Les Bains hotel review - Paris, France

Located close to Les Halles neighbourhood, in the centre of Paris, Les Bains was established in 1885 by the noble Guerbois family as a bathhouse frequented by French novelist Marcel Proust. In the 1970s, its new owner, noted physician Maurice Marois, rented the venue to two young antique dealers, who turned it into a hotspot for Paris’ elite, hosting legendary shindigs for the likes of artist Andy Warhol and rapper, Puff Daddy. Les Bains has now been restored to its former glory, with contemporary additions – courtesy of local interior architecture firm, RDAI and designer Tristan Auer – that act as a gracious backdrop to the hotel’s dramatic original details. As such, the iconic Salon Chinois with its 19th century stained glass windows and the mosaic bath in the basement are further enhanced with an additional 39 guest rooms that make use of putty grey hues, exposed plaster walls and quirky splashes of colour from furnishings such as worn orange sofas. Highlights include a ground-floor restaurant and bar – headed by chefs Philippe Labbé and Michaël Riss – that takes advantage of the venue’s wild history, with blood red, liquid-like lacquered ceilings and walls.