Why book Hôtel Des Grands Voyageurs?
For a quiet, Rive Gauche escape for in-the-know visitors who don’t need an Instagram-worthy postcard view of Paris. Its interiors blend elegant modernism with vintage detailing that harks back to the golden age of slow travel.
Set the scene
On arrival, you might find yourself pulling your suitcase past a restaurant table, such is the informality of the ground-floor layout. The lobby, bar and restaurant blend seamlessly into one another, their proximity creating an informal intimacy. Guests chat by the restaurant’s large corner window, which exposes Saint Placide quarter street scenes like an animated wall canvas.
Young star designer Fabrizio Casiraghi has gone for a vintage-meets-art aesthetic, lining the low-lit lobby with rich mahogany wood paneling reminiscent of 1950s Riva boats. So self-assured is Casiraghi that even his cheeky use of roughcast ceiling plaster passes the elegance test somehow. Added to that are framed Gustav Klimt prints on the walls, Osanna Visconti mirrors adorned with gilded leaves and a curated house, funk and R&B soundtrack that had this reviewer Shazaming all evening.
The backstory
Hotel group EQ (behind the recently opened Hôtel Dame des Arts) took over what was once a Holiday Inn in 2019. The aim was to create a happy medium (cost-wise) between a faceless chain and a luxury establishment, a modernist hotel that simultaneously channels a mid-century look. “We wanted to fit into the surrounding neighborhood’s vibe, with a focus on the hyper-local,” says EQ co-founder Imshan Jamal.
The rooms
Of the 138 rooms, 46 can be converted into twin rooms, and 16 are connected. The corridors between rooms are lined with ropes to create a highly effective ocean cruise-liner vibe.
In each room, the theme is contemporized, mid-century townhouse elegance with arched windows and earthy touches of wood and eau-de-nil on the walls and upholstery. Framed bas reliefs above the beds, by ornamental sculptor François Gilles, recall the 1930s. Record players come with a small vinyl stack that includes Lou Reed, Queen Latifah, and the Jonah Jones jazz Quartet (no one will blame you for putting the needle on an Edith Piaf 12-inch while you recline in a curvy, vintage-style chair and gaze at the mansard rooftops across the street—the surroundings demand such clichés).
The bathrooms (products provided by Diptyque) are tiled with fresh pale mosaics, eau-de-nil walls and beautiful crystal containers for bath salts. There’s free wifi, and the bedside USB-C and USB ports mean adaptors are joyfully redundant.
Food and drink
The Grands Voyageurs restaurant is a transatlantic brasserie (a “Journey from New York to Paris by fork and knife”, as the owners say), serving French classics with Yankified elements. The head chef—a former sous chef at l’Atelier de Joël Robuchon—has devised an unpretentious menu which includes tasty oysters with a cucumber and green apple mignonette; cauliflower steak, and the salted caramel cheesecake.
The subterranean Poppy bar is a real highlight. Designer Casiraghi’s take on Venice’s Harry’s Bar has a gorgeous, romantic speakeasy vibe with mirrored ceilings and Marc Chagall paintings on the cosy wood-paneled walls that set the tone for those who want to “Sip, see, and stay unseen”.
Skilled barista Sasha will dare you to distinguish between his signature alcoholic Lemon Drop (Djin passion, banana Oleo, yuzu, fresh lemon, and Angostura bitters) and its non-alcoholic version (gin citadelle, liqueur de banane, Skinos, fresh lemon, and yuzushu).
The neighborhood
The hotel sits in the Saint-Placide quarter in the 6th Arrondissement, on the doorstep of the St Germain area on Paris’s Left Bank. Saint-Placide wears its charms subtly, a semi-residential area that enjoys the best of both worlds, with independent artisan boutiques on Rue du Cherche-Midi as well as luxury behemoths such as Hermès. It’s this mix that has Parisians angling to live here.
On nearby Rue de Sèvres, you’ll find La Grande Épicerie and Bon Marché, while green spaces like Jardin du Luxembourg are a stroll away. For culture fixes, there’s the Musée Rodin and Musée Bourdelle.
The service
The young staff are well-trained and friendly. The concierge service will curate experiences from food to antique shopping. They can book excursions and organize bike rentals or even in-room massages and personal gym instructors—anything can be arranged, really.
Eco effort
Single-use plastic is limited. All lighting is LED, there’s organic waste management, and the food supplies are sourced locally.
Accessibility
All public spaces within the hotel are accessible, and there are four fully accessible adapted rooms. Staff are trained to offer an adapted welcome. The ‘guest experiences’ team uses a special recommendation platform with information on accessible Paris attractions (such as museums) to create personalized visit plans for disabled guests.
Anything left to mention?
There’s a fitness center and a petite infra-red sauna. Pets are also allowed—you’ll be charged $25 per day for a medium-sized dog.
34 Rue de l’Abbé Grégoire, Paris, 75006
France
https://www.hoteldesgrandsvoyageurs.com/
{+33} 1 81 69 59 33