• stylish travellers
• On October 22, 2015

Hotel de NELL is not yet another boutique hotel in Paris. It is a subtle combination of Jean-Michel Wilmotte’s unique architectural intuition, Bruno Doucet’s creative approach to cooking, and the Charm & More group’s experience in the field of service industry.

Our acquaintance with Hotel de NELL begins even before we arrive in Paris. A few days before the departure we receive e-mails reminding us that we have booked tables at the restaurant or that Audi A6 will be waiting for us at the airport. We also receive information about some current exhibitions or about the Disneyland, which is recommended especially for families with children.

I’m not familiar with the 9^th arrondissement, but I enjoy my quick walk to the hotel. We pass the famous Folies Bergère cabaret, some small Asian restaurants, French bistros and sweet patisseries. The hotel is a beautifully ornamented building located on a small, narrow street. Its windows overlook the 19^th century Saint Eugene church, as well as Saint Cecile, where Julius Verne took his marriage vows.

Two polite gentlemen greet us in the reception room. The check-in procedure lasts only a brief moment and soon we are inside our room – one of the 33 available in total, including suits.

The interior is very bright and pleasant – whites, greys and beiges set the tone, while soft lighting accentuates the cosiness of wood. The only distinctive element is the dark-grey wall with beautiful windows in white frames. It’s only after breakfast, with the sun already high on the horizon, that we can appreciate the amazing view of a thousand rooftops spreading from our window. Also the bathroom is a real treasure – it has a Japanese bathtub carved in a single block of marble and supplied with a wooden bench, a candle and the wonderful Bulgari bath salt.

What’s waiting for us in the room is also a pillow menu (allowing us to choose the most convenient stuffing) and a massage menu (qualified professionals will take care of our bodies in a special massage room downstairs).

A lot of space in this small hotel is occupied by a considerable living room with comfortable armchairs and tables, where we can read French press or relax in a glow of the fireplace. Between the living room and the restaurant there is a very curious place – a mix of a wine cellar, library and games room. During busy weekend, white cloth is spread on the tables where the guests engage in enthusiastic discussions and try the chef’s delicacies.

The evening, in turn, is the best time to visit the cosy hotel bar and taste spirits of the highest quality.

Breakfast awaits us in the Le Régalade Conservatoire restaurant. Black-and-white checkered tiles, round black wooden tables and light-brown chairs make the interior. Various types and vintages of wine line up on the long glass shelves, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a peaceful street. Everything in here was thoughtfully planned.

On a blackboard there figures a list of dishes. But let’s go back to breakfast: among others you may order almond, soy and normal milk with organic corn flakes, baked bread, baguette from an exquisite traditional bakery, and a variety of jams – fig, orange or of mixed flavour, i.e. pear with sweet potatoes.

La Régalade Conservatoire has made a name for itself in Paris – the chef Bruno Doucet stands behind the concept known as “bistronomy”. The menu consists of 3 dishes (starter, main course and dessert) and costs 37 Euro. It’s a refined mix characterised by simplicity on the one hand, and creativity on the other, in terms of both choosing the ingredients and the way of serving the dish.

What we liked:

– Japanese bathtub and all the additions: bath salt, candles, high quality cosmetics

– coffee maker and a teapot – it feels good to have a little rest and something warm to drink after a long day

– peace and quiet in the middle of a bustling European metropolis

– decorations and atmosphere (especially at Saturday’s lunch) in the La Régalade Conservatoire restaurant

– hotel’s location – the 9^th arrondissement is within walking distance from the opera or the La Fayette gallery, and yet crowds of tourists don’t fill its streets

RESIDENCE NELL

Not far away from Hotel de NELL, there is also a complex of residences belonging to Charm and More . The apartment rooms make you feel like a real citizen of the French capital. Separate bedrooms, fully-equipped kitchens (pots and dishes), coffee makers, teapots, dining sets, comfortable sofas, TVs and children’s books – they are all there. You can also wish for breakfasts to be delivered to your room (you need to specify your preferences on paper the day before).

What we liked:

– separate bedroom and a living room with kitchen annex

– stove and a fridge in the apartment, thanks to which we could use fresh French products to prepare our own meals

– metro in the vicinity (line 9 will take us directly to the Eiffel Tower)

– wonderful staff, cordial and helpful at all times

Text and photos: Paulina Grabara

Translation: Karol Piotrowski

More information: http://www.hoteldenell.com/