Starting the day on a literary note, and with Paris Design Week still fresh in our minds, we set Wren Loucks Founder & Creative Director of Be-kin, the enviable task of discovering a few Parisian boutique boltholes for Hotel Designs . In this first of a series of three, she guides us through the corridors of Maison Proust…
I often dream about living in Paris, as an artist during the Belle Epoque. Perhaps I did in a past life? I imagine sitting at Café de Flore on Saint-Germain-Des-Pres, sipping coffee and discussing how the fauvist colour palettes of Matisse and Derain, and the deeply symbolic work of Odilon Redon, are changing the artistic landscape. The Belle Epoque was an exciting time for art, writing and cultural expression in Paris. Artists and writers were no longer interested in just representing how the world is seen, but also how it is felt.
It was during this time that French novelist and literary critic, Marcel Proust, wrote and began to publish his monumental work, In Search of Lost Time. Proust is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
Image credit: Maison Proust
Maison Proust, a 5-star boutique hotel in the Marais, pays homage to Proust and the Parisian salons of the Belle Epoque. It is the third hotel by Maisons Particulieres Collection, which opened in January 2023. The hotel consists of 23-rooms and suites, lounges (bar, library and winter garden) and a spa. The Collection Maisons Particuliers was founded by Sylviane Sanz and Yoni Aidan. Each of their three Parisian hotels aims to reflect the luxurious spirit and soul of Paris, inside an intimate and confidential setting.
“Here, the past is never far away, art is everywhere.” Maison Proust.
Image credit: Maison Proust
Walking inside Maison Proust, one is transported. The cohesive, rich interior by celebrated designer, Jacque Garcia, is an elegant and impressive interpretation of the past. The colour palette is reminiscent of a night sky, with deep blues and sparkling jewel tones of red and gold. Traditional decoration techniques such as verre eglomise, gilding and tromp l’oeils are featured throughout.
On arrival, I was guided into the bar for a welcome drink. The room was dimly lit, with thick velvet curtains sweeping across the door, as if closing off the rest of the world. Time slowed down, allowing me to drink in the beauty of the room. Deep blue mohair fabric clad the banquette seats and chairs, with beautiful pipping and bouillon fringes tickling the floor. Antique mirror is inset into timber panelling on the walls, softly reflecting the twinkling candlelight and crystal chandeliers.
Original early 20th century French portraits are displayed, whispering stories of the past. While being a small space, the room offered so much decorative richness and depth, that one could just sit there, for hours, dreaming.
Image credit: Maison Proust
After I finished my drink, I was led to my room – the August Renoir Junior Suite. When I opened the door, the rosy glow of Renoir’s painting ‘The Day Dream’ seemed to come to life through the interior design. The walls were painted a dusty rose, with gold gilding. Wall lights with pleated lampshades created a soft glow around the room. In the bedroom, silk fabric reminiscent of the swirly impressionist brushstrokes, lined the walls. It’s a romantic space—somewhere to escape to and disconnect from the tempo of ordinary life.
Image credit: Maison Proust
I was then invited to experience Spa La Mer which is a 10metre swimming pool and hammam. The spa is private—for either yourself, or for you and your guest. Entering it, you hear and feel only the sound of your breath, the running water, the sensation of mist in the hammam—there is nothing else to distract you. It’s a space to reconnect to your own inner, private landscape.
Image credit: Maison Proust
That evening, I went back to the bar for a drink. I ordered a glass of champagne which arrived in a beautiful cut crystal coupe, with rose petals lavishly draped over the edge. Beside the bar is The Library, so I decided to go in. It’s a round room, lined in books including original editions by Proust, and the ceiling has an exquisite starburst tromp l’oeil, inspired by the Salon du Soleil at Palais Garnier. It’s a lovely place for soft, intimate conversation.
The next morning I had breakfast in the Winter Garden. The Winter Garden is the brightest space in the hotel, with windows that look out onto Rue de Picardie. Soft Parisian café music played as I drank black coffee and ate poached eggs.
Image credit: Maison Proust
Looking out onto the street, I felt very grateful for my time at Maison Proust—a hotel that allows time to slow down and for one to connect inward, with your own thoughts and feelings. I feel Maison Proust is an anecdote to the speed and distraction of modern life. It offers what I call a ‘Plutonian Beauty’ one that is deep, long-lasting, impactful. Since leaving the hotel, I have enjoyed burning their signature candle and reminiscing about the beauty I experienced there.
“To stop the movement of the hours in this luminous instant, to create memories, in the bliss of an chancing environment.” Marcel Proust.
Main image credit: Maison Proust
