Hôtel des Grands Boulevards

The world of hospitality was a less vibrant place before the Experimental Group got involved — the creative team behind London’s Experimental Cocktail Club opened the Grand Pigalle in Paris and the Henrietta Hotel in London, to much fanfare from nightlife connoisseurs (and to rave reviews from guests). Their second Parisian hotel is the Hotel des Grands Boulevards, and it’s cut from the same cloth: historical inspiration, contemporary style, and a social life that few hotels, in Paris or anywhere else, can hope to match.

Grands Boulevards makes its home in a freestanding house, or hôtel particulier, that dates back to the days of the Revolution. It’s a rarity in this busy corner of Paris, and it’s hidden from the street, accessible only via a concealed passageway. This means not just the frisson of being in on a secret, but it means a measure of peace and quiet, too — this hotel knows how to party, but it also knows how to get a good night’s sleep.

To that end, it’s got the same handmade beds made famous by the Grand Pigalle. It’s also got that signature historical-romance look, and a bit of updated country-house style as well, a heady design cocktail courtesy of Experimental’s designer of choice, Dorothée Meilichzon. And while many Parisian hotels make do with a little breakfast nook, this one splashes out on a restaurant and a buzzing bar with a terrace and a view.