Review: La Fantaisie, Paris hotel review

Why book?
To rediscover Paris’ villagey 9^th arrondissement, renowned for its bon viveurs and vibrant café scene, at satisfyingly close quarters. It’s a spot where the appearance of exciting new hotels – particularly those that the local epicureans rate enough to mingle with transitory guests – are a relatively rare occurrence.

It also presents a thrilling Parisian first for two creative heavyweights – Michelin-starred Breton chef Dominique Crenn, whose Atelier Crenn in San Francisco is the first restaurant in the US by a female chef to acquire three stars; and Swedish interiors guru Martin Brudnizki, the maestro of irreverent maximalism whose previous hits include the Liberace-worthy decadence of Annabel’s in London’s Mayfair. It’s a powerhouse coup for those who like a city break touched by the frisson of cultural trendsetters.

The other huge draw is the lush, lovingly landscaped courtyard garden, resuscitated from near total abandonment, which is visible both from the greenhouse-style windows of the restaurant and the urbane haven of the rooftop bar.

Set the scene
Coming upon La Fantaisie isn’t exactly like tripping on a hidden treasure. The modernist olive-green building, clad in pre-weathered zinc (by French architects Petitdidierprioux) hugs an ample space on the relatively small Rue Cadet, an architecturally eclectic street swinging from elegant 19^th-century apartments and furtive-looking courtyard-revealing doorways to the steel-and-glass monolith of the Franco-masonic HQ and museum. But the bold façade’s simple bravado, punctuated by slivers of canary-coloured canopies (and a café that opens out onto the street) make for an intriguing statement and the perfect palette cleanser before sliding into the homely-meets-maximalist decadence inside.

After being met by the hotel’s staff, who’ll happily venture into the hustle of incoming cyclists to escort you indoors, the heart of the lobby is a gloriously cosy lounge honouring Paris’ literary salons (albeit with distinct flavours of the Bloomsbury set) bearing a typically immersive Brudnizki mélange. There’s wall and ceiling wallpaper in bespoke botanical print invoking La Fantaisie’s focus on nature; oversized parquet flooring; gilded scaffold bookshelves; marble-top café tables; and sumptuously cushioned couches rippling with ikat print. The same homespun flamboyance overflows into the Golden Poppy restaurant just beyond – a room whose sunshine-yellow walls, floral brocade banquettes, conservatory-style chairs and the slightly surreal site of a tree emerging from a central flowerbed invokes a 1950’s-inflected Californian reverie.

Take the lift to the equally over-the-top, pink-velvet-and-candy-striped tree-lined decadence of the terraced rooftop Bar Sur La Toit (literally, ‘bar on the roof’) for another view of the cherished garden, Paris’ famous skyscape and Crenn’s California-inspired cocktails.

The backstory
It’s only been five years since the Leitmotiv real estate group, a family-run business native to Paris helmed by Martine Kampf, took a first leap into the hotel industry with a 30-room boutique destination in the heart of the alpine village of Megève.

As number two in the portfolio, La Fantaisie represents something of a homecoming for the family, a heart-and-soul expression for the collective which, unencumbered by the weighty etiquettes of heritage competitors, like to do things differently. Rejecting the sometimes-stifling formalities of the classic luxury hotels of Paris’ golden triangle, La Fantaisie was conceived as a contemporary gateway to the bohemian delights of the 9^th arrondissement for both international visitors and the neighbourhoods’ own connoisseurs.

No small feat, the project involved a hefty, three-and-a-half-year reboot of the former L’Opéra Cadet hotel, which was built in the 1970’s and had aged badly. The overhaul included transforming the underground car park into a serene spa and resuscitating the historic jewel of a courtyard garden originally created by the brothers Jacques and Jean Cadet, the acclaimed 16^th Century gardeners after which the street is named. Expect Leitmotiv’s next adventure (into Rome’s Monti neighbourhood in 2024) to deliver a similar vision of localised, casual-connoisseur luxe.

The rooms
La Fantaisie’s 63 rooms and 10 suites all take their lead from Brudnizki’s riotous smorgasbord of decorative arts interiors that characterise the public areas, but with a considerably calmer sensibility primed for private chilling.

While toned down and relatively compact (with views of either Rue Cadet or the garden) they’re awash with herbaceous-referencing greens, golds and burnt orange and the attention to surprise details for which Brudnizki is also famed; breadcrumbs of ornamental and product design gold litter each, including ceramics from Danish brand Hay and the French artist Daniel Milliner (whose studio is a hop away in the 18^th arrondissement) and paintings by artists including Swedish-Tunisian star Zahra Holm and South-African Mafalda Vasconcelos. Open the drawers and minibar for bite-sized bursts of high-vibes holistic health: Cosmic Dealer’s vegan chocolate and ayurvedic tongue cleaners, être’s CBD tinctures and L’Officine Botanique’s sleep elixir await.

