Molitor Paris, a swimming pool turned luxury hotel
The Molitor pool attracts Parisians keen to swim, while the Molitor hotel, recommended by the MICHELIN Guide’s experts, caters to happy travellers from all over the world. This quintessentially smart and fabulously hip venue in the French capital will leave you with unforgettable memories.
The Molitor Hotel opened its doors on 19 May 2014 in the well-heeled 16th arrondissement of Paris and has been a hit ever since. After starting out life as a swimming pool in the late 1920s, it was a Mecca of street art in the 1990s when the abandoned art deco extravaganza attracted taggers like bees to honey, before rising like a Phoenix from its ashes today. Now, it is both a swimming pool and a luxury hotel whose 124 rooms and suites surround the outdoor pool, giving the visitor the impression of being on board an ocean liner. In this vein, the hotel also boasts a brasserie, a bar, a rooftop restaurant, a 1,700m² Spa by Clarins which boasts private treatment cabins, a hammam, a sauna, a tea room and a reading room. The Molitor Club also offers a range of sporting facilities, group sessions and cultural events all year round.
The “Molitor and Auteuil Swimming Pool” first opened its doors in 1929, completing a huge sports complex in the 16th arrondissement of Paris alongside the Parc des Princes and Jean Bouin stadiums, as well as the Roland Garros tennis club. The Molitor swimming pool however quickly set about organising a far wider range of activities turning it into a social and cultural hub. For several decades, Molitor, the most popular swimming pool of Paris with two pools, was renowned for its avant-garde architecture and ambience. By the 1970s, however, the venue’s popularity had begun to wane and the site to deteriorate, until management took the decision to close down the premises and return the keys to the Paris City Council in 1989. When it closed, it became a listed historic monument, but the building was also rapidly taken over by artists and the abandoned pool became a Mecca of the Paris underground scene. Street art remains a distinctive fixture today, adorning the hotel lobby and visible in obscure corridors… In fact, the artists in “residence” during its abandoned period were even invited to return and grace the new building with their stamp in an echo of the graffiti that covered its walls at the time. You can pop into a changing cabin of the indoor pool to immerse yourself in the universe of Hopare, Katre, Jace, Artiste Ouvrier, Mademoiselle Maurice, Kouka, Bradley Theodore, Mosko & Associés, Balder, Indie 184, Fred Calmets, Shuck One and many others.
For the discerning traveller in search of the out-of-the-ordinary, Molitor is amazingly comfortable, whilst also offering the opportunity to indulge in an experience outside time and even the city in a vibrant creative environment. The establishment’s 124 cocoon-like rooms and suites combine artistic flair with the pleasure of a 5-star hotel for a unique experience. All the rooms, from the classic to the suite, are the work of French interior designer, Jean Philippe Nuel, a prominent international figure in the luxury interior design world. Some rooms overlook the summer pool that can be seen through iconic Art deco-inspired portholes, while others boast 80m² private terraces. All the rooms are spacious, light and airy, mingling art deco with urban art and they are all equipped with a Bose iPod dock, a Nespresso machine and a safe. Each bathroom features a range of Clarins toiletries, together with slippers and bathrobes. During your stay, you can swim in the outdoor pool, heated all year round, and in the indoor pool, use the special fitness facilities, book a treatment at the Spa by Clarins and you have access to the exclusive Club House, as well as to Molitor Brasserie, the bar and the rooftop restaurant, open from May to September.
Crédit photo : Molitor
The MICHELIN Guide hotel experts are a hard-working crew. They spend their days scouring the earth to find the most extraordinary hotels for all budgets — places that stand out for their style, service, and personality. As a result, the MICHELIN Guide hotel selection features over 6,000 amazing accommodations in more than 130 countries.
The MICHELIN Guide just announced its restaurant selection is coming to Texas. Which makes this the perfect time to check in on some of the newest additions to our hotel selection in the Lone Star State.
The Japanese ryokan might be the highest form of hospitality, but it’s not a hotel. For the owners of One Key Beniya Mukayu, it’s important that you understand why.
The oldest hotel in the world is a ryokan. These traditional Japanese inns date back to medieval times and weary samurai travelers. Some ryokans have turned an eye toward the future. Others, like Two Key Nishimuraya Honkan, have not.
Tokyo has its skyscrapers and Kyoto has its ryokan. But some of the most unique hotel forms in the world are scattered throughout Japan, a testament to the creativity and passion of its hoteliers.