Tour Paris Rive Gauche’s most daring new hotel

A storied telephone exchange is now Hôtel Sax Paris, a high-gloss retreat with plenty of energy

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hotel sax paris review
Sax Garden
(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

A right turn from Rue de Sèvres onto Avenue de Saxe reveals classic Haussmann Paris: pale stone façades, wrought-iron balconies and the Eiffel Tower hovering in the distance. At the far end of the street, however, number 55 shifts the mood. A 1900 façade, sculpted with caryatids and Republican emblems, glows in a theatrical wash of red. It’s Hôtel Sax Paris – a flash of high-octane energy that’s hard to resist. The guest experience begins in The Galerie, lined with 200 mirrors and Baccarat chandeliers, before guests check into what is the debut of Hilton’s LXR Hotels & Resorts brand in France.

Wallpaper* checks in at Sax Paris, LXR Hotels & Resorts

What’s on your doorstep?

Staying in the 7th arrondissement, culture is around every corner. Fancy a cinematic stroll? The lawns of the Champ de Mars await. In search of a masterpiece? The Musée Rodin – home to The Kiss (1882) and The Thinker (1904) – and the Bourdelle Museum are both close by. Shopping? Head for Le Bon Marché, where high fashion sits alongside gourmet delicacies. And for a perfectly acceptable cliché, order a café au lait at one of the city’s most storied coffeehouses, Café de Flore.

hotel sax paris review

Exterior view

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

Who is behind the design?

Owned and developed by Compagnie de Phalsbourg, Sax Paris was conceived in-house under the vision of Karine Journo. Inside the restored 1899 Neo-Gothic building, once the Ségur telephone exchange, Journo layered electric hues and whimsical gestures over a base of noble materials: Panda White marble, oak timber, Baccarat crystal and velvet.

‘Our intention was to restore a sense of majesty and revive the splendour of French architecture while fully modernising the experience,’ Journo tells Wallpaper*. Beyond the audacious interiors, a French-style garden by Studio Ravn adds a romantic counterpoint to the hotel’s château-like drama.

hotel sax paris review

The Galerie

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

The room to book

Varying in shape and size, the hotel’s 118 rooms are a reflective wonderland, sporting custom-made oak furniture, cast-bronze handles, rough-hewn marble tabletops, and graphical carpeting. Mirrors were strategically fitted to some windows to capture views of the Eiffel Tower, while others overlook the inner courtyard, known as the Sax Garden. Rotating minibar monoliths, finished with a hand-chiselled texture, are stocked with favourites from Le Bon Marché’s La Grande Épicerie de Paris. Three signature suites – The Studio, The Winter Garden Suite and The Signature Suite – include bar stations equipped for mixing your own cocktails, along with complimentary chauffeur services.

hotel sax paris review

Deluxe Junior Suite

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

Staying for drinks and dinner?

An outpost of the hard-to-book Kinugawa brand sits at the top of the hotel, where dinner is served against the backdrop of a shimmering Eiffel Tower. The plush setting – upholstered in tones of golden brown, salmon and muted orange – has quickly become one of the city’s buzziest tables. Executive chef David Maroleau dishes up Franco-Japanese creations, from gratinated clams with white miso, yuzukosho cream and panko to beef fillet with shiso Béarnaise.

hotel sax paris review

Kinugawa Rive Gauche

(Image credit: Photo by Claire Israel)

Downstairs, flashy and glitzy, Sax Restaurant and Bar features a ceiling mural by street artist Sto, referencing the building’s historic République Française insignia. Order the cordon bleu with a glass of bubbles and share it beneath the twinkle of an otherworldly chandelier by Italian artist Christian Pellizzari, hand-blown in Murano.

hotel sax paris review

Sax Restaurant

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

Where to switch off

The subterranean Sax Le Club Fitness & Spa pairs Technogym equipment with a sauna, hammam and treatment rooms for massages and facials. Beyond the spa, the concierge can arrange Rive Gauche experiences – such as a private pontoon cruise on the Seine – alongside designer bicycles and personalised pet-friendly services. During warmer days, you can soak in Le Jardin’s heated outdoor pool and Jacuzzi.

hotel sax paris review

Sax Garden

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

The verdict

There’s no denying Sax Paris has personality. Its aesthetic may diverge from the traditional codes of Parisian five-star hospitality, but the service is every bit as polished and attentive.

hotel sax paris review

Prestige Junior Suite

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hôtel Sax Paris)

Sax Paris, LXR Hotels & Resorts is located at 55 Av. de Saxe, 75007 Paris, France

Sofia de la Cruz
Sofia de la Cruz
Travel Editor

Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. She feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture.