LE GRAND MAZARIN, PARIS, FRANCE

Posted in Projects on 3 February, 2024

Martin Brudnizki brings lavish layers of joyous frivolity to Maison Pariente’s Parisian debut.

Words: Emma Kennedy

The entrance of Le Grand Mazarin, doesn’t exactly shout grand, but in an age where quiet luxury is king, who wants to be shouted at by a hotel? Sitting elegantly on a generous corner plot in the capital’s lively Marais district, its neighbours are a mix of vibrant bars, fashionable restaurants, and seductive boutiques, leaving you spoilt for choice should you feel the need to leave the hotel – which isn’t a given. Served equally well by transport and culture – the Hôtel de Ville metro is a short stroll away, Notre-Dame and the Île de la Cité a 15-minute walk, and a raft of museums and independent galleries in between – all in all, its location ticks a lot of chic boxes. Arriving in style at Gare du Nord, courtesy of Eurostar Premium (still the obvious choice when travelling between London and Paris) Le Grand Mazarin is easily reached by taxi or the metro.

BACKSTORY
Le Grand Mazarin is the fourth property in family-owned Maison Pariente’s portfolio, which includes Crillon-le-Brave in Provence, Le Coucou in Méribel, and Lou Pinet in Saint-Tropez. Under the creative direction of Co-founder Kimberley Cohen, appointing a different designer to each of their properties is non-negotiable. Indeed, hefty chunks of their respective websites are dedicated to each designer, demonstrating the high regard in which they’re held. The result is a collection of aesthetically strong stand-alone properties. While visually they may have little in common with their design-led sisters, from a service perspective, they all hit the same luxury sweet spot with their faultless attention to detail and joie de vivre.

For the best part of 2023, devoted members of the Martin Brudnizki appreciation society were teased with tantalising glimpses of his flamboyant interiors for Maisons Pariente’s Parisian debut. The waiting game finally came to an end last September when Le Grand Mazarin opened its doors to an equally flamboyant guest list, to celebrate its timely launch.

DESIGN
Six years in the making, Brudnizki has stamped his decorative seal throughout, from the spa in the basement to the three-bedroom penthouse suite on the sixth floor.

Leaving the cobbled streets along with the hustle and bustle of Le Marais behind you, the hotel’s reception transports you into the otherworldliness of Le Grand Mazarin. A gold leather clad desk shines brightly beneath a ceiling of ruched jade silk. At its pleated epicentre, a heavy crystal chandelier sparkles with gravitas, picking up the delicate water marks of the taffeta silk-lined walls. It’s utterly delicious and sets the extravagant tone for things to come.

Immediately, there is a distinct residential feel to Le Grand Mazarin, that put me in mind of the small French hotels I stayed in as a child on family holidays – grand but forgotten houses, that had aged gracefully, filled with time-worn antiques, faded chintz and charm. They were always en route to somewhere deemed more exciting, but for me they were the best part of the holiday.

Discussing the inspiration behind the interiors, Brudnizki’s comments chimed with my memories.

“I love the concept of the literary salon of yesteryear,” he says. “The Salonnières were one of the main sources of inspiration when designing Le Grand Mazarin. We were inspired by the great houses of the aristocratic era, where personalities from literature, art and music gathered in sumptuous residences to indulge in the pleasures of letters and fine conversation. Our concept for Le Grand Mazarin was to revive this atmosphere and adapt it to contemporary times, where guests feel at home and have the freedom to express themselves.”

Feeling very much at home, I take a seat in the central ‘salon’. There’s so much to enjoy when emersed in the world of Brudnizki, it’s hard to know where to start, but the pairing of unlikely materials never fails to grab my attention. Layer upon layer of texture and pattern, gives the illusion that anything goes. But as we all know, it’s not that simple.

