A Winter Weekend Break to Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, Paris – Hotel Review

2 years ago

Opened last year, this Left Bank hotel is Parisian chic at its finest

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more

A Winter Weekend Break to Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, Paris – Hotel Review

For a quintessential Parisian weekend break, the city’s vibrant Left Bank ticks all the boxes, with patisseries, independent shops and art galleries aplenty. It’s also home to Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, a new boutique hotel with inspiring interiors and a destination restaurant. Kirsty Nutkins explores this delightful new spot.

Hotel Review: Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, Paris

STAY

Housed in a beautiful period building dating from 1642, Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, which opened its doors in April 2022, was once the home of writer James Joyce, who finished his seminal novel, Ulysses, here over a century ago.

Combining contemporary interiors with classic Parisian elegance, it offers 47 rooms and suites styled by local designer Didier Benderlia. There’s a comfy, low-lit cocktail bar, aptly named James Joyce, and a swish restaurant, Les Parisiens, by award-winning chef Thibault Sombardier. And after a long day pounding the pavements, you can retreat to the small but perfectly formed spa, which has a gym, yoga studio and wellness suite including a whirlpool, hammam and steam room, and a treatment menu by local brand CODAGE Paris.

Our Deluxe Room had lofty corniced ceilings, a king-sized bed, Nespresso machine and a marble bathroom with walk-in rain shower and CODAGE Paris toiletries.

DO

Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain is situated in one of the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods, in the fashionable Left Bank. During the 20th century, it attracted local and international writers, existentialists, and painters, and today it’s known for its food, shopping and cultural attractions. The cobbled back streets are lined with historic houses, antique stores, independent clothing boutiques and art galleries such as Musée d’Orsay. It’s also where you’ll find Paris’ oldest department store, Le Bon Marché.

Close to the hotel is Rue du Bac, which is a Mecca for foodies – pop into famous Pâtisserie des Rêves, known for its almost-too-good-to-eat creations, as well as l Chapon, who make the best chocolates in the city (chocolatier Patrice Chapon once worked for the Royal family at Buckingham Palace). Also nearby is the famed Café Flore, one of the oldest coffee houses in Paris, should you need a hot drink to wash down your sweet treats.

Make time for a walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg, a pretty park with potted flowers and deck chairs where you can also rest your feet, often while listening to live bands at the pavilion. And if you want to visit some of the city’s biggest attractions, you’re also just a short stroll over the Seine from the Louvre and Champs-Élysées.

EAT

We enjoyed drinks each night in the hotel’s James Joyce bar, which has plush jewel-coloured banquette seating, atmospheric lighting, wood panelling and shelves crammed full of books, in a nod to the hotel’s literary history. The ‘Bloom Like a Geisha’ cocktail was a particular highlight— named after Ulysses’ protagonist, Leopold Bloom – with Sakura passion flower-infused rum, yuzu and vanilla concoction.

During our stay, we also had lunch at Les Parisiens, with its leather and velvet benches and walls adorned with gold lacquered canvases and mirrors. The menu, which takes inspiration from the flavours of Thibault Sombardier’s childhood spent between Burgundy and Beaujolais, has an emphasis on locally sourced seasonal produce. Dishes include rosé veal chop with morels, white asparagus with mousseline sauce, and indulgent desserts such as chocolate mousse served warm with almond hazelnut praline and buckwheat vanilla ice cream. We opted for the set menu, with highlights such as scallop carpaccio, codfish with crispy panko, and a very boozy rum baba with whipped cream.

FINAL WORD

Cool modern interiors blend with Parisian elegance to make this hotel a worthy addition to one of Paris’s most fashionable neighbourhoods. And while Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain is situated amid cafes, galleries and boutiques galore and is a stone’s throw from some of the best sights, it’s tucked away on a quiet street, making it the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.