Where to stay in Paris: Hotel Monte Cristo review

They say that the best way to experience a city is off the beaten track, so for those who want to enjoy a slice of Paris typique - safe in the knowledge that they're still close to the capital's star attractions - the Monte Cristo is the perfect boutique getaway.

Situated on a quiet residential street in the 5th arrondissement, the Monte Cristo manages to effortlessly straddle the space between stylish luxury and Bohemian quirkiness. Just like the great literary hero that it is named after, the hotel is adroit at the art of surprise thanks to interiors that set a romantic and historical tone.

In fact, the décor is a tribute to the cunning Count's creator, the great French novelist Alexandre Dumas, one of time's most prolific writers who is said to have penned over 650 novels during his lifetime including children's books, travel novels and of course The Three Muskateers. In keeping with the colourful and culturally agile spirit of le grand maître ecrivain, the hotel's interiors are at once artistic, patrician and playful, with plenty of curiosities to pique your interest.

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As you enter the lobby, you're met by a menagerie of tropical taxidermic birds (all ethically sourced) which give guests an immediate sense of the author's origins: his father was born in Haiti and served as a general under Napoleon Bonaparte. Turn right for reception and left for the hotel's Club 1802. a popular bar that attracts a fashionable crowd come sundown who come for the speciality rum cocktails; yet another clue to the writer's past: his ancestors produced the liquor in the Carribean and the tipple is mentioned repeatedly in The Count of Monte Cristo too.

The club – a misnomer really since the atmosphere is soft and subdued with jazz humming through the speakers - is a charming place to find yourself on a cold wintery night; it's a warmly lit den with a central zinc bar festooned with hundreds of rum bottles and decorated with Minton-esque blue tiles. Guests sit on sapphire velvet armchairs and are surrounded by tall leafy succulents and miniature palms. You get the feeling you're miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, and in a way you are. Although Paris' premier department store Galleries Lafayette is a short metro journey away (seven minutes to be precise), the hotel is ideally located for those who want to explore niche boutiques and gourmet specialists: just a stone's throw away is Rue Mouffetard, a long cobbled street famous for its many and varied restaurants (there's one dedicated to quiche!) as well as its exclusive wine merchants and fromageries. The Jardin des Plantes with its grand natural history museum and small exotic zoo is a 10 minute walk away towards the Seine.

Rooms at the Monte Christo are themed on orientalism and 19th century exploration; imagine floral print curtains in heavy brocade, chinoiserie lamps, giant paper lanterns with long tassels, sink-in velveteen armchairs, marble topped coffee tables and thick jewel-coloured throws on beds. French artist Christoff Debusschere has created all of the hotel's swirly romantic oil paintings inspired by Dumas and his many novels. One scene shows a sweeping rendition of the writer's Port-Marly castle, another, shows a more Turner-esque marshland scene – all fun and dreamy landscapes to set your Zs to when you hit the pillow.

The biggest surprise of all, is the spa room in a basement consisting of a small pool (lined with more indoor palms) and sauna room, both of which are open to 10pm. If you're up before 10am, breakfast is served in the Club 1802, which in the daylight hours has a homely conservatory feel about it. The buffet choices are limited but everything is quite delicious – choose from freshly made pancakes, pastries, perfectly boiled eggs and charcuterie as well as a selection of fresh juices.

My only gripe is that there was no kettle or tea in the room - but then, Alexandre Dumas was undoubtedly more of a coffee man. Best follow his lead.

A classic double room is 215€; suites from 365€. 20-22 rue Pascal,75005 Paris. Tel +33 1 40 09 09 09