Is This The Most Picture-Perfect Hotel In Paris?

Family-owned hotel brand Maisons Pariente specialises in art-filled boutique hotels packed with charm – and their Parisian offering, Le Grand Mazarin, ticks every box. Martha Davies checks in.

Read the C&TH Responsible Tourism Guide

Hotel Review: Le Grand Mazarin, Paris

Though it’s just a short Eurostar ride away from London, crossing the threshold of Le Grand Mazarin feels like falling down the rabbit hole. Clashing patterns jump from every seat, wall and scrap of fabric; bobbin trims cling to every unsuspecting corner and doorway; and rich tapestries hover above every bed. It’s all glamour but none of the blinged-up glitz that would make you want to put your shades on. 

There are no mad hatters here, just affable staff that usher you in from the bustle of Paris’ 4th arrondissement to Le Grand Mazarin’s whimsical world. Peppered with galleries, bars and plenty of shops (and just a ten-minute walk from Notre Dame and the Picasso museum), the fashionable Marais district serves as the perfect backdrop for a hotel as elegant as this one – though you will have to be persuaded to leave wonderland if you want to take a stroll around the neighbourhood.

And why would you want to leave, even with the city of lights on your doorstep? At Le Grand Mazarin, everything gets curiouser and curiouser, from the heavenly swimming pool and hammam (finished with intricate frescoes on the domed ceiling) to the hidden speakeasy and the effortlessly chic bar (which serves up such delights as sake and red cabbage cocktails). 

And the rooms: every one is a dreamscape, awash in delectable sorbet hues and more patterns. Some are peach and pale blue; others are a creamy pistachio green with pops of lemon yellow (and a dash of leopard print). Designer Martin Brudnizki took inspiration from the grand salons and aristocratic mansions that rub shoulders with Le Grand Mazarin, and there’s certainly a jewellery box feel to every corner, from the petal-shaped chandeliers to the trinkets on the bookshelves (many of which were collected by the co-founders of Maisons Pariente).

Meanwhile, at Boubalé, the hotel’s gorgeous restaurant, you can sample superb Middle Eastern fare, from houmous and fattoush salad to crispy cauliflower, confit artichoke and slow-cooked lamb. It’s the perfect place for a leisurely lunch or a lavish dinner, though the brunch is delightful, too; think pastrami pancakes, shakshouka and (of course) a magnificent selection of pastries. That Parisian magic is never far away, after all.

THE FINAL WORD

Who knew you could reach wonderland after just a few hours on the train? Le Grand Mazarin is a treasure trove – and yet for all the colour and pattern and whimsy, it’s still the perfect sanctuary in the heart of one of Paris’ most beloved neighbourhoods.

BOOK IT

Nightly rates start from €490 on a B&B basis. legrandmazarin.com

GETTING THERE 

It’s undeniable: the best way to travel to Paris from the UK is via Eurostar. A quick check-in, a journey of only two and a half hours, and you’re in the buzzy French capital. eurostar.com