Luxury Hotels of Paris: Part 3
We’ll always have Paris. Thankfully.
Part 3 of our ‘Luxury hotels of Paris’ features J.K. Place’s La Rive Gauche newcomer and three boutique options in Le Marais catering for three very different clientele.
All the properties featured below are available with exclusive amenities and benefits when you book your sojourn with Sojourns Of. Take advantage of my personal relationships, inside knowledge and access to make your stay SO perfect.
J.K. PLACE PARIS
82 Rue de Lille ● 75007 Paris
Secrets travel fast in Paris. And the secret is out – the Italian haute hoteliers have arrived and their first foray outside of their homeland is something special indeed. It shouldn’t be surprising as their Capri, Rome and Florence properties have long been favourites of those travellers craving refined, boutique luxury with a dash of La Dolce Vita (trust me, it’s a thing to crave).
After a long search, J.K. settled on a lovely location on the Left Bank just off Boulevard Saint-Germain, steps from the Musée d'Orsay. Occupying the old Norwegian embassy, the unmarked and unassuming entry gives little clue as to what lies beyond. This is typical of J.K. and the travellers that flock to the brand and its appeal of being almost like ultra-chic private residences.
It’s actually a fantastic location – Paris is a walking city, and from here, you’re a short and oh-so-picturesque stroll from everything there is to love about the city. A 15-minute walk through the Tuileries Garden will have you at gazing at the Vendôme Column, whilst in the other direction, the same time will have you in the heart of Saint Germain and one of Paris’ best department stores Le Bon Marche.
The styling of J.K. Place Paris is perfection. More grand private home than hotel, public spaces are decorated with spectacular attention to detail. Chic pieces sourced from Paris’ flea markets and restored to their former glory take pride of place alongside Hermes lamps alongside African-themed art alongside a vast collection of art, design and fashion books. The eclectic mix reinforces the residential atmosphere.
Well-heeled travellers will recognise the hotel’s focal point perhaps from previous visits to Miami or Aspen. Casa Tua has arrived in Paris, also their first opening outside of their homeland, and is serving up delicious Italian cuisine from its signature open kitchen. The truffle pasta was perfect. A small, inviting bar sits off the restaurant.
Completing the public spaces, the subterranean levels are exclusive to guests in residence. For a smaller property, a generous-sized pool and gym are available for more active guests (a pool is always a welcome treat in Paris). The Sisley spa is a beautiful space and will be a welcome retreat after exploring the city, or perhaps just indulging at J.K.
As for the rooms, there are 29 (including 13 suites) scattered across the three buildings of the hotel. A Master Room (#9) sits near the top of the offerings at the property. Very Parisian, you certainly feel like you’re in a luxury Parisian apartment with the 150-year-old parquetry floors and mouldings. The décor is plush and elegant and J.K.’s usual restraint is evident throughout. Bathrooms are gorgeous and no detail has been missed throughout the room – from Dyson hairdryers to leather-clad Nespresso machines.
We saw a second room – a Junior Suite (#29) – which was different in style to the previous with softer, more neutral tones throughout. Still very well sized and furnished, the top-floor room featured characteristic exposed beams and a gorgeous four-poster bed. All rooms are individually styled, and due to the design of the property, no more than four rooms will occupy a single floor, making sections very easy to privatise for families, groups or events.
This is a fabulous hotel. It’s hard not to wax lyrical about it. It’s a combination of many things that works so well together – the private off trail location, the supreme styling, the incredible staff, and that wonderful mix of Italian hospitality and Parisian chic that only J.K. Place could have achieved.
SO perfection.
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LE PAVILLON DE LA REINE
http://www.pavillon-de-la-reine.com/en/
28 Place des Vosges ● 75003 Paris
If Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the Place des Vosges surely ranks as one of the world’s most beautiful squares. Entering from the square, Pavillion de la Reine is an elegant, family-owned boutique property in one of Paris’ best neighbourhoods, the Marais. More akin to a country mansion than a hotel, the 17th-century property is divine and will certainly impress.
The property really embodies that quintessentially French ideal that many are searching for when they visit the city – the picturesque private courtyard, the ivy-covered façade, exposed beams, bold fabrics, marble fireplaces. All of it. And it works without being overbearing – the hotel has been kept fresh throughout its life so whilst it is plush on one hand, a casual unfussiness is delivered by the other.
