New Paris hotels are opening and existing hotels are renovating to keep up. Here, Travel Agent has gathered some of the most notable debuts for travelers headed to the City of Light in the coming months. Here, Travel Agent has gathered some of the most notable debuts for travelers headed to the City of Light in the coming months.
Set between the rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré and Les Grands Magasins, the Alfred Sommier hotel will open this spring. Originally constructed by sugar refiners Alfred Sommier and his father, the building was completed in 1860 on the site of a former mansion of Marshal Soubise. When a descendant decided to transform the building into the hotel, he named it after Alfred Sommier, its first occupant.
We spoke with Luana Lima, director of sales at the Alfred Sommier hotel, about what visitors can expect during their stay.
“From the vestibule to the suites, through the double dining room and the historic lounges, Richard de Warren, descendant of the Sommiers and actual owner, has been able to revisit this exceptional house to transform it into a place where contemporary luxury and Haussmannian history combine perfectly,” explained Lima. “Hungarian-style parquet floors, marbles, painted trumeau, gilding…everywhere, modern comfort can be lived without being seen.”
The hotel has 80 rooms and suites, including 15 connecting rooms which can accommodate up to six guests. Vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, terraces and city views add to the hotel’s aesthetic. There are six daylight lounges ideal for business lunches, seminars and private receptions. Additionally for drinks and dining, the hotel’s restaurant is headed by chef Franco Miotto and is situated under a glass roof while a bar affords views overlooking a private garden. Guests interested in gastronomy might also be interested to learn that Soubise sauce was first created in the original mansion.
The Lutétia in Saint-Germain-des-Prés opens May 15. Located at 45 Boulevard Raspail, in the St.Germain-des-Pres area of the Left Bank, the hotel was originally opened in 1910 by the Boucicaut family, founders of Le Bon Marche, and was later acquired by The Set. It is now a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. A look at the hotel's website shows it is taking reservations starting May 15.
After closing its doors in April 2014, The Lutétia’s four year renovation was led by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The hotel will have 184 guest rooms and 47 suites spread across seven floors. In addition there will also be seven signature suites including a two-bedroom Presidential suite and two penthouse suites with private access to large terraces affording 360 degree views of Paris. The Lutétia will also have a large spa, an expanded brasserie, a cigar bar and a jazz club.
“Everything is reinvented: the spaces, the design, the equipment, the services… But the Left Bank’s singular elegance remains key,” says Jean-Luc Cousty, general manager of The Lutétia. “While the work of Jean Michel Wilmotte and his team left nothing to chance, there is a form of casualness in these very contemporary places.”
The Orangerie, a lounge and open-air courtyard, will be a new addition to the hotel as will a jazz bar, the Salon Saint-Germain, and Salon Crystal. All of these will be under the stewardship of executive chef Benjamin Brial, who began his career at the Ritz in Paris and the two Michelin-starred Apicius before he joined the Four Seasons Georges V at Le Cinq. Brial has also previously worked internationally at the Four Seasons Shanghai Pudong, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong and the Four Seasons, Ten Trinity Square in London.
Also new will be Lutétia Brasserie, with its reopening led by Gérald Passedat, who currently holds three Michelin stars in France and who is also known for his restaurants “Le Mole”, “Albertine” and “Villa La Coste” in Provence.
In addition to the expanded suites, guest rooms and dining venues, Lutétia will unveil the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, a 7,500 square foot spa. Six treatment rooms will offer a variety of treatments and massages, and guests will also have access to a sauna, steam room, plunge pool, infinity edge Jacuzzi and large fitness room with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as a 55-foot long swimming pool.
Hôtel Fauchon opens September 1, 2018. The self-styled ‘gastronomic hotel’ is located at 30 Place de la Madeleine and is the luxury gourmet retailer’s first step into the hospitality sector.
Architect Richard Martinet, whose prior projects include Le Crillon and The Peninsula, is charged with overseeing the redesign of the hotel’s exterior façade will still preserving its historic Haussmannian style. Once completed, Hôtel Fauchon will have 54 guest rooms including 22 suites, all offering views of either Place de la Madeleine or Malesherbes Boulevard.
As a gastronomically focused hotel, a highlight of the property will be The Café Fauchon, situated on the ground floor. Large enough to accommodate 150 people, guests will be able to sample small bites at the “Gourmet Bar” or terrace, or schedule a private dinner with the chef in attendance.
Once opened, Hôtel Fauchon will be under the care of general manager Jérome Montantème, who began his career in Paris as Maître d'hôtel at the Hôtel Vernet. He later moved on to hold positions the Hotel Vendôme, before becoming director of the restaurant "Le Jardin" at the Royal Monceau. Before coming to Hôtel Fauchon, his most recent appointments include general manager of Tiara Yaktsa Hotels and Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel & Spa in Théoule-sur-Mer, which he held until September 2017.
Hotel de Berri, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris opens in the 8th arrondissement opens April 1 and is represented by Prime Findings in the United States. Laetitia Elmaleh is the hotel's general manager.
Le Royal Madeleine at 29 rue de l'Arcade is set to reopen this spring after undergoing renovations. Following a redesign of its 59 guest rooms, the winter garden, spa and pool, visitors will have access to the bar of the hotel directly through the Passage Puteaux, allowing guests to view its 19th-century glass ceiling.
Hôtel du Louvre, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, reports it is extending its renovation program and will be available for booking beginning September 18, 2018.
Set in the heart of city’s cultural district and known as one of Paris’ oldest and most historic hotels, it is surrounded by Musée du Louvre, the Comédie-Française, the Palais Garnier and Palais Royal square. With 177 rooms including 43 suites affording views over Paris rooftops and monuments, the hotel’s ongoing renovation is being led by architect George Wong and will focus on a “clean and refined style with an authentic Parisian touch.” A refurbished reception area with a brighter, less cluttered feel is in the works while the hotel’s bar, popular brasserie and lounge are also being redesigned.
As of the latest announcement and according to general manager of Hôtel du Louvre, Fanny Guibouret, the hotel will be closed for renovation until September 14, 2018. The Brasserie du Louvre will welcome guests beginning August 3rd while The Bar will reopen beginning August 24th.
The new fitness center, which will offer views of the Opera, will also be closed for renovation until 2019, as will the hotel’s meeting spaces.
Related Stories
Les Vins des Pyrennes: A New-Old Bistro in Paris
Three Hours or Less by Train From Paris: Rouen
The Best Hotels With Spas in Paris
Three Hours or Less by Train from Paris: Chateau Cheverny in Loire Valley