We’ve been itching to check out Le Pavillon des Lettres, the sister hotel to the adored Pavillon de la Reine on the Place des Vosges, ever since we learned about its inspired design scheme. Each of its 26 rooms represents a letter of the alphabet and is devoted to a writer. Think S for Shakespeare, Z for Zola.
We stopped by recently-- reveling in the address (just steps from the Elysée Palace and the fashionable boutiques on the Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré)-- and fell in love with the interiors. A former three-star hotel was gutted and completely rebuilt as a four-star hotel with luxurious touches. Didier Benderli-- who masterminded the redesign of the Pavillon de la Reine-- created a space that’s chic, calming, and full of light. Originally a boulangerie, the building itself is historic listed. And with its close proximity to the Ministry of the Interior (just across the street), the hotel’s got a built-in security entourage.
Each room has hard copies of books by the room’s namesake author, as well as its own iPad. Other perks include free Wifi, parking spaces at Le Bristol (the palace hotel is just around the corner), and the honesty bar in the lobby, where you can pour yourself a drink and enjoy the stylish ambience. The hotel just opened in November 2010 but it’s already got quite the fan base.
Booking tips: The two Junior Suites on the top floor (D for Diderot and E for Eschyle) have balconies with Eiffel Tower views.