BABEL Lille Hotel: a stopover on the Spice Route

Inspired by the city’s rich trading heritage and its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe’s major capitals, BABEL Lille tells a story of travel, exchange and discovery. Designed by interior architect Chloé Nègre, the property evokes the stopovers of a traveller returning from the northern ports. Each of its 71 rooms unfolds like a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, blending carefully sourced antiques with bespoke creations.

Image credit: Alice Casenave

BABEL Lille is a contemporary urban inn located in the heart of one of the city’s most dynamic neighbourhoods, just a short walk from both train stations. Drawing inspiration from distant horizons as much as from the street next door, the hotel celebrates the maritime history of Flanders, long-haul voyages and the global trade routes that shaped Lille, a historic cultural crossroads nourished by its hidden waterways.

To bring this narrative to life, the hotel entrusted its design to interior architect Chloé Nègre. Conceived and thought as the residence of a modern-day corsair collecting treasures throughout his journeys, the hotel is filled with antiques, handcrafted pieces and bespoke furnishings. Chloé Nègre creates a timeless aesthetic by combining noble natural materials,  custom-designed objects, vintage finds and antiques.

The result is a place that feels suspended between different time dimensions, where multiple stories coexist and where guests are invited to connect, exchange and find inspiration. From the moment guests enter, the lobby sets the tone. A welcoming lounge furnished with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces sourced from Désuet offers a comfortable place for guests to relax. On the floor, a carpet featuring a mermaid motif lies beneath a Chloé Nègre-designed octopus-shaped light fixture. Natural light filters through stained-glass windows created by Lille artisan Hugo Lepoutre. The artist from Lille chose to depict a giant octopus among scales and ropework inspired by Art Nouveau.

Spread across six floors, the hotel’s 71 guestrooms are imagined as the stopovers of a traveller returning from the ports of the North. Spice-toned palettes, raw linen, patinated brass, rich velvets, aged wood and antique tiles create an atmosphere steeped in discovery. Each room tells its own story, like a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, bringing together vintage objects, custom-made pieces and reclaimed materials.

Throughout the hotel, a curated collection of artworks explores the theme of travelling, the Spice Route and the world of corsairs. Curated by Amélie Maison d’Art, a contemporary Parisian art gallery. The rooms depict a fictional world of a fictional sea life. Some rooms feature hand-painted mermaid murals created
by Lille-born decorative painter Lucille Boitelle, who also designed the patterns found on the hotel’s corridor carpets.

The headboards that are already iconic at BABEL Belleville are crafted either from marine-blue or sandy zellige tiles with botanical motifs, or from wood inlaid with octopus-inspired designs. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered: wall sconces evoke mermaids’ tails, while braided mirror frames reference maritime ropework traditions.

Image credit: Alice Casenave

In the bathrooms, basin sinks take inspiration from ancient amphorae, vessels that have travelled across centuries and seas. These statement pieces are crafted by Maison Herbeau, the last family-owned French manufacturer specialising in sanitary ceramics, located only a few kilometres from the hotel. They are paired with functionalist Art Nouveau-inspired cabinetry.

Guests are welcomed by a signature spice-infused fragrance blending lemon, cardamom, chilli pepper and cedarwood, featured throughout the MAW (My Aromatic Wish) body care collection and complemented by in-room tea service. Whether you decide to stop alone or with company, Babel Lille offers four different rooms, which can accommodate up to four guests. Families can choose from Family Rooms, Connecting Rooms or spacious 32 square metre apartments featuring a queen-size bed, two single beds and a kitchenette.

Image credit: Alice Casenave

Throughout the day, the hotel’s vibrant bar serves as its beating heart. A meeting place for travellers and local residents alike, it reinterprets the spirit of historic taverns with large communal tables, comfortable banquettes, collected curiosities and beverages inspired by the Spice Route. The menu also features BABEL wafers, inspired by the famous Northern French waffles traditionally flavoured with brown sugar. The concise, purpose-driven drinks menu highlights local producers and artisans,  alongside sustainably sourced MUDA coffee and homemade reinterpretations of regional treats.

A discreet door near the hotel entrance leads to an intimate private lounge designed for meetings, seminars and conferences. A large mural by Lucille Boitelle adorns the walls, evoking historic maritime charts and navigational maps.

Like BABEL Belleville  and  the wider MyHotels group, BABEL Lille embraces a model of hospitality that is responsible, socially conscious and locally rooted. Its commitments include circular economy practices, short supply chains, eco-certified products, recycled and reclaimed materials, responsible  energy management and ongoing environmental training for staff.

As with its Paris property, BABEL Lille aims to showcase the richness of its region by working closely with hyper-local suppliers, Lille-based artists, craftspeople and community organisations. The hotel is envisioned as a welcoming, vibrant and accessible place where travellers and local residents come together. Much like the city itself, BABEL Lille fosters dialogue between cultures, craftsmanship and generations.

Main image credit: Alice Casenave