A Night at Hôtel Chavanel in Paris

I can be very privileged sometimes –  at least that’s how I felt last Thursday when landing in Paris and stepping inside Hôtel Chavanel in the 8th arrondissement. Knowing you’re about to spend the night in a newly-opened 4 star luxury boutique hotel located in the chic and buzzing Madeleine/Saint-Honoré quarter, tend to put a large happy smile on your face … and make you instantly forget about the gloomy, cold and disgustingly-wet January weather!

Founded by Sophie Charlet, the family-owned boutique hotel bears that timeless contemporary elegance with a soft feminine touch. Anne Peyroux and Emmanuelle Thisy of Paris-based architecture studio Peyroux & Thisy, were entrusted with re-fashioning the 25 bedrooms and 2 suites.

Hôtel Chavanel has a very personal concept of discreet luxury : not ostentatious, but well thought through with attention to detail.  In pursuit of French-made luxury and elegance, Peyroux & Thisy collaborated with Sophie Hallette — a French firm founded in 1887, specialised in lace and tulle design and manufacture. The two architects chose lace as the leitmotif and inspiration for the hotel’s new stylish look.

Exclusively for the hotel, Sophie Hallette designed the lacework pattern that can be found in bedroom curtains and carpets. Drawing inspiration from the lacework, Peyroux & Thisy designed carved backlit headboards made of Krion® — a new generation solid surface, warm to the touch and similar to natural stone, also used to design the reception counter in the lobby.

Above, right and below – Hôtel Chavanel, January 2014 – Photo © Florence Deau

I had the privilege to stay in Room 61, one of the two junior suites located on the sixth (top) floor. The spacious bedroom offered a very comfortable king size bed with grey soft quilts and cashmere throws, trendy designers’ furnishings, a large and confortable lounge area, a minibar, a courtesy tray available with kettle, coffee machine, tea, coffee and organic infusions, free wifi, large flat screen TV with satellite reception, iPod docking station, eco-certified welcome products with organic essential oils…. and so on, you name it! I was delighted to discover that the bathroom fittings of the hydro-massaging bath and large shower were those of Erwan & Ronan Bouroullec designed for Hansgrohe – reminded me of my lovely trip to the Hansgrohe’s HQ in the Black Forest last summer. Anyway, the very well-equipped 30m2 suite with sloping ceilings offering a unique view across Paris rooftops is that close to perfection that you feel like having your own private Parisian pied-à-terre!

To me, Chavanel is part and parcel of the trendy yet luxurious contemporary hotels that have been blooming in the French capital in recent times. Have a look at what Patricia Parinejad, journalist for Elle Decoration China, has said about this :

“After a decade on the sidelines of style, Paris is back in the action. For the majority the French capital was not precisely the most happening place on the planet. New restaurants, bars and clubs were an endangered species, and the trendiest place to be on a Friday evening was the Eurostar terminal at the Gare du Nord (direction: London). 

In the last couple of years, however, things have changed dramatically. The city is evolving rapidly. A renowned cultural capital and always at the forefont of current affairs, Paris gained an imbattable dynamic. Over the past decade numerous French design schools have been founded, contemporary art has taken over a major role in the city, modern and high-profile architecture in hip and forgotten areas has dressed up the romantic but dusty Haussmanian slow flow. 

Not to mention numerous high-tech designed showrooms, hip contemporary hotels, bars and interiors that put a glam edge on modern. Paris, known not only as the city of love and light but also as the food and wine capital still remains a Diva!”

Above – Place de la Madeleine, Paris, January 2014 – Photo © Florence Deau

Below – Shadow of the lace curtains in a room – Photo © Hôtel Chavanel

So after a peaceful night of sleep, I was the one waking up like a diva! I headed to the stone walled vaulted cellar on the lower ground floor for a healthy, hearty and 100% organic breakfast, a perfect way to hit the day. Then it was time to say goodbye to Chavanel and head to my next adventure, the Maison&Objet 2014 trade show (stay tuned for that report). I leave you with some shots of the hotel and if you’re interested, I’ll be posting my own photos of the hotel on Instagram (look out for the hashtag #flodeauatchavanel).
See you around, xo Flo

Hôtel Chavanel
Madeleine, Saint-Honoré, Paris
22, rue Tronchet 75008 Paris France
Tél. +33 (0)1 47 42 26 14

All photos below © Hôtel Chavanel