Maison Breguet

Of all the changes we’ve seen in the Parisian hotel world over the last decade or two, the most welcome development has to be the advent of the modestly sized luxury hotel: small enough for boutique-hotel character and atmosphere, but with comforts that rival the city’s famous palace hotels (though on a necessarily smaller scale). And Maison Bréguet, as you might have guessed, is a perfect example of this trend — though what makes it special, in the end, is the fact that it’s one of a kind.

This former industrial building in the rapidly changing Bastille provides a distinctive backdrop, and some unusual features, from a private garden and a glass-roofed restaurant to a wellness area with space for not just a sauna and hammam but a swimming pool as well. The rooms start out compact, this being Paris, but they’re more than comfortable enough, equipped with high-end linens and Nespresso machines — and if you need more, there are deluxes, adjoining rooms, suites, and even a separate three-bedroom house with its own small garden.

It’s a labor of love for a pair of first-time hoteliers whose fresh perspective is visible throughout the hotel — nothing feels off-the-shelf here, and the proprietors’ connections in Paris’s creative worlds are everywhere evident, from the artworks to the carefully curated shop. And Maison Bréguet is anchored by an impressive restaurant and bar — this fact alone sets it apart from much of its competition, and makes it something of a neighborhood phenomenon.