Review: Hotel des Grands Boulevards Paris

Hotel des Grands Boulevards Paris Review

The hotel

Hotel des Grands Boulevards is tucked away in the 2nd Arrondissement in Paris and is the second hotel in French capital opened by the Experimental Group. The original building was erected shortly before the French Revolution and holds rich history mixed with modern interiors and an exciting Parisian atmosphere.

Away from all the commotion however still within the heart of the bourgeois district, during your stay you’ll be surrounded by many a choice of bars, boutiques and hip restaurants. The hotel features 50 bedrooms, a restaurant, a rooftop terrace bar and a downstairs bar called THE SHELL – serving an exciting concoction of drinks from the Experimental Cocktail Club, a group of mixologists responsible for the rebirth of Parisian cocktail culture.

The room

Every aspect of the rooms at Hotel des Grands Boulevards are designed and considered down to the very last detail – room key and all. Our Junior Suite (located on the top floor) featured modern details with an art deco influence, rich jewel-toned navy walls and a huge canopy bed that’s fit for a king (or queen!). The original Parisian Eaves remain as a charming feature and the high ceilings make for a super luxurious 18th-century design.

The hero feature of this room would have to be the standout pink bathroom complete with his and hers sinks (or hers/hers in our case, as I was travelling with Mihaela). The bathroom is covered with intricate tiles and features red marble a la Louis XVI and gold accents. The toilet + shower area is separated with a door to give you privacy from the rest of the room.

In the room, you will experience all aspects of modern and acquired comfort. Seriously soft satin bed linen, espresso machine & organic coffee, Flat Screen HDTV (that actually transforms into a mirror so was stylishly hidden on arrival), free high-speed wifi, matching robes + slippers – oh and I can’t forget to mention the toiletries. I mean, it’s certainly not the first thing you think about when booking a hotel, but the fact that the complimentary bathroom products featured Parisian & renowned brands such as Codage, REN, Sachajuan and Evolve Organic Beauty, was an appreciated premium touch.

Amenities + Food & Drink

At Hotel des Grands Boulevards, the focus is definitely on good food, great atmosphere and lively drinks. During your stay, make sure to visit their rooftop terrace, THE SHED, as there are often social events on where drinks are flowing and you’ll have the chance to mingle with interesting locals and travellers from afar.

Their restaurant, by chef Giovanni Passerini, surrounds a courtyard with a glass roof, making it the perfect spot to eat in sunshine or rain. Sadly our visit was short which meant we didn’t get to sample the classic French-Italian country cooking at their restaurant.

The complimentary breakfast buffet offers a gourmet spread of homemade cakes and jams, artisan cheese and cured meats, freshly baked breads and baguettes. The bar staff are available to make you an artisan organic coffee, which meant I got to start my morning with my usual order of an Iced Latte with Oat milk, which is rare to come by in most hotel buffets.

Cocktails

The last drink of our Paris trip went out with a bang! We went downstairs to the onsite bar, THE SHELL. Here they serve a unique array of cocktails from the Experimental Cocktail Club. We had the ‘Cosmo Provence’ (Vodka Fair infused with Aperol, Velvet Falernum & lime juice) and the ‘Grands Boulevards’ (Bourbon Buffalo infused with cacao, Gran Classico & vermouth) which went down smoother than a Ray Charles song.

Details

15-minute walk to the Louvre. Double rooms start from £156 and are more on the large side for Paris hotel rooms. View rooms at Hotel des Grands Boulevards.