Anouska Hempel has long been a hotelier and designer famed for being a pioneer of the stylish boutique hotel (she founded Blakes in London’s South Kensington in 1978 after an earlier career as an actor and model). The New Zealander now brings an exquisite touch to Paris as the designer of this member of the Chapitre Six collection of French hotels. Monsieur George Hotel and Spa sits on a side street just off Champs-Élysées in a classy, sand-coloured Hausmann-style corner block. It offers fewer than 50 rooms and has an air of refined, cool decadence to it from the moment you step into the intimate lobby (and encounter its very friendly and attentive staff).
Why stay at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
Located just off one of Paris’s most hectic and visited boulevards, Monsieur George is characterful, modest, and sings with creative luxury. It also has a superb restaurant, Galanga, deserving of its Michelin star. If you’re willing and able to pay more, the experience here is relatively good value for its high price point – and offers a whole lot more character than some of the city’s other, even more expensive, options.
What are the rooms like at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
They don’t disappoint. Our warm and stylish fourth-floor double room sat on the corner of the building and was full of light from two directions. It also offered a balcony with a small table and chairs for two – although if you suffer even a little from vertigo you might want to skip going for a wander along the length of the room outside (though it’s perfectly safe to do so). The room itself had framed black and white drawings on the wall evoking neo-classical scenes and a TV sitting in an artist’s easel – a good alternative to the usual wall-mounted option. The colours were all dark greys, blacks and whites, including big lush heavy curtains and a general abundance of velvet. The bed was very comfy. The bathroom was fairly compact, but the walk-in shower did the job, with plenty of soft towels and toiletries on offer. Each of the hotel’s six floors offers its own style, and there are also three suites.
Which is the food like at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
The tasting menu at Galanga, the restaurant at Monsieur George run by chef Thomas Danigo, is a compelling reason not to step outdoors at all for dinner. The seven-course menu is €165 with an additional €90 for paired wines. Galanga is a good example of Michelin-starred cooking that’s unfussy, creative and genuinely satisfying: each course was memorable in its own way, but especially so was a mini bouillabaisse with flamed mackerel, and a delicious dessert of feta and goat’s milk ice cream served with three different kinds of strawberries. The atmosphere is lively and unstuffy, and we found ourselves transfixed by the serving hatch into the kitchen; a portal to and from a slick military-style operation. Breakfast at the hotel is in the same ground floor space between the bar and the outside terrace: choices include a basket of bread and pastries, fresh fruit salad, Greek yoghurt, juices and eggs any way you want them.
Outside of the hotel, the Champs-Elysees offers international and local fast-food options, from Five Guys to Paul, but generally it’s best to be wary of restaurants and brasseries in the area as you’ll often pay a premium for the location – prices on the terrasses on the Champs itself generally come with a fat premium just for the view of the Arc de Triomphe.
What is the service like at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
It’s hard to fault the attention we received when checking in and out, and when arranging for our bags to be stored while we headed off mid-morning to see an exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton – the Frank Gehry-designed art museum which sits on the edge of the vast, wooded Bois de Boulogne park, which is a few stops away in the direction of Neuilly-sur-Seine on line one of the Metro (the yellow line). Similarly, the staff in the restaurant, Galanga, were efficient and knowledgeable; we were especially impressed with the somellier – her recommendation that we try a honey wine with one course at dinner proved a winning one.
What are the facilities like at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
Monsieur George isn’t exactly overflowing with facilities beyond the rooms, bar and restaurant. But venture down to the basement level and you’ll find a compact gym if you feel the need to work off the tasting menu at Galanga. There’s also a spa on the same level with massages available to book.
What’s the area like around Monsieur George Hotel and Spa?
Location is an important factor if you’re considering whether to stay at Monsieur George. If you’re looking for a more local neighbourhood feel, or for easy access to good value or up-and-coming bars and restaurants, this isn’t ideal – it’s hardly a homely or lesser-trodden area of the French capital. But if visiting Paris landmarks and soaking up the grandeur of the city centre is important to you, this location is perfect: you’re within walking distance of the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Grand Palais and other major attractions, and there are also plenty of good name-brand shops nearby, including the heady, eye-wateringly expenisve fashion boutiques of Avenue Montaigne. If you turn right out of the hotel along Rue Washington you’re soon on the Champs-Élysées; but if you turn left instead along the same road, you’re more likely to come across more sensible eating and drinking options (including places not solely designed for tourists).
Why you should you book a stay at Monsieur George Hotel and Spa
If you’re willing to pay prices that start close to 500 euros a night, this is an excellent option if you want to feel the personal touch and prefer boutique and smaller hotels to larger luxury establishments. It’s also a good choice if you want to be near well-known landmarks and institutions and perhaps don’t know Paris very well. It’s a design-led hotel, so if thoughtful uses of space and characterful interior artistry appeals to you, this is a strong option.
DETAILS
Address: 17 Rue Washington, 75008 Paris
Price: From €514 per night, with various seasonal offers for multi-night stays
Closest transport: George V station on Line One of the Metro