Of course, the location is a winner – the Place des Vosges, originally the Place Royale, is the oldest planned square in Paris. Since its time as a royal residence, the place and surrounding area has always attracted chic Parisians and visitors to lovely restaurants and boutique stores. And you’re not far from Paris’ big attractions – the Île de la Cité for example is a short 20-minute stroll where you’ll find the iconic Notre-Dame and the Palais de Justice and the stunning Sainte-Chapelle enclosed within.
Pavillion de la Reine has 56 rooms and suites and we were lucky to view a selection of these during our visit. Superior Rooms (we saw #21) are small, as is normal in Paris, at around 22-25 sqm, but very nicely refreshed and functional. Stepping up to a Duplex Deluxe Room (we saw #16) will get you something a bit more special – the dual level rooms feature a small balcony facing the front garden with the bedroom upstairs. Well designed, the rooms make great use of their space and seem larger than they are.
The Prestige Junior Suite we visited (#7) was probably my pick of what we saw. This generous suite was located in the second part of the building dating from the 18th-century. The room was long and featured gorgeous original beams in the roof and walls. More like a one-bedroom suite than a typical junior suite, this is a great option for families or those wanting more space.
The final room we visited was the Victor Hugo Suite (#45, suite category). At 45 sqm, the entry-level suite utilised its space well. It’s a very nice, very Parisian space facing the hotel’s inside garden. Facilities in-suite are excellent with a small kitchenette and a lovely bathroom with a free-standing clawfoot bathtub.
Guests of the hotel are able to make use of a small spa with two treatment rooms and a small fitness centre featuring gym and jacuzzi. The hotel is also exceptionally proud of its restaurant Anne which has just been awarded its first Michelin star this year.
SO romantic
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COUR DES VOSGES
19 Place des Vosges ● 75002 Paris
One of Paris’s newest luxury openings is also one of its most exclusive – just 12 guestrooms and suites overlooking the city’s oldest and most beautiful square, the Place des Vosges in the historic Marais. This is a spectacular property with every room facing the gorgeous Louis XIII gardens of the leafy 17th-century royal square.
Occupying the old Hôtel de Montbrun (a hôtel particulier, or mansion), Cour des Vosges is the latest offering from the fast expanding EVOK group, the name behind some the well-regarded Nolinski (near the Opera), the Philippe Starck-designed Brach, and the quirky Sinner (click here for our stay review) located on the rue de Temple in the Haut Marais.
The rooms are marketed not just as hotel overnights, but also as ideal for extended stays, like your own Parisian pied-à-terre. Indeed, some of the rooms have kitchenettes for in-room cooking and dining – a welcome addition given the many boutique food stores located in the area.
Extending the feel that this is a property more suited to guests looking for a private, intimate option – it really is more a serviced private home than hotel – facilities are limited – there is a private Roman bath and the welcoming Brach-La Pâtisserie tearoom and terrace, but that’s it. This is a place to enjoy as a base for the city which you, likely, already know and love.
Given fashion week and the popularity of the property since opening, only one room was available to view. The Deluxe Suite (#101) is absolutely stunning. Located on the historic floor of the bourgeoisie, the suites high ceilings with original, hand-painted 17th-century detail allow the 45 sqm space real grandeur, especially when coupled with the beautiful windows allowing one to gaze out over the square.
The focal point of the room (well, one of many), is the immense contemporary interpretation of the four-poster bed. The steel framed bed takes up such an amount of space within the room, and you can cocoon yourself within via futuristic sliding doors. It’s a masterpiece of design.
Throughout the room incredible art pieces sit alongside antique books, a nod to the residential feel of the property, and the fact Victor Hugo penned much of his epic Les Misérables a few doors down from the hotel. Décor is contemporary with touches of 1970s glamour with luxurious fabrics and materials in abundance.
Cour des Vosges is a very special property. If you can forego the bells and whistles of Paris’ grand palace properties or are looking for something perhaps more private and exclusive than some of her boutique gems, this will not disappoint. The property is elevated luxury amongst some of the most coveted real estate in the city.
SO residential
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SINNER
116 rue du Temple ● 75003 Paris
Mischievous. Naughty. Roguish. Sinner is a boutique hotel with a difference. Located in the Haut Marais, this is a hotel that is not for everyone, but will definitely be something for someone. Is that someone you? If you’re looking for something a bit theatrical, opulent and an atmosphere matching its name, you’re in the right place.
We very much enjoyed a short one-night stay at Sinner during the Paris Fashion Week in early March. Please click here for a more detailed stay review.
SO sinful
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