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Set in Paris’ creative quarter, Le 9 Confidentiel is at one with its sought-after location in the boho-chic Marais. Architecturally, the hotel stands out because of its Art Deco façade and bow windows. Created by celebrated French designer Philippe Starck, this is a polished affair inspired by the Roaring Twenties.
As for the interior, the tone is set by the loungey, low-key mood of the Deco-style bar. With its pink and yellow colour palette, this Parisian hideaway looks and feels rather like a cluster of macaroons – it’s intensely sweet but not quite sickly.
Many boutique hotels in Le Marais are self-consciously quaint and cluttered, opting for an old-school, shabby-chic look in a quirky townhouse. Instead, this hotel is meticulously designed and aims for a city-savvy market that mixes business and pleasure.
Why stay at Le 9 Confidentiel?
Location, location is the name of the game: this part of Le Marais is both fashion central and culture central. This chic retreat conveniently links the heart of the hipster Marais – namely its bars, bistrots, galleries and indie boutiques – with both the river and Place des Vosges.
At heart, this upmarket boutique hotel has a boudoir-like charm that appeals to the fashion crowd and to anyone nostalgic for one of the great eras of design history. Le Confidence bar, the centrepiece of this assured hotel, takes guests back to the 1920s. In fact, Philippe Starck claims to have been inspired by the boldly crafted candy jars of the turn of the century.
What are the rooms like at Le 9 Confidentiel?
The candy-coloured bedrooms are fun yet functional, with parquet flooring, stylish bathrooms and bronze mirrors that echo the Art Deco theme. Expect a cocooning mood with a feminine feel, from the frou-frou lamps to the pastel palette used in the soft furnishings. The Aurore suite, perched on the 6th floor, comes complete with a freestanding bath, and surveys the Parisian rooftops.
What is the food like at Le 9 Confidentiel?
Breakfast embraces home-baked pastries and croissants, fresh fruit salad, French farmhouse cheeses and cold cuts, along with cakes, muffins and a tempting array of egg dishes. From mid-afternoon onwards, a limited in-room menu offers snacks and light meals.
Le Confidence bar can take you from afternoon cappuccino to a pre-dinner Kir Royal or a celebratory Laurent Perrier Champagne. As for late-night indulgence, if you’re being daring, opt for a French whisky rather than a Scotch. Bar snacks include charcuterie and cheese boards for those moments when you’d rather stay close to home.
What is the service like at Le 9 Confidentiel?
It’s all about the personal touch, with the staff on hand to call a cab or restaurant, sort a cutting-edge spa treatment or simply open a bottle of Champagne. While the bar snacks are no substitute for a proper restaurant, limited room service is also available.
What are the facilities like at Le 9 Confidentiel?
Be tempted by customised spa treatments with Codage, a science-led Parisian brand, including ‘travel detox treatments’ such as a face, neck and leg massage. Most Parisian of all is the ‘shopping break massage’ which focuses on foot reflexology to boost legs that have done too much walking between the cool boutiques in Le Marais. Or, for the full Parisian, there’s always the French-without-tears tutorial class on how to perfect the French chignon.
If feeling under the weather, put the hotel’s pioneering collagen drinks to the test. Head to the innovative 48 Collagen Café for a Matcha laced with marine collagen and superfoods, designed to enhance skin radiance and boost daily well-being.
Although more of a couples’ retreat, the hotel also prides itself on its family-friendly approach, with connecting rooms, cots, highchairs, books and breakfast deals.
What’s the area like around Le 9 Confidentiel?
The location is perfect, a short stroll from the showpiece Place des Vosges, lined by aristocratic red-brick mansions, but also a gentle introduction to the heart of Le Marais.
On the food front, Boubalé, a stone’s throw away on rue des Archives, is a hipster bistrot serving creative Mediterranean dishes with an exotic Levantine twist. For authentic but casual Italian cuisine, head to Eataly on nearby rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie. Eataly is a citadel of Slow Food known for its regional Italian food court and restaurant complex. If feeling flush, dine in style at Anne, a French Michelin-starred affair on Place des Vosges.
From the hotel, the river Seine is also in your sights, with a gentle amble leading to the moody Ile Saint-Louis or to the Ile de la Cité, home to the newly-restored Notre-Dame. If not booked, don’t be deterred by the queue: it moves quickly and you’ll soon be inside, bedazzled by the contrast between the creamy walls and the jewel-like stained glass windows.
Why you should book a stay at Le 9 Confidentiel?
Fans of designer Philippe Starck will feel at home in this snug Parisian boudoir. Above all, this chic retreat makes a great base for exploring the boho Le Marais and beyond.
If the winning location and the design concept are the hotel’s main draws, the spa treatments are not far behind. Le 9 Confidentiel prides itself on its commitment to wellbeing, starting with recommended massage and reflexology but extending to far more esoteric spa treatments. Its most cutting-edge option is also its simplest, involving sipping magic potions that supposedly boost wellbeing and skin radiance by combining marine collagen and superfoods, such as Matcha – but sceptics can always opt for a collagen-free Scotch at the bar.
DETAILS
Address: Le 9 Confidential, 58 rue du Roi de Sicile, Paris 7004. Tel: 01 86 90 22 33.
Price per night: Superior room from: €238, Club room from €321, suites from €715.
Closest transport: Metro Saint-Paul and Hotel de Ville.