But it’s the spacious penthouse suite that epitomises La Fantaisie’s pursuit of an urban retreat soaked in the salve of nature thanks to a terrace length enough to warrant a small promenade hemmed by a bucolic border of meadow-like wildflowers. And the sublimely decadent bathtub looking onto the deck. The view is enchanting – way into the night the full beam search light of the Eiffel Tour scours the sky like a ghostly lighthouse, summoning the dream-like sense of being only loosely moored amid the magical city of lights.

Food & drink
Superstar chef Dominique Crenn is the overlord of culinary endeavours but it’s the Golden Poppy restaurant (her first in France, and a natural fit for a liberated style of culinary artistry unlikely to sing in Paris’ traditional palatial behemoths) that’s the jewel in La Fantaisie’s crown. Marrying her native Brittany with the bricolage of influences that constitute the San Francisco coast she also calls home, fish is the hero (there’s no meat here). Standout dishes include banana pancakes with smoked osciètre caviar, bottarga flan, and arguably the zenith of the list – sea bass ceviche with pea milk and leche de tigre.

Bar Sur La Toit translates those inflections into cocktails honouring the influence of Mexican culture on California’s gourmet scene; take your pick from the lyrical titles of the Green Pisco Punch, Golden Tiki, Summer of Love Sour or Twin Peaks Swizzle. The poetry of the gourmand is everywhere. Even the breakfast menu (featuring dishes such as kimchi fried eggs and brassica toast with black sesame and togarashi) comes bound in an orange hardback bearing words that make colours sound like coded advice: tangerine sunrise, fields of gold, blue pacific, orange groves. For a glamorous, stool-perching Parisian pit-stop, the brasserie serves a succinct menu including kale and sesame salad or gaufre (waffle) with orange marmalade.

The spa
Engineered from the underground car park of the former hotel, the spa is for those seeking the restorative nature of holistic healing rather than high performance fitness (the gym is a well-considered but compact space with one bike and a wall of designer weights). Hosting two single treatment rooms and third twin space, the highlight is the series of small pools – thermal hot and cold baths and a jacuzzi to be taken consecutively, a hammam and state-of-the-art infrared room. All the products, mirroring those in the hotel rooms, come from vegan brand Holidermie, founded by Vogue Paris veteran Mélanie Huynh.

The service
Young, knowledgeable, and just the right side of familiar, the staff are an enthused bunch with a light whiff of hipster. Each is uniformed in a crisp white shirt, blue jeans, Converse’s ‘run-star hike’ platformed hi-tops and a botanical broach by another of La Fantaisie’s artistic collaborators, Parisian jeweller Philippe Ferrandis, reminding guests that this is 5-star hoteling without the usual airs and graces.

The neighbourhood
Rue Cadet, a mini market street in central Paris, is paradise for those who love a saunter and observe, close to the Grand Boulevards, Galeries Lafayette and the famous covered passageways that blend mysterious-looking antique shops and charming cafés. It’s also a short stroll away from the Rue des Martyrs, home to one of Paris’ best Sunday morning flea markets (flanked with boulangeries, patisseries and wine shops) and deceptively close to Gare du Nord, making it an ideal nest for a flying visit.

Who comes here?
Thirtysomethings upward with an appetite for informal luxe, divine food and Paris via a local lens; plus clusters of the 9^th’s discerning epicureans were already congregating on the rooftop bar during my visit, with others clamouring to get a spot at the brasserie for breakfast.

Families & pets
While both families and pets are very much welcomed at the hotel, the compact nature of many of the rooms make it more of a sweet spot for couples and small groups.

Eco efforts
All menus are entirely meat-free, there’s a zero plastic policy and many of the daily staples such as the bread, patisseries and flowers come from neighbouring businesses on the Rue Cadet.

Accessibility for those with mobility impairments
Lifts service all the hotel’s floors, with full wheelchair access to the restaurant, lobby, spa, and selected rooms.

Anything else to mention?
Ever innovative, they’re currently working on a series of locale-connected audio tours. First up will be a guide to local museums, followed by food and, of course, Paris’ gardens.

Is it worth it?
Most definitely. For those who want to experience Paris at a playful local level but that doesn’t compromise on the core tenets of contemporary spoiling, it’s a central sweet spot not to miss.