Set in the middle of Le Marais, this quaint hotel evokes a whimsical world aimed at our inner child. Forget the hipster Marais: this boutique bolthole embodies the low-key side of the district, with its quirky cafes, narrow alleys and nostalgia for a lost childhood that never was. Cast as an old-school sweet shop, Maison Saintonge is what the French call a ‘confiserie’ but it also happens to embrace a home-sweet-home mood that is equally endearing.
Maison Saintonge feels like a waltz back to a 1950s childhood, one filled with retro lollypops, brightly-coloured bons-bons and pop-eyed kids squandering their pocket money on sweets. In fact, the Maison seems so unlike a hotel that passing tourists regularly mistake it for a sweet shop and come in, entranced, to sample a version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Even the pink exterior is adorned with twists of candy and sticks of rocks. You almost expect to be greeted by an Edwardian maiden aunt praising your school report and thrusting liquorice all-sorts at you.
Why stay at Maison Saintonge?
The hotel is part of the innovative Chapitre Six brand whose ethos revolves around so-called ‘sleeping beauties,’ and the revival of unsung neighbourhood properties. Like the others, Maison Saintonge boasts a certain je ne sais quoi that is both individualistic and theatrical. The vintage chic style runs from retro telephone sets to candle-like bedside lamps, second-hand dressers and recycled floral crockery. The look takes in stone walls, ancient exposed beams, colourful bedspreads, and framed botanical prints in gilded frames.
What are the rooms like at Maison Saintonge?
The 22 rooms include a sole inviting suite tucked under the eaves. The difference between rooms is more about size than style, with the option for bigger beds and slightly more space. Not that bigger is necessarily better: certain smaller rooms are deliciously cosy and intrinsically more appealing than larger, less luminous rooms overlooking the inner courtyard. The choice is essentially between views of the street or the courtyard, with street views infinitely better, both for the light and the buzzier mood in this densely-packed district. Set off the courtyard, the spacious ground floor room is designed for disabled guests and that is exceptional for such a small, old-fashioned Paris hotel. The bathrooms, including here, are pretty spacious and fitted with retro shower taps.
What is the food like at Maison Saintonge?
Breakfast is served in a vaulted, refectory-like dining room complete with checked tablecloths and floral crockery. It’s a classic Continental breakfast with a twist, mixing croissants, cheeses and cold cuts with sweet preserves, muffins and even sweeter pastries. As a tiny boutique hotel in a buzzy restaurant and bar district, Maison Saintonge has no need for a restaurant service beyond breakfast. But it does have a tasty trump card, in the form of a side gig as a sweet shop, with boiled sweets stored in old-school jars and on sale day or night. Guests can dip into sour candy, twisted rocks or liquorice all-sorts and settle up at the desk.
What is the service like at Maison Saintonge?
The hotel feels like a tiny operation with a personality-led approach which is potentially hit and miss depending on the individual staff member. Luckily, the breakfast service is run by a smiley staff member keen to ply unsuspecting guests with yet more croissants and cakes.
What are the facilities like at Maison Saintonge?
In Paris, especially in Le Marais, space is at a premium and rooms tend to be small so the sweet shop doubles as a lobby, complete with cabinets, comfy sofa and coffee machine. The courtyard comes into its own in summer, acting as a bijou garden made for reading or chatting over coffee. Guests can also read or work in the vaulted breakfast room, when it’s not in use. But, in the end, the appeal of Le Marais means that most guests are only too happy to spend their days exploring and to use their private sweet shop as their base.
What’s the area like around Maison Saintonge?
The Marais is a mecca for creatives, embracing designers, artists and fashionistas, as well as foodies. The famed Picasso Museum is around the corner while the Carnavalet Museum, the newly-revamped Museum of Paris, is ten minutes’ walk away. The Marais is also a foodie hotspot, with the good-value Marché des Enfants Rouges food halls and street restaurants nearby. As for the edible Marais, much can be explored and tasted on a tour – the Eating Europe tour was recommended by staff at the hotel and it was great.
Why should you book a stay at Maison Saintonge
If you like character, old-school charm and retro sweet shops, then this unpretentious Marais boutique hotel sells itself. If you missed your vocation as an old fogey, this place is also for you. What’s more, given the quirkiness of Maison Saintonge, room rates are often lower than in some rival establishments nearby. Like it or loathe it, Maison Saintonge is a refreshing antidote to generic chain hotels – it’s a sugary, whimsical world that almost dares to cross the line into caricature. Even the deeply comfortable beds offer sweet dreams.
DETAILS
Address: Maison Saintonge 16, rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris, France
Price per night: Superior rooms from €179 per night, and Junior Suites from €289, with prices rising to €500 in high season
Closest transport: Metro Filles du Calvaire; Metro St Paul