Behind the Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs Elysee, in a classic but understated building decorated with flowers, lies one of the most eagerly awaited hotels of the year. Its name is the Chateau des Fleurs.
The hotel opened last fall and is part of a group of properties that also includes the brand new Hotel Norman, the reopened Hotel Balzac, the Relais Christine and the Saint James Paris. It is located in one of the busiest areas of Paris – the Champs Elysee is packed with tourists and the surrounding blocks are filled with offices of fashion houses, auctioneers, law firms and more. And yet this hotel has created a peaceful space for itself.
The Chateau des Fleurs in Paris.
Mr Tripper
The feeling of escaping the hustle and bustle of the 8th arrondissement is largely influenced by what awaits you as soon as you cross the threshold. The line between fun and madness can be thin, but Barcelona-based Quintana Partners has managed to create one of the most memorable and enjoyable interiors in Paris in recent years, mixing modernism/art nouveau with a dash of Dali.
And from the doorknobs in the form of sculpted armrests to the elongated cutlery, the trippy hallway doors to the ceiling lights surrounded by small flowers, you will admire every detail that corresponds to this vision.
The ground floor consists of an open concept lobby, bar and restaurant. The restaurant is a Korean-French fusion spot called OMA, which was unfortunately closed on the nights I was there. Although the floor plan is not huge, the design makes the lobby and common areas feel bright and fresh. I especially liked the hammered copper panel on the pink marble fireplace and the mirrored ceiling with spherical moldings. Below the lobby is the hotel’s gym, which was also decorated, this time with a wavy drop ceiling and colored glass.
The bathroom in one of the rooms at the Chateau des Fleurs in Paris.
MR TRIPPER
The hotel has only 37 rooms, which makes for a very intimate atmosphere. They start at around $400 a night, and the hallways leading to them are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen in a long time. The designers have brought to life the often dreary and depressing experience of walking down a hotel hallway by decorating the rooms with wavy doorframes and silver handles in the shape of a curved arm.
The rooms themselves are simple but classy, decorated in subtle shades of cream, grey and brown. The bathroom floors are decorated with hexagonal terracotta tiles and the showers are decorated with playful red and white stripes.