The taffeta silk walls continue through into the salon, but here they have been given a leopard print trim. Low scalloped tables, petal shaped poufs and chevron patterned sofas gather in decorative recesses. Traditional French oils in ornate gilt frames, brass picture lights, and bookcases add to the literary ambiance, and a round table inlaid with marble gives a contemporary twist to a traditional pedestal table. Aesthetically it’s a quiet space, which is just as well given the cacophony of design notes going on in Boubalé.

Boubalé, is the collective name given to Le Grand Mazarin’s bar, restaurant, and Winter Garden. Tapping into Le Marais’ and Maison Pariente’s Jewish heritage, roughly translated it means ‘little darling’ in Yiddish. Created in collaboration with Israeli Michelin-starred chef, Assaf Granit, the menu pays homage to the Ashkenazi cuisine of his childhood, and “invites you to take a delicious gourmet journey through the colours and flavours of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.”

Considering the décor, one assumes the aforementioned journey also doubled up as the design inspiration. The colour palette is a jazzed-up rendition of that used in the salon. Oversized lampshades hang from a hand-painted ceiling of ribbon intertwined with foliage. A folksy print blends the walls and curtains, and painted wooden chairs sit opposite chevron patterned banquettes. Coloured glassware and bespoke china sit cheerily on plain wooden tables instead of stuffy white tablecloths. It’s all very Hansel and Gretel in the best possible way.

The bar next door is more opulent and rocks a decorous vibe. Bar stools with scalloped backs, elegant sofas and scatter cushions, pedestal tables and standard lamps wearing Charlston-esque lampshades complete a curated but exuberant look.

Changing design pace again, the Winter Garden (a courtyard extension of the restaurant), takes a step back from the folksy feel and is more reminiscent of the smart residential décor seen in eighties London. Trompe l’oiel murals and latticework sit below a retractable roof, bringing a welcome feeling of calm.

GUESTROOMS AND SUITES
The 50 guestrooms and 11 suites are as theatrical as the ground floor, with views looking out across the Le Marais rooftops or the inner courtyard and The Winter Garden below. How this will work acoustically when the latter is in full flow, is yet to be seen. Once inside my Superior room, the palette becomes more saturated, and the liberal mix of pattern and textures is paired back. The bespoke wardrobes and fittings found across all the accommodations, have their design roots firmly in the ‘French antique’ camp, but for me they were a Disneyesque step too far, giving a slightly surreal dolls house feel. However, they are rescued by the gorgeous tapestry canopies that hang majestically over the beds, and the stunning bathrooms. The suites on the floors above follow the same design intent, and one imagines will be snapped up by families and larger friendship groups, with their Art Deco bars and in the case of Le Mazarin suite, an internal staircase.

SPA AND POOL
Down in the newly excavated basement, the spa and wellness area is quite breathtaking. The standout moment is the swimming pool, which ripples under the gaze of a Jean Cocteau inspired mural. Next door, the gym, with its painted wood panels, exposed brickwork, and vaulted ceiling, feels more like a wine cellar than a workout space. The Treatment Cabin – a title possibly lost in translation – delivers bespoke treatments by Parisian practitioner Anne Cali.

ARTISTIC COLLABORATIONS
Those familiar with Martin Brudnizki’s interiors, will know to expect an array of original artworks throughout all his projects. The same is true of Maisons Pariente’s hotels. In collaboration with Amélie du Chalard, founder of contemporary art gallery Amélie Maison d’Art, a truly eclectic collection of paintings and prints – from kitsch florals to mid-century abstracts – add another layer of decoration to Le Grand Mazarin. But it’s not just the framed pieces that draw the eye. The hotel is awash with decorative paintwork, all beautifully executed by The Living Heritage Company: Ateliers Gohard. The dreamy pool mural is the work of muralist Jaques Merle and the trompe l’oeil frescos found in the Winter Garden, are by Menorcan-born artist Sophie Pega. In a world of digital ‘everything’ it’s a joy to see the resurgence of decorative paintwork throughout the hotel, and in my opinion, is what places Le Grand Mazarin on a highly polished Parisian pedestal.

Photography: Vincent Leroux