Bon vivants congregate at this Upper Marais hotel where designer Dorothée Meilichzon has fashioned an art-deco pied-à-terre for the Instagram generation. Guests here revel in the bistro-style restaurant, velvet-clad bar and plenty of oh là là.
17 March, 2020
Located just off the pedestrian thoroughfare of Rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement is Hotel Bachaumont. A hub for discerning bon vivants in the Upper Marais, the hotel's modern bistro-style restaurant draws in a local, trendy crowd, while its two bars - Night Flight and Le Bar Chaumont - lasso stragglers and latecomers.
A savvy choice for the design lover on a moderate-enough budget, the hotel makes the most of its art-deco roots. Interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon (of Menorca Experimental in Spain, Hotel des Grands Boulevards in Paris, Henrietta Hotel in London and Experimental Beach Ibiza) has fashioned a jazz-age pied-à-terre that serves the Instagram crowd well, with modern twists on traditional patterns thrown in for good measure.
Choose a room with a balcony if you want to feel like a part of the neighbourhood, or request accommodation towards the back of the building if you're craving some peace and quiet. When you've determined whether you'll be facing north or south, it's good to consider room spec, mindful that the Classic Rooms edge toward cramped. Spring for a Signature Suite, however, and you'll be spoiled for space. These loft-style abodes - in which you could theoretically run laps if the hotel sports room is oversubscribed - comprise of a living room with a striking Pierre Frey-upholstered sofa and mismatched pouffes, a marble floor-to-ceiling bar kitted out with a Nespresso machine, a Marshall speaker and a fridge stocked with alcoholic delights. One room over, your bedroom is fitted with a king-size bed backed onto a plush patterned headboard which extends beyond the bedframe; such proportions are balanced out with a pair of large, wall-mounted sconces. The suite's crowning glory though is the bathroom - it's vast and comes with a freestanding, roll-top bathtub (only the two suites have baths), art-deco tiles in shades of white and pistachio along with twin sinks.
Breakfast is served from 7.30am until 10.30am and is not included in your room rate. Coffee, homemade pastries and conserves are all in attendance; fresh fruits, cold cuts and cheeses - as per your standard continental spread - too. Recline in a plush, velvet armchair and watch the world go by as you tuck into your simple petit déjeuner, light streaming in from the greenhouse-style roof right on cue.
"Teatime" is from 2.30pm until 7pm, so if the city has gone into one of its moods, see out the rain and thunderstorms with a sampling of homemade pastries - think Paris-Brest, macrons and other butter-laden delights for a well-priced €20. Lunch precedes tea (served from 12-2.30pm in the Restaurant Bachaumont), but it's dinner that gets most of the attention here, and rightly so. Book a table for 8pm to ensure there is a bit of a hum to the place when you arrive - if you can, ask for a spot in view of the open kitchen which is framed by a line-up of copper pots. The chef de cuisine, Franck Fontaine, presents a menu which places its core focus on produce - indulge in veal entrecote and the lamb brochettes, adding a side order of grilled potatoes and organic vegetables to get the balance of flavours just so. Desserts are whipped up by chef Xavier Mertz, dubbed "an architect of sweet pleasures" - his gravity-defying lemon meringue pie justifies such claims.
Il y en a deux (that's "there are two" in French, people). At Night Flight, the cocktail menu has been composed by former perfumer-turned-mixologist, Oscar Quagliarini - sip on drinks inspired by floral scents in the bar's intimate, velvet-clad surrounds anytime from 6pm until 2am. Tables are limited so arrive in good time to save a spot for you and your date/ mate - order them a "Nuit Blance" (a blend of three types of rum, spices, fruits, chai tea and coconut water) - they'll thank you for it. The second bar, Le Bar Chaumont, is a must-try for oenophiles. Grab a stool at the horseshoe-shaped, stucco-style bar and swill your way through the hotel's wine cellar - all-natural, organic French wines are standouts on the menu. Partner your choice of vin with some French tapas courtesy of chef Franck Fontaine.
There is a small sports room in the basement for those keen to counter their croissant consumption over the course of their stay.
On-site and valet parking are available.
Right next door to Hotel Bachaumont is Nose, a store which focuses solely on scent. Drop by for an in-store consultation-cum-diagnostic test to determine what fragrances and home scents you'll like best (based on your fragrance history). Nose stocks Miller Harris, Acqua di Parma, Penhaligon's, et al., but if the aforementioned suddenly feel old hat, Nose will whip up a custom scent.
