On the perimeter of the popular Marais district is the SO/ Paris Hotel, a new flagship Paris hotel, which is part of the SO/ Hotel Collection by Ennismore, in a joint venture with Accor.
The U-shaped, 16-story building—which is highly unusual because there’s a height restriction of six-stories in the central part of Paris—was originally constructed in the early 1960s, housing an administrative building for the city. In recent years, the building has been redesigned by British architect David Chipperfield and it has now been repurposed with the installation of an organic produce market, a contemporary art gallery and a vertical garden.
The hotel rooms occupy the eighth to the 14th floors of the building, with 140 rooms and 22 suites, starting from 475 square feet. The largest room, the Panoramic Suite on the 14th floor, has over 900 square feet of space, offering with a king bed, a formal dining room and two terraces. An adjoining bedroom, available upon request, expands the space close to 1,400 square feet.
We were given a tour of the hotel earlier this month and viewed suite Nos. 1401 and 1402. They each had handcrafted woodwork throughout the bedroom and bathroom areas and a color palette of cinnamon, tangerine, ruby red and royal blue in the furniture and room accessories. Rooms also have unusual amenities like a set of free weights/dumbbells, clothing steamers and yoga mats, plus toiletries by Maison Codage, an upscale, French skin care company, which also operates the hotel spa. The thing that most impressed us throughout our visit were the 360-degree views of the city from almost every room of iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, Seine River, Notre-Dame, Pantheon and Sacré Coeur de Montmartre.
On the 15th floor is Bonnie, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with seating capacity of 110, offering French and international cuisine as well as gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menus. The 1960s-inspired design sets the tone to attract the hipster/Millennial crowd, with a centerpiece art installation by contemporary artists Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann. The highlight of Bonnie is the outdoor wraparound terrace with 360-degree views.
The Bonnie Bar and Club, also on the 15th floor, is a throwback to the 1960s where old-fashioned cocktails are served while the D.J. spins funk, disco and soul music from the era.
Le Maison Codage Spa extends an haute couture experience, where clients can have their treatments customized. Options include Travel-Detox and Morning Booster massages, while among the facilities is a 100-foot indoor pool. Adjacent to the hotel clients have free access to O Zenhit fitness and sports club with a gym, yoga studios, steam room and sauna.
Pretty cool: SO/ Paris Hotel curates the latest, cutting-edge trends of the design and fashion worlds by collaborating with contemporary artists, fashion and interior designers, and influencers, displaying their works throughout the hotel.
Julie Benoit (guestsoparis@so-hotels.com) from the guest experiences team, recommends the following sites and activities in the Marais: A walk through Place des Vosges, the oldest public square in Paris from 1612; small boutiques, cafes and restaurants, shopping at BHV Marais or La Samaritaine; enjoying a drink at La Mezcaleria, a speakeasy with a South American ambiance; and sailing the Seine River with a private boat tour. Benoit and her team will also arrange tailored experiences to fulfill all their guests’ wishes.
Travel advisors should contact Reservations Manager Nataliya Fokina at booksoparis@so-hotels.com
Location: 10 Rue Agrippa d'Aubigné, 75004; visit www.soparis.com.
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