Built-in 1885, this elegant Haussmanesque building was the first home to a public spa, then a café frequented by Manet, Pissaro, Degas and public intellectuals like Marcel Proust or Emile Zola. In the 1980s and 90s once again was Les Bains a hub of nightlife—the kind of address where socialites and international celebrities were regulars.
Fast-forward to 2015 and Les Bains re-enters the scene—this time as a boutique hotel—and one that we can safely say is one of the most unique luxurious sleep in Paris.
The designers behind the daring reinvention of this heritage establishment reached to its creative roots, creating a place as inviting as it is original.
The award-winning architect Vincent Bastie, joined by designers Tristan Auer and Denis Montel, paid homage to the historical Haussmannian building by retaining its shell and many original details. They serve as a gracious context to the hotel’s dramatic new interiors.
Les Bains spaces are organized into vastly different moods. The underground Club seems soaked in oily gloom. Upstairs, ceilings curve and disappear into the darkness as light dances on their surfaces. The focal point of the hotel—the bar—is pure eye-candy, thanks to the ceiling that meets above it in a huge blob of sensuous shape.
Meanwhile, on the higher floors, the guestrooms are all about soothing simplicity. They are light-filled and warm and designed to provide sleek comfort.
We liked these contrasts on many levels. Visceral glamour downstairs, sophisticated serenity upstairs makes this hotel a place of surprise and delight.
While dining at La Salle à Manger, the hotel’s main restaurant-and-bar, we discovered that food reflected these contrasts too. From the menu prepared by the three-Michelin-star chef Philippe Labbé, the kitchen serves artful dishes that mesh flavors, colors and textures in a most agreeable way. It’s certainly one of the nicest culinary experiences we’ve had in Paris.
The hotel is comfortably ensconced in Paris’ third arrondissement, on the edge of Le Marais which is historically the aristocratic district—and one of our favorite areas of the city. It’s a trove of atmospheric streets and architectural delights.
This historic neighborhood rarely witnesses rebirth quite like Les Bains. With imaginative contrasts, visual panache, and illustrious past it is one of the most interesting openings in Paris in recent years.
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Arising from the Parisian icon legend, Les Bains makes a splash with bold interiors that do not shy away from the hotel's bacchanal pedigree. It's a place unlike any other.
Categories: Boutique hotels, City hotels, Creative vibes, Luxury hotels, Modern design, Nightlife, Shopping, Sightseeing,
Number of rooms & suites: 39
Rate per night: From $330 USD
*The rate is only approximate and is based on our own independent research, at the time of writing. We cannot guarantee the rate in any way.
Check room rates and bookAuthor: Travel+Style. Last updated: 31/08/2024