Hôtel St-Vincent

In the Faubourg St-Germain, Left Bank vie de bohème gives way to a realm of quiet luxury and vintage elegance, and the Hôtel St-Vincent, located on a tranquil side street with a few sophisticated little shops, fits perfectly into the ambience. Owner Bertrand Plasmans bought this large building that once housed the offices of the St Vincent de Paul Society with the intention of creating a larger and more luxurious establishment than his other hotel, the charming Hôtel St Thomas d’Aquin right next door. “This was built as an hôtel particulier in the 18th century,” he explains, “and I wanted to keep the esprit discret, très parisien, of a private home in the Faubourg St-Germain-luxurious but not ostentatious”.

He succeeded admirably. The lobby, with its lofty ceiling and many windows, is an inviting salon beautifully decorated in shades of cream, gold, beige and taupe, with assorted area rugs, table lamps on vintage cabinets and a large working fireplace surrounded by comfortable sofas and armchairs that invite curling up with a book or relaxing with a glass of wine. Plasmans culled his delightful mix of furniture from brocantes and flea markets, then refurbished them, often using upscale fabrics—like the unusual three-sided wooden chairs in the breakfast room, with salmon velvet seats.

The rooms are unusually spacious—a real luxury in Paris—and filled with light from large windows. Colors are tranquil pastels, headboards are covered with handsome fabric—in some cases, striped velvet-and gorgeous drapes are in lustrous taffeta. Each of the rooms is furnished differently, perhaps with a vintage desk with ball-and-claw feet, or a gilded, carved mirror in the large marble bathroom. Some rooms have original parquet floors and folding inside shutters. During the renovation, Plasmans had a cabinetmaker copy the original 18th-century woodwork, which needed replacing, recreating it exactly in all the rooms; he also had the casement windows copied, but with noise-blocking double glazing. It’s this attention to detail that makes the Hôtel St-Vincent the perfect choice for anyone looking for luxe, calme and volupté.

Hôtel Saint-Vincent, 5 rue du Pré-aux-Clercs, 7th, 01.42.61.01.51. 240€ website

Originally published in the February 2008 issue of France Today

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