 rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, beside square René-Viviani, on the Left Bank opposite Notre-Dame. It belongs to the 5th arrondissement and to the Maubert and Notre-Dame part of the Latin Quarter. The Atout France register — the official source for French hotel stars — lists it as Hôtel Esméralda Paris Notre Dame, classified one-star on 16 October 2024, with 16 rooms. It is one of three one-star hotels in our Latin Quarter database.
According to its website, the building dates from the 17th century and has received travellers for more than a hundred years; both claims are the hotel’s own. The street itself is old: it leads to the church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre and was already named in Guillot’s Dit des rues de Paris. No chain or group is displayed on the hotel’s site.
Rooms with a view, and what the site leaves out
The selling point is the outlook. Six room types run from a single to a quadruple with a double and two singles, and the hotel presents all of them except the single with a view of Notre-Dame. The listed room equipment is short: telephone, safe, free Wi-Fi and hairdryer. The whole hotel is non-smoking.
Everything else is unknown. The site gives no information on air conditioning, a lift, access for reduced mobility, breakfast, pets, a bar, a restaurant or parking. Anyone who needs one of those should ask the hotel before booking.
The streets around square Viviani
On our estimates, the square in front of Notre-Dame is about two minutes on foot, place Maubert and place Saint-Michel about four, the Musée de Cluny and the Collège de France about six.
For more services, the three-star Hôtel Henri IV Rive Gauche, a minute away on rue Saint-Jacques, has 23 air-conditioned rooms including one adapted room. The two-star Hôtel Mont-Blanc on rue de la Huchette, three minutes away, adds a restaurant and air conditioning across 42 rooms. The nearest other one-star is the Hôtel Marignan, about five minutes away on rue du Sommerard, with rooms for up to five and a guest kitchen. Three minutes away, the Hôtel Albe Saint-Michel, at 1 rue de la Harpe, is a three-star.
Location and metro
- Metro 4, RER B, RER C Saint-Michel Notre-Dame 3 min walk · 250 m Line 4: station closed through 19 December 2026 (works)
- Metro 10 Cluny-La Sorbonne 4 min walk · 350 m
- Metro 4 Cité 4 min walk · 350 m
Walking times are estimates: straight-line distance × 1.3, at 80 metres a minute, to the station, not to a specific exit.
Facilities
- Family rooms
As listed on the hotel’s official website, checked on 4 October 2026.
History and distinctive features
- According to the hotel, five of its six room categories — standard and classic doubles, twin, triple and quadruple — look onto Notre-Dame. Source : hotel-esmeralda.fr
- The hotel says it occupies a 17th-century building and has welcomed travellers for more than a century, beside square René-Viviani and the Seine; these are the hotel’s own claims. Source : hotel-esmeralda.fr
- Rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, which leads to the church of the same name, is one of the oldest streets in Paris, already listed in Guillot’s Dit des rues de Paris. Source : fr.wikipedia.org
Nearby
Landmarks
- Rue de la Huchette 2 min walk · 150 m
- Parvis Notre-Dame 2 min walk · 150 m
- Place Maubert 4 min walk · 350 m
- Place Saint-Michel 4 min walk · 350 m
- Musée de Cluny 6 min walk · 450 m
Other hotels
- Hôtel Notre Dame Saint-Michel ★★★ 1 min walk · 100 m
- Hôtel Henri IV Rive Gauche ★★★ 1 min walk · 100 m
- Les Rives de Notre Dame ★★★★ 2 min walk · 150 m
- Maison Colbert Meliá Collection ★★★★★ 3 min walk · 200 m
- Hôtel Mont-Blanc ★★ 3 min walk · 250 m
Availability
Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we are paid
Partner link
Frequently asked questions
What are the pros and cons of the Hôtel Esmeralda?
Rather than a rating, which we never give, here is the balance sheet. Pros, according to the hotel, a view of Notre-Dame from most room types, a quadruple and three stations within four minutes (the line 4 platforms at Saint-Michel are closed until 19 December 2026). Cons, one star, no information on air conditioning, a lift or accessibility, and no bar or restaurant.
Do all rooms at the Esmeralda face Notre-Dame?
No. The hotel presents five of its six categories with a cathedral view; the single room is the exception. The view is the hotel’s own description.
Is Hôtel Esmeralda suitable for a family of four?
Yes, in its quadruple room, which has a double bed and two single beds and, according to the hotel, a view of Notre-Dame.
Can you smoke at the hotel?
No. The hotel says the whole building is non-smoking.
What is included in the rooms?
The website lists a telephone, a safe, free Wi-Fi and a hairdryer.
Checked on 4 October 2026