Paris is a magnificent city bursting with things to see and do. There are so many monuments, activities, events, shops, etc. that you won't know where to turn during your stay! That's why we've put together the Urban Bivouac Paris City Guide, to help you discover our magnificent city.

We've put together a guide full of tips, good ideas and useful addresses to help you discover lots of things in our district and, more generally, in Paris. This guide will also give you lots of tips on how to navigate this lively city.

Urban Bivouac, your 3-star hotel in Paris

Urban Bivouac, your 3-star hotel in Paris

Categories : City Guide, published on : 2/13/25

Opened in 2018, Urban Bivouac is a 3-star hotel. While there are many 3-star hotels in Paris (697 in 2018), not all are the same. In this article, we clarify the hotel classification system, standardized since 2012. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 stars, or Palace, we explain everything.

Required Standards for Hotels

All hotels in France have been invited to carry out modernization and renovation works to benefit from the new star system. This has led to the closure of some older hotels, especially family-owned establishments that lacked the means or desire to upgrade to the new standards.

The new standards are much stricter than before. All hotels must now have:

  1. A reception in a well-maintained establishment,
  2. Reliable information on the services offered,
  3. The ability to monitor customer satisfaction and handle complaints,
  4. Staff sensitive to the needs of disabled customers,
  5. A commitment to sustainable development.

All hotels are audited by independent auditors every five years.

You can therefore rely on the French star system to guarantee certain standards; but what exactly does "two stars" or "three stars" mean? Use this guide to understand the official French system.

What the Different Stars Mean

1-Star Hotels are at the bottom of the scale. Double rooms must be at least 9 square meters. The bathroom, which can be private or shared with other guests, is not included. The reception must be at least 20 square meters.

2-Star Hotels have the same minimum room size as a 1-star hotel, but the staff must speak another European language besides French. The reception must also be open at least 10 hours per day, and the reception area must be at least 50 square meters.

3-Star Hotels: In principle, there is not much difference between 2-star and 3-star hotels; the main difference lies in the size of the rooms. 3-star hotel rooms must be at least 13.5 square meters and offer a private bathroom. The reception must be at least 50 square meters and be open at least 10 hours a day. The staff must speak an additional European language besides French. Of course, these are just minimums. Urban Bivouac offers services and facilities far beyond the classic 3-star standards.

4-Star Hotels: These establishments are high-end hotels in France and are the ones to select for guaranteed comfort and service. Rooms are larger – at least 16 square meters with a bathroom. If the hotel has more than 30 rooms, the reception must be open 24 hours a day. As you can see, the main distinction from a 4-star hotel will mainly be the size of our rooms.

5-Star Hotels: This is the highest category in the classification system (excluding the Palace Hotels). Rooms must be at least 24 square meters. The staff must be able to speak two foreign languages, including English. 5-star hotels must also provide air conditioning, valet service, room service, a concierge, and assistance at check-in.

The Palaces: The Palace designation is only granted to 5-star hotels of exceptional quality. These hotels are the "cream of the crop" and offer all the comfort you could desire, plus a unique ambiance. Palace hotels may offer additional luxury services, such as top-notch restaurants or spa services. There are currently 25 palaces in France. Many are located in Paris.

Subjective Judgments on Quality

The French rating system does not take into account certain subjective quality criteria. Due to this limited approach, it does not guarantee that your personal expectations will be met. Despite the strict rules, the system cannot easily measure service quality such as cleanliness, absence of odors, staff attitude, and service speed.

Regarding the quality of services offered at Urban Bivouac, we highly recommend consulting the traveler reviews and comments available online. We provide a detailed summary at the bottom right of each page of our website.

Urban Bivouac, Your 3-Star Hotel in Paris

At Urban Bivouac, we offer a 3-star boutique hotel. We don’t cut corners when it comes to the quality of the services we provide. With multilingual staff, a 24/7 reception and concierge service, fully equipped, modern, and design rooms, bathrooms equipped with essential oil showers, cutting-edge multimedia equipment, room service for breakfasts or meal trays... And a constant desire to offer you a tailored stay. Finally, if you choose to stay in one of our suites on the top floor, you'll see that a 3-star hotel in Paris can easily surpass the base classification standards.

We look forward to welcoming you to the heart of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, in a dynamic and easily accessible neighborhood. And don’t hesitate to visit our website or even call us if you want to know more about our establishment.

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