Do not book yourself into this hotel if you have a lot of luggage or plan to accumulate a lot of luggage (shopping) or if you have a generous physique. It is very small. So small it’s worth visiting to marvel at its size – and its plush Gothic/Victoriana/2nd Empire décor…
Telephone: +33 (0)1 42 78 47 39
Price: from EUR 180
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Legendary designer Jacques Garcia, who has decorated numerous boutique hotels in Paris (Costes, L’Hôtel and Villa d’Estrées to name but three), has here blended Orientalism with a touch of Victoriana and a bit of Gothic.
Tasselled lampshades, opulent striped drapes, silky fringes and dark wood furniture decorate all of the communal areas and 31 rooms. The narrow passageways and dimly lit stairwells, with their kaleidoscope of colours and textures, conjure up the atmosphere of a Belle Époque luxury whorehouse. It belongs to the Costes mafia, so part of the romantic trimming is the good-looking and slightly snooty staff, as well as all the necessary mod-cons.
Its location is perfect, right in the heart of the Marais, and it occupies the same street as the fabulous teahouse Mariage Frères (see Snack) and delicious restaurant Kodo (see Eat). But there is a sacrifice to be made, and that is space: the hotel is tiny, with the smallest bathrooms and lift in Paris.
