1. In pod we trust: Everland
If you've ever wanted to be part of a Paris modern art installation while you sleep, here's your chance. On the roof of the neo-classical Palais de Tokyo — Paris's cutting-edge contemporary arts centre — you can spend the night in a designer pod with the best view in the city. The Everland hotel is an art installation by Swiss artists Sabrina Lang and Daniel Baumann. Described as a kind of ultra-modern tree-house on one of Paris's best-placed rooftops, it has a panoramic view of the Seine and the Eiffel tower. The lone capsule — with bedroom, bathroom and lounge area including a record player with a selection of vinyl and a well-stocked mini-bar — is serviced like any other luxury hotel. But remember, you're not a guest, you're a work of art, so you can only stay one night, to ensure a "unique experience". With only one room, this is Paris's smallest hotel, but also its most sought-after – it will only last until December 31 2008. You must book online two months in advance.
· €333 (£235) Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. €444 (£313) Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays.
2. Time-warp: Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais
Furnished in the style of a private townhouse in the time of playwright Beaumarchais (Marriage of Figaro) and Mozart, this "bonne adresse" on the edge of Paris's chic Marais district is cosy and atmospheric, but also good value. Fear not Paris chintz, this is the tasteful historic version. A rare piano from 1792, an abandoned card-table by the fire, candles, chandeliers and an antique harp welcome you into a late 18th-century time-warp. Even the bedrooms and bathrooms have an air of Louis XVI, with chandeliers and elaborate heavy curtains. The hotel's location is a definite plus point. Turn left and cross the busy boulevard, rue de Rivoli, and it's a quick walk from the Seine and its islands. But turn right and meander through the narrow streets of the Marais, and you're in a warren of bars, restaurants, chocolatiers and stylish shopping — a short walk from Places des Vosges, the Picasso museum and the Jewish delis of rue des Rosiers. On the same road as the hotel, are some of the Marais's favourite cafes, including the literary bar, La Belle Hortense, and opposite it, the typical Paris bar, Au Petit Fer à Cheval.
· Doubles from: €125 (£88) a night.
3. Parisian dandy: Windsor Home
Its name might make it sound like a Berkshire retirement home, but this smart Parisien house in the 16th arrondissement is in fact a quirky but chic hideway with a B&B feel. With only eight rooms, decorated like the home of a true Parisian dandy, it feels more like staying with posh friends. Good value and not far from the Eiffel tower, it's a good starting point for exploring western Paris.
· Doubles from: €120 (£85).
4. Art of the left Bank: Hôtel Mayet
A colourful, chilled-out, family-friendly and nicely-priced small townhouse hotel on the Left Bank. Modern art murals decorate the entrance hall while modern white, grey and red colour schemes dominate the simple upstairs and attic rooms. On a quiet street south of the Invalides and L'Ecole Militaire, it's perfect for visitors who like long Paris walks — you can easily head into the Latin Quarter or up to the Eiffel Tower, the river and beyond.
· Doubles from: €120 (£85) to €140 (£99).
5. Boudoir boutique: Daniel
For a more expensive weekend break near Paris's priciest shopping streets, le Daniel is a boutique hotel which shuns the notion of all-white modernism. In a quiet street behind the Champs Elysées, it likes to think of itself as a miniature palace, a blend of chinoiserie, satin sofas and cosy lounge areas that recreate a colonial past. Its boudoir style involves a riot of patterned wallpapers and fabrics. Like all Parisien hotels in picturesque buildings, some rooms are small, but the décor more than compensates. If you tire of the crowds of the Champs Elysées or the designer boutiques of rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it's a pleasant walk to Parc Monceau.
· Rooms from: €370 (£261).
6. La bohème: Hôtel Arvor Saint Georges
A cosy house near Montmartre and Pigalle, with rooms winding up a staircase to a rooftop view. Its mix of white minimalistic bedrooms and funky downstairs décor makes you feel more like you're in a Parisian bourgeois-boheme flat-share than a hotel. Be sure to ask for one of the recently renovated rooms – particularly with a good view over the patio and backyard.
· Rooms from: €150 (£106)
7. Homes from home: Alcôve & Agapes guest bedrooms
Alcôve & Agapes
· Double rooms from €75 to €195 € per night (£53 to £138).
8. Budgeteering: Hôtel Beaumarchais
Hôtel Beaumarchais is a cheap and cheerful option for young people on a budget, or those travelling in a group and sharing a room. With incredibly bright carpets and décor with oddities like plastic bathroom furniture, it provides a basic but chilled-out Paris base on the edge of the hip Oberkampf district with its bars and clubs.
· Rooms from: €75 to €90 for a single (£53 to £63.50), €110 to €130 for a double (£78 to £92).
9. True romance: Hôtel Bourg Tibourg
A gem in the Marais, not far from Paris's city hall, Hôtel Bourg Tibourg is a calm hideaway on a quiet street with décor that can only be described as modern oriental baroque. The little sister of Paris's vastly expensive Costes hotel, this is a romantic option for a cheaper but nonetheless opulent weekend break. There are good bars and cafes within staggering distance, yet it's quiet. Again, be warned: it's a historic building, so the rooms are small, but perfectly designed.
· Rooms from: €160 (£113) for a single room with bath, €220 (£155) Double room with bath.
10. Pension-style: Hotel du Nord
Tucked away in a quiet street near the Gare du Nord, this is a simple, down-to-earth and incredibly good value Parisian house, that's very proud of its local neighbourhood feel. With homemade jams served at breakfast, it feels more like a cheap but cosy B&B than a hotel. They have 10 bikes available to guests free of charge. There are 22 bedrooms and one suite. But for a brighter, lighter room ask for one high up or facing the street.
· Rooms from: €65 (£46) for a single or double