Many new boutique hotels opening in Paris are catering to Millennials, and instead of opening in the obvious tourist areas, they are located in off the beaten track locations with more of a local feel.
Here are three properties that are creating buzz.
The Hoxton, Paris
The Hoxton Hotel group, long associated with an international hipster clientele, christened its Paris branch in late 2017. Located in what was once the garment manufacturing area of Paris, three buildings were put together to create the hotel, which has 172 rooms, a bar, a restaurant and meeting rooms. One building was the former 18th century palace built for Etienne Rivié, an advisor to Louis XV.
Three design firms, Humbert & Poyet (rooms); long-time Hoxton partner Soho House (public spaces); and Ennismore’s Creative Studio collaborated on the new property. The main floor rooms have high ceilings and roll top bathtubs, and the fourth floor attic rooms have a birds-eye view of the Eiffel Tower.
The airy, two-story lobby space with skylights has a dramatic, sweeping staircase, an historic relic over 300 years old, and a coffee bar with homemade snacks and cakes, making for a homey and friendly atmosphere.
We enjoyed our lunch at Le Rivie, as much as people watching the international, well-heeled crowd who were in town for Fashion Week. The sprawling dining room has cushy booths, long community tables with plugs for single diners, and sofas and club chairs with coffee tables. A please-all menu is served all day with fresh, market driven products and French favorites such as steak frites and Croque Monsieur.
On the lower level is a series of private meeting rooms and an event room.
30-32 Rue du Sentier, 75002
https://thehoxton.com/paris/paris/hotels
Hotel Grand Boulevards
Hidden off the gritty but vibrant Grands Boulevards lined with bars, theaters, and restaurants is the newly opened Hotel Grands Boulevards.
The Experimental Cocktail Group built a cocktail bar empire by re-introducing cocktails to Paris in the early 2000s. The group has extended its brand to include hotels, and Hotel Grand Boulevard is the group’s second venture.
Interior designer Dorothee Meilichzon, the current darling of hotel and restaurant design in Paris, has decorated the rooms in an eclectic style combining contemporary and 18th century elements, such as cast iron stoves, canopy beds, and elaborate drapes. Rooms range from the cozy (175 square feet) to the Grand Boulevard suite with a bathtub built for two and a super king-size bed. Amenities include 300 thread count sheets, espresso machines with organic coffee, thermostatic faucets and beds handmade in Brittany.
The centerpiece of the lobby floor is the restaurant space, a striking two-story glass atrium with the bar in the middle. Chef Giovanni Passerini takes pleasure in preparing French and Italian country cuisine and we loved our lunch of barley risotto with watercress and parsnips and mini-gnocchi with chervil.
17 Boulevard Poissonniere, 75002
https://www.grandsboulevardshotel.com/
Hotel National des Arts et Metiers
The Northern Marais area has become a hot spot in the last five years and Hotel National des Arts et Metiers is one of the first luxury hotels to take advantage of the area’s popularity.
Close to the hotel is the celebrated Arts and Metiers, the museum of industrial design and engineering. The essence of the museum is incorporated into the 70 rooms designed by Raphael Navot and handsomely appointed rooms feel like Parisian pied a terre, rather than typical hotel rooms.
For a medium size hotel, Hotel National des Arts et Metiers boasts an impressive selection of restaurants. La Cicchetteria, a casual lounge and terrace, offers cicchetteria, divine Italian tapas. Le Ristorante Nationalis is a chic trattoria serving traditional Italian fare. At L’Herbarium, an intimate cocktail bar, mixologist Oscar Quagliarini adds a perfume like fragrance to his bespoke cocktails. Take the elevator to the top floor and be dazzled by the panoramic views of the city at the semi-private rooftop bar Le bar sur le toit. Be sure to make a reservation in advance, as it gets filled quickly in the summer months.
243 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003
https://www.hotelnational.paris/en/
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