Paris has no shortage of stylish hotels, but stumbling upon one that everyone else doesn’t know about (yet) can be a little tricky. Enter La Fantaisie.
While tourists flock to the glitzy names straddling the central arrondissements, this colourful boutique hotel in Faubourg-Montmartre is a well-kept secret among those in the know, and the chicest new addition to the city’s buzzy 9th, a neighbourhood that’s a vibrant smorgasbord of cafes, bars, and local hangouts.
Situated on a cobbled street lined with relaxed restaurants and bakeries, its sleek facade is all shimmering glass and mustard-yellow awnings, with locals spilling out from the hotel’s streetside café, sipping coffee and nibbling eclairs. But inside is where La Fantaisie’s personality really shines through, and the imagination of renowned designer Martin Brudnizki has run wild, invigorating the interiors with oodles of joie de vivre.
The Vibe
Expect a clutch of cocooning spaces to kick back in, each a dizzying melange of textures: think armchairs upholstered in pistachio-coloured velvet, embroidered tapestries sweeping across the ceiling, and banquettes clad in zigzag strokes of marmalade-orange. Bold artworks are balanced between artfully arranged book displays, with detailed fabrics enveloping every surface. Guests perch in the cosy lounge and all-day café, before segwaying into the hotel’s restaurant come dinnertime; an airy, light-filled space boasting an open-air kitchen and secret courtyard fringed with flora. Maximalism abounds throughout, but has been distilled into an elegant cocktail of pastels and palatable prints.
The Rooms
Bedrooms are on the snug side, but stylishly appointed. Colour seeps into each of the 73 hideaways, with macaron-like shades reigning supreme: think walls awash in sherbet and sage, and coral-coloured armchairs clustered around marble-topped tables. Alongside rattan headboards and retro lighting, expect coffee bars for your morning brew, and bathrooms clad in rainbow tiling – with larger suites boasting Juliet balconies and outdoor terraces. Bedrooms are all kitted out with sleek tech: clever wireless phone chargers built into the bedside tables, along with Bluetooth speakers, and smart TVs. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a view onto the hotel’s centrepiece courtyard (a rarity in Paris!), which is a leafy oasis in contrast to the honking and hustle of the arrondissement outside.
The Food + Drink
Restaurant La Fantaisie is the beating heart of the hotel. Designed in a pleasing palette of butter-yellow and pale blue, diners curl up on floral banquettes and keep an eye on the chefs, who plate up at the open-air pass. In the summer months, request one of the tables in the hotel’s courtyard, where you’ll dine among bountiful hydrangea. The menu encompasses a mix of Parisian classics and pan-European dishes: think handmade pasta drowning in black truffle, and whole sea bass for the table to share. Afterwards, slip upstairs for a nightcap at the hotel’s rooftop bar, which might just be one of the best kept secrets in Paris. There’s an outdoor terrace, and marvellously kitsch interiors to marvel at, from the floral wallpapers to scalloped bar stools for slurping cocktails.
Breakfast the next morning is back at Restaurant La Fantaisie, and includes a generous spread of fruit and charcuterie, along with flakey viennoiserie and homemade cakes – this is Paris, after all, and mornings wouldn’t be complete without tearing into a ridiculously buttery croissant. You’re also welcome to break bread in the hotel’s petit café, where you can dine on the street outside, huddling around mustard-yellow tabletops that match the canopies framing the front door.
The Little Extras
©Jérome Galland
Relaxed but reliable service stands to attention across the property. You’ll find chocolate chip cookies (still warm from the oven) waiting in your bedroom when you check in, and a concierge team who can snag the most-coveted restaurant bookings across the city for you. This is a five-star pad with service to match, yet thanks to its compact size, feels refreshingly intimate and exclusive.
The To-Do List
©Jérome Galland
It’s worth carving out an afternoon at the subterranean spa: though the fitness room is quite tiny, the spa facilities are impressive for a hotel of this size. There’s a handful of hushed treatment rooms for pampering massages that will leave you feeling entirely reborn, a hammam and sauna for steaming off, and an impressive network of thermal baths to explore. Journey through a series of hot and cold pools, and unwind under intricate ceilings mosaiced in pistachio tiling: you’ll feel transported to an entirely different time and place than modern-day Paris. Meanwhile, the dizzying sights and scenes of Paris fan out from La Fantaisie’s doorstep: nibble pastries along Rue des Martyrs, catch a show at Moulin Rouge, and guzzle steak frites at nearby Bouillon Chartier.
All image credit: © Jérome Galland
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