Hotel Apostrophe

The Scene

Set in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Apostrophe is steps from the Luxembourg Gardens and Boulevard Montparnasse, where you can find a plethora of quality cafes, boutiques and restaurants. Its location in lower Saint-Germain puts it in a less touristy spot, making it great for someone looking to get more of the authentic Parisian experience. Nevertheless, main attractions are a short metro ride away.

The Concept

The brainchild of a passionate hotelier and a talented Belgium designer (Sandrine Alouf), the Apostrophe is a design-centric boutique hotel that intentionally takes you on a wild journey of literature-inspired decor and design --- from calligraphy to typography to the alphabet. And don't expect subtlety from this poem hotel --- the themed rooms are brought to life in a rather theatrical way. While the decor may be a bit over-the-top, the atmosphere, on the other hand, is intimate and inviting, and service (under the supervision of Madame Lozano) is genuinely friendly and caring. Little details such as in-room breakfast till noon and an overall warm and laid-back attitude help support this attitude.

The Look

If one really wants to think of the Apostrophe as a poem hotel, then it would have to be a 16-verse poem, with each verse (room) having a unique voice and design inspired by the hotel's own take on the history of literature. Among some of the looks are a room dedicated to the very first signs of written language, a room in honor of the invention of the printing press, and rooms celebrating the creation of the alphabet and of musical notes --- the latter including an oversized piano key hanging from the ceiling.

In Short

Hotel Apostrophe manages to strike the right note (pun intended) with an original design, cozy atmosphere and central left bank location --- something everyone can appreciate, whether a fan of literature or not.