The received wisdom about left bank hotels is that they are long on charm and style, but short on space and facilities. Like most general truths, however, this one comes with exceptions.
I had been aware of L’Hotel for years, but I had never actually stayed there. So, last fall, I decided to correct the omission. The first thing in the property’s favor is its location on the rue des Beaux-Arts, a dignified street in the 6th arrondissement, just one block from a footbridge that takes you across the Seine directly into the Cour Carrée of the Louvre. The 20-room hotel itself is housed within an 1830 stone mansion, and its unobtrusive façade merges seamlessly into a long line of galleries and boutiques.
To one side of the entrance, a small stone plaque records the death “dans cette maison,” on November 30, 1900, of Oscar Wilde. Suffering from cerebral meningitis, the great poet and dramatist famously grumbled that he was “dying beyond my means.” And his loathing of his bedroom’s wallpaper has also become integral to the Wilde legend: “One of us will have to go.” Alas, the wallpaper proved the more tenacious. In consequence, Room #16 is in constant demand from Wilde’s admirers.
It is impossible to know what Wilde would make of the hotel’s décor nowadays, but I suspect that he might rather approve. Decorated by the celebrated Parisian designer Jacques Garcia, a man not renowned for modesty and understatement, the public areas are flamboyant to the verge of louche.
A tiny lobby opens into a bar with marble pillars, a leopard-print carpet, and walls draped in purple fabric. Beyond the bar is the restaurant, which is also decorated in an exotic “Orientalist” style with swathes of silk, red velvet sofas and dainty chairs (ideal for ladies who lunch, providing they weigh no more than a hundred pounds, but less good for 6-foot men). Unlike the bar, however, the restaurant is partially covered by a glass roof, so it is light and cheerful during the day. The Michelin one-star Le Restaurant and its chef Julien Montbabut have attracted many favorable reviews of late, and the seasonal new-French cuisine is indeed delicious.
The most unusual feature of L’Hotel is its circular central atrium. Standing at the bottom, you have a strange Alice-in-Wonderland sensation of looking up an immense, richly ornamented rabbit hole. Arranged around it, the accommodations come in four sizes. True to the Left Bank stereotype, the “Mignon” and “Bijoux” rooms are tiny, but the “Grand” and “Chic” categories are a different matter (and there is also a spacious penthouse apartment, with views across the rooftops to Saint-Germain-des-Prés).
Our tranquil junior suite, #50, was decorated in a palette of violet, sage green and gold and was appointed with lovely marble-topped antique furniture, gilt mirrors and oil paintings of surprising quality, including an Impressionist portrait of a society lady that I would happily have taken home with me. The adjoining bath came with a striking eau de nil tile floor, a large window, two basins of traditional design, and an outsize soaking tub. Enjoying a glass of wine in my living room, I decided that I would ideally like to stay for a month.
It is important to realize, however, that the rooms and suites at L’Hotel are individually decorated and range in style from voluptuous to art deco austere. When reserving, you must make your preferences explicit. All feature a full range of amenities, including complimentary Wi-Fi.
L’Hotel’s principal competitors are the Relais Christine and the Hôtel d’Aubusson, both located within five minutes’ walk. Providing you opt for the higher room categories, all three properties refute the notion that on the Left Bank you must inevitably sacrifice comfort for charm. The Relais Christine and the Hôtel d’Aubusson are more traditional and restrained in style. Some Harper members will find L’Hotel distinctive and quintessentially Parisian, while others will deem it overdesigned and pretentious. Slightly to my surprise, I find myself sympathetic to the first, more generous assessment.
[L'Hotel][1] 91 Grand Room, from $870; Chic Room, from $885. 13 rue des Beaux-Arts, 6e, Paris. Tel. (33) 1-44-41-99-00.
Illustrations ©Melissa Colson
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