By TI reviewer Katie Thomas
L’Hotel stands out from the myriad galleries and art dealers along the Rue des Beaux Arts; there’s an odd metallic ram’s head perched nobly above the arched doorway. This gem of a Paris boutique hotel does not disappoint; even the floor in the entrance hall demands attention. A marble sun motif is lit up by sunlight streaming through a window high above - cast your eye upwards to see the six-floor high Grecian-frieze cupola. It’s incredible.

The facilities

Try not to spend too long in the entrance hall, as there’s plenty to see in the rest of the boutique hotel. The sexy bar area is decked out in plush velvets with swathes of aubergine and scarlet. It is dimly-lit and flanked by black and white photographs of its equally vampish visitors, like Johnny Depp, Mick Jagger and Winona Ryder. The lounge area is lighter and more feminine, with overstuffed settees, love-seats and a bookshelf stocked with antique leather-bound French classics.

A pair of green taffeta drapes, cinched coyly on one side, provides a peek into the intimate neo-Victorian restaurant. L’Hotel’s glass-roofed eaterie serves traditional French fare. At the rear, a set of French doors leads to a chic outdoor terrace. It’s a charming spot with a scattering of iron-wrought tables for dining or daydreaming the afternoon away.

Downstairs, the boutique hotel boasts a secluded indoor pool. Only two people are allowed into the candlelit space at any one time, making it a romantic an intimate spot. A small sauna leads off from the pool area, too.

The rooms

There are 20 rooms in this boutique hotel, all individually decorated by famed interior designer Jacques Garcia. Each channels a particular person or theme from the Belle Epoch era. All are chic and well-proportioned, though a few are worth a special mention.

The infamous Oscar Wilde Room was in fact where the Irish novelist supposedly fought and died. Nowadays, the room is a tribute to him, with a shrine-like writing desk, several handwritten letters, leather-bound tomes and quirky portraits. An exquisite Art Nouveau peacock mural is positioned just above the bed and a private terrace looks out over Parisian rooftops.

The Mistinguett Room, named after a 1920’s French actress and comedian, is a homage to all things Art Deco. Burnt orange curtains frame, though rather eccentrically, the tall French windows. Flapper girls frolic across the neutral walls. The bed is pure Cubist, with a boxy, mirrored head and foot boards resembling a pair of metropolitan skylines.

Finally, the Oriental Room. It features heavy carved wooden furniture and silk-covered walls. Standing sentry by the elegantly draped window is an enormous blue and white porcelain vase, nearly a metre and a half tall. All in all, this boutique hotel offers a real twist of sumptuous originality in the heart of Paris.