Psst... A rumor is circulating in the alleyways of the Haut Marais. A new address to whisper in the ear of the most curious has just opened at 6 rue Saintonge. Welcome to the Boudoir des Muses, a hotel revealed to the public in September 2024, but which nevertheless seems to have escaped from a bygone era... or from a forbidden dream. Behind its discreet façade lies a place with a sulphurous past, a former theater with a turbulent history of sins and taboos, closed by order of Napoleon and then transformed into a convent for the Daughters of Calvary. Today, under the leadership of ELEGANCIA, the sanctuary has been reborn as a cocoon with a deliciously transgressive atmosphere, featuring 28 rooms and 4 suites. Intrigued?
Right from the entrance, the lobby sets the tone: a snake-patterned carpet, a nod to the Garden of Eden, invites you to take the plunge into the unknown, winding its way up to the confessional-style marble desk. Everything here is a game of ambiguity, of subtle contrasts between the sacred and the forbidden. The airlock, bathed in subdued light, acts like the gates of purgatory. Will you be absolved? It's up to you.
At the heart of the hotel, beneath a 12-meter-high glass and steel Directoire-era dome, the grand atrium reveals all its splendor. Around it, spiral passageways lead to the 5-storey rooms, historically designed as the first boxes for live entertainment. Nothing here is insignificant. Latin inscriptions taken from the Apocalypse, provocative alcove lounges, graphic black parquet flooring... A veritable jewel box of mysteries, where every nook and cranny seems to have its own secret.
The rooms, on the other hand, play the card of monastic minimalism, in stark contrast to the shaded common areas. Soft bedding, colorful cushions, cream velvet and curly wool to warm you up. On the walls, portraits of the muses, guardians of the temple, watch over your sleep. Some rooms still boast 18th-century wooden colonnades, while others open onto breathtaking views of the Paris skyline. Special mention goes to the 72 m2 rooftop apartment, with exposed beams and vintage carpets, which sleeps six.
When it comes to entertainment, the Boudoir des Muses knows how to set the stage on fire. Every evening, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs and dancers take possession of this hotel-theater for an eclectic program, conceived as a tribute to creative madness. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, Maud'Amour, Parisian artist and artistic director (Madame Arthur, Jean-Paul Gaultier), will take you on a hypnotic cabaret experience that will make you lose your mind... and maybe a little more!
And between two shows, an elegant bar in precious wood welcomes you in a hushed, almost conspiratorial atmosphere. Signature cocktails named after muses and goddesses are sipped perched on velvet stools beneath a theatrical fringed chandelier. The recipes play on contrasts, like the place itself: melon spritz, jasmine infusion or more mysterious creations, to be discovered according to mood.
Nestled on the lower floors, the hotel also boasts two bathing salons dedicated to relaxation and available for private use: one with a swimming pool carved out of ancient stone and a hammam, the other with a Jacuzzi and sauna. Here, you're immersed in a subdued atmosphere where whispers float in the air, even in the toilets... There, the confession urns await your sins, and, believe it or not, absolution will never be so sweet.
Hotel, theater and sanctuary, the Boudoir des Muses is Paris' newest destination for insiders.
Location
Boudoir des Muses
6 Rue de Saintonge
75003 Paris 3
Official website
www.boudoirdesmuses.com
