Hotel Thoumieux

The Scene

Set on an idyllic Parisian street --- complete with a view of the Eiffel tower and a bakery directly across --- Hotel Thoumieux is tucked away in the 7 ^th arrondissement, a left-bank district that is centrally located yet isn't constantly busy and jam-packed with tourists. The Eiffel tower, Musee D'orsay and Les Invalides are all a short stroll away.

The Concept

Conceived out of a chance encounter between renowned chef Jean-Francois Piege (who formerly headed Les Ambassadeurs at Le Crillon) and Thierry Costes, one of the youngest members of the Costes family (the hospitality powerhouse behind many of Paris' celebrated establishments), the Thoumieux is a small boutique hotel with a big --- if not split --- personality. The reason being that it occasionally gets more attention for the food it cooks up than for the 15 hotel rooms it houses under its roof. Fortunately, this is only the case because it's home to two very well-respected eateries in town: the Brasserie Thoumieux, which offers classics with a modern twist (and serves as the restaurant for room service), and the highly-rated Restaurant Jean-Francois Piege, recently awarded two Michelin stars. The other half of its personality --- the lodging --- is just as worthy of praise as it blows you away with its unexpectedly daring design and hip attitude.

The Look

Not surprisingly, there were some great minds behind all of this, namely world-acclaimed designer India Mahdavi and Paris-based avant-garde/pop-art duo M/M (Paris). Mahdavi brought the daring, with her chic, high-volume, urban take on a bed & breakfast complete with faux animal skins, bold usage of prints on walls and curtains, patterned rugs and her signature-shaped objects and furniture pieces. M/M (Paris), on the other hand, made things even more interesting by adding inventive and unexpected touches throughout the hotel, including the gleaming gilded mirrors and unconventional door handles, light fixtures and clothes hangers. And while rooms have a slight kitschy feel to them, bathrooms carry the opposite effect and are totally glam, with floor-to-ceiling white marble, free-standing bathtubs (in some rooms) and Aesop toiletries.

In Short

With plenty of hotels suffering from personality disorders or no personality at all, the Thoumieux manages to make both its food and hotel components coexist in a harmonious and complementary way. The recipe? Two parts outstanding restaurants to one part bold hotel.