By any yardstick, the citizenM group has found its groove, connecting, with rapid openings, an appreciative tribe of budget yet style-conscious travellers to its quirky brand of bright pop-art colours and ‘everything you need, nothing you don’t’ approach to hoteling.
It’s just opened its third Paris property, this time in the frenetic Gare de Lyon neighbourhood, no doubt hoping to tap into the youthful, transient set that floods in and out of the train station from dawn to dusk.
Once again, Dutch studio Concrete has been tapped to work its palette of psychedelic hues and playful furnishings (by Vitra, no less) in the communal spaces, not the least a flotilla of Japanese lanterns, and an arresting lobby installation by Jetske Visser and Michaiel Martens, alongside an equally vivid fresco and mural by Mast Cora and Romain Froquet.
The 338 rooms, meanwhile, riff off a template that will be familiar to citizenM groupies – a king-sized bed that doubles as a day-bed fitted fitted, Lego-like, into a moulded flow of sink and bathroom.
The hotel’s MO, though, is to pull guests out of their rooms into the sprawling public rooms. The canteen serves up a small selection of nibbles, but the bigger draw is cloudM, a rooftop bar styled as a cosy retreat that takes in views of greater Paris and the Seine.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
8 rue van Gogh
-
The warmth and comfort of Paris restaurant Margaux: ‘It’s like feasting at grandma’s’Located on the 16th arrondissement, Margaux dishes up timeless French classics in a setting that feels like home
-
Saint Laurent unveils Sushi Park Paris: the Los Angeles omakase’s new outpostA beloved Californian restaurant finds a second home at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite flagship, merging the worlds of haute couture and high-end gastronomy
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Night at the museum: the best art hotels to book nowSleep amid surrealists at London’s Broadwick Soho, or wake up to contemporary favourites at New Hotel in Athens – indulge in an immersive art hotel experience
-
Shop hyperlocal gifts, from Harlem to Hawaii, at R Finds’ global online storeWallpaper* goes shopping with R Finds, Renaissance Hotels’ digital marketplace, which connects travellers – and armchair travellers – with local makers and stores, one gift at a time
-
This Italian Bistrot in Paris offers all-year-round ‘felicità’A diminutive of the Italian word for family, Miglia is a cosy trattoria radiating warmth, friendliness, and traditional flavours
-
Ski in, ski out at Courchevel’s hot new piste-side dinerLoulou, the new Courchevel restaurant inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, is playfully elevated by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s pop art branding
