Imagine stepping into a Wes Anderson film – except instead of Budapest, Hungary, you’re in Paris, France; more specifically, the trendy Marais neighborhood, where you’ll find cool thrift shops, authentic French restaurants and charming
boulangeries on every corner, just a few meters from the famous Notre Dame cathedral. That’s
Le Grand Mazarin – a hotel from the French chain Maisons Pariente, with locations in Provence, Méribel, Saint-Tropez and, of course, Paris. The reference is not without reason: although the meticulous
décor seems to draw you into the filmmaker’s settings, certain elements, such as the deep purple uniforms worn by the hotel
staff , are in fact inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). The intention, according to Frédérique Trou-Roy, creator of Manoush, the company that supplies the hotel’s uniforms, was to create “a look of retro luxury to revisit the classics of grand hotels.” Said and done:
Le Grand Mazarin is now one of them .
From the front door, the
lobby , the hallways and the rooms, Le Grand Mazarin
feels detached from the real world ; a unique and immersive experience protected by the hotel walls. The trendy corner of Rue des Archives and Rue de la Verrerie feels quiet, welcoming and pleasant inside. Much of this is due to the meticulously calculated
décor , where all the elements seem to converge towards a single purpose: personal comfort. More than that,
the hotel is an ode to Paris, its passion for art and its welcoming spirit .
The name behind this effect is
Martin Brudnizki , a Swedish architect and designer known for his luxury projects and founder of MBDS Design Studio, whose motto is: “Our focus on detail is not just an obsession, it is our trademark.” With his keen eye, the 14th-century building that now houses Le Grand Mazarin was covered in antique furniture, vintage objects, seashells embedded in the wallpaper and custom rugs with baroque details. Its 61 rooms and suites, restaurant, bars, winter garden, wellness area and swimming pool all reflect Brudnizki’s visionary décor. “We wanted the hotel to give the impression of having always been part of the Marais landscape.
We were inspired by the great houses of the aristocracy , where figures from literature, art and music gathered in sumptuous residences to indulge in the pleasures of literature and beautiful conversation,” explains the designer.
Here, art can be felt in all its forms: with almost
500 works of art spread throughout the hotel, Le Grand Mazarin has collaborated with renowned French artisans and young talents to create contemporary frescoes, lighting and paintings – a way of paying homage to Paris’ illustrious artistic
pedigree , while also evoking the 17th-century literary salons of the Marais, where society ladies would host gatherings in their private mansions, bringing together some of the most inspiring minds of the time.
It is no wonder that
every detail is so refreshing to the soul and surprising to the eye , from the aromas in the rooms to the knick-knacks, from the flowers to the cutlery. “Six years ago, we imagined Le Grand Mazarin as the kind of hotel we would dream of discovering if we visited Paris: bold, eclectic, cheerful, but also
deeply rooted in its city, its culture, its history . A hotel that is both classic and quirky, chic and unexpected,” sums up Leslie Kouhana, president of Maisons Pariente.
