Les Bains Paris

Like a vision from surrealist paintings, the blood-red, liquid-like lacquered ceilings and walls at Les Bains wowed us with their visual audacity while simultaneously reaching to something deeper inside. Once a hangout of Impressionists, then an 1980s iconic nightclub, today Les Bains is in vogue again.

Built in 1885, this elegant Haussmanesque building was the first home to a public spa, then a café frequented by Manet, Pissarro, Degas, and public intellectuals like Marcel Proust or Emile Zola. In the 1980s and 90s, once again was Les Bains was 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.

Re-invented

The designers behind the daring reinvention of this heritage establishment reached into 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.

Michelin stars

We liked these contrasts on many levels. Visceral glamour downstairs, sophisticated serenity upstairs make 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.

Bed and beyond

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 an illustrious past, it is one of the most interesting openings in Paris in recent years.

in our opinion

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.

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What we love

• Location in Le Marais, our favorite arrondissement in Paris. Passage du Grand Cerf, Museum Georges Pompidou, and Picasso Museum are all within a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Plus, the area is studded with fabulous restaurants.
• The amazing bar and restaurant area, designed with respect for the place's creative heritage, while reinventing the concept of hotel space in style. Bold and beautiful!
• Superb dinner food at the hotel's chic brasserie.
• Our room had a very decent size by Paris standards and came with an outdoor terrace, cool-looking Marshall sound system, and bespoke furnishings. Toiletries were from Le Labo.
• Good soundproofing from the street and the club in the basement.
• Delicious breakfast is served from 7 AM to… 3 PM. So no need to care about the early bed. Party away!

What you should know

• At the time of our visit, a proper hammam spa was only being planned.
• Many rooms have nice terraces, ask when booking—but also check whether the room opens onto the dining patio or the smoking patio, as they can get a little loud on the party nights.
• The Club is open every night from Wednesdays to Saturdays, between 11 pm and 5 am.
• Our terrace was quiet; however, it did suffer a little from some restaurant smells. Typical Paris!
• Pets are welcome.
• WiFi is reliable and free.