Rates: from €169
Addes extras: The Hi-Macs® rooms and the art gallery
Services: The cocktail bar and open fire
Until a few years ago, 11 rue des Gravilliers, in the 3rd, was a precious metals factory. Now there is nothing left of that but the skeleton of the old house, which is now home to the bar and duplex rooms at the discreet Jules & Jim Hotel. Concrete, wood, stone, glass – these simple materials make for a super refined aesthetic. But a touch of high-tech is added with the backlit Hi-Macs® shells, solid bubbles which encircle the bed, giving your room the feel of a proper little cocoon (priced at €169-400 a night).
But we’d come to Jules et Jim just for the bar to be honest. Guests and Parisians mingle in this peaceful, quiet corner where discretion is key. Completely hidden from the street, it can only be reached by entering through the reception then into the secret garden courtyard. Pick any one of the fifteen delicious cocktails (€12-14) to sip in front of the fireplace or at the bar with the friendly staff team.
It’s ideal for a nighttime stay or just meeting for a drink, but it's also a haven for art lovers. The gallery-like main entrance corridor plays host to work from some of the most beautiful photography galleries in Paris. Another jewel-like touch – one of the hotel managers Geoffroy will take you on a 90-minute tour of the city in his Citroen DS (€190 for one to three people). The perfect trip to awaken your senses – and see Paris through the eyes of a Parisian.