You can spot this olive facade from afar, set in the shade of the plane trees on Boulevard Saint-Marcel. Hôtel Orphée has taken root here, in a 5th arrondissement with the good sense not to think itself the 6th, with the Jardin des Plantes next door, the Grande Mosquée two streets away, and the Seine at the edge of sight.
The entrance sets the tone: a paneled wooden counter, lifted by red ceramic, which makes its point. Inside, the decor plays with contrasts without ever forcing them. Graphic lines and voluptuous curves, noble materials, soft tonal ranges. It is a house that dares to mix things and owns them. The Left Bank is finally allowing itself a little fantasy, and it suits it well.
The 44 rooms were conceived as little cabins with souls: original arches, custom-made furnishings by Maison Roches, modern bathrooms, and in some cases a balcony with a view over Paris. Special mention for Orso's artisanal breakfast, reason enough on its own to come down early, and for the hammam.
