Hôtel Monsieur George - Anouska Hempel brings her signature design to Paris

Newly opened under the glowing lights of the Champs-Élysées, Monsieur George is the latest in a new line of hotels and indisputably an interior design masterpiece.

The 5-star luxury boutique hotel designed by Anouska Hempel offers a calm, refreshing shelter from the hustle and bustle of the busy Champs-Élysées. Shining like a precious jewel within the crown of modern hospitality, it features 46 rooms and 3 suites set in Haussmann-style architecture, providing travellers with all the style and elegance befitting its historic location.

“When you wander along Rue Washington, you suddenly come across the glorious, gorgeous, sensational, extraordinary Monsieur George. Top hat and tails, feathers from beyond, a twinkling fantasy of a bohemian rhapsody in deepest, darkest green. Coco Chanel resided within this setting. Mata Hari had her heyday here. Gregory Peck left his Brasserie, Les Deux Magots, to sit on Audrey Hepburn’s lap, and Lady Gaga has just moved in – and within this scenario enters Monsieur George….” Anouska Hempel

Monsieur George, on Rue Washington, is a natural choice. The intrinsic history of the surrounding districts forms an integral part of the adventure associated with the hotel.

In acknowledgement of the illustrious first president of the United States – George Washington – Monsieur George is located on the street that was named in his honour, and reflects a degree of the character, charm and personality of this great man who so greatly impacted history.

Knowing that it would take an extraordinary personality to breathe life into this special project, the hotel’s owners chose one of the most mysterious, inspired and talented designers in the world – Anouska Hempel. She was given the task of creating Monsieur George as a timeless yet modern hotel, bar and restaurant, offering a “family home” atmosphere within the busy milieu of Paris’s 8th arrondissement.

Anouska Hempel’s style reflects the modernity she has absorbed throughout her travels around the world. As a lady, a couturier, a businesswoman, designer and world adventurer, she plunges heart and soul into her passion for architecture and interior design, now second nature in her work.

Anouska designed Blakes Hotel in London, where she pioneered the boutique hotel concept and to this day, Blakes is still the singular benchmark for this style of hotel. She went on to create the Hempel Hotel, which features the hallmarks of her minimalist design – again, a first of its kind in London. Both of these hotels remain celebrated for their unique styles.

Anouska Hempel went on to design the flagship Louis Vuitton store in Paris, the breath-taking Duxton Six Senses in Singapore, Blakes Amsterdam, Grosvenor House Suites on London’s Park Lane and more recently, The Franklin Hotel in Knightsbridge. Her magic touch can be found in homes, hotels, restaurants, retail spaces, yachts and garden landscapes across the world, attracting an international following of pop stars, actors, heads of state and royalty. A new chapter thus begins with her signature design in Monsieur George, a brand new address in which she has been able to express her vivid imagination, revealing fresh, sparkling dimensions of her impressive design talent.

Her imagination draws on inspiration from far beyond the shores of England. She designed Monsieur George as a reflection of her recent work in Turkey where she renovated a palace on the Bosphorus, and also from her work on her hotel in Rabat. Combining a variety of genres, Anouska has employed all of her experience, talents, and skills in the design of this amazing hotel, creating a new Blakes in Paris…

“Monsieur George is of very elegant origins. He comes to lunch every day, rather like Clement Freud used to at The Wolseley London. Monsieur George is particularly fond of a taste of Brie de Meaux with a shot of brandy and a cigar. He sits with a swordstick wearing a dark green velvet jacket, surrounding himself with his favourite things. The staff dance in attendance, the morning papers are scattered on a side table, the aroma of espresso comes from the bar, and a Madeleine sits waiting on a silver plate. He sets his fedora down upon his well-travelled, beaten up crocodile notebook, and so his day has begun…” – an extract from Anouska Hempel’s inspiration for Monsieur George.

Beyond the majestic, stony façade of Paris and through the discreet gates, a warm welcome is extended to each and every guest of Monsieur George.

An intimate, comfortable ambiance is immediately established, through use of abundant greenery, natural lighting, and gloriously sumptuous materials: marbles, thick piled velvets, and large mirrors.

Upon arrival, art deco steel doors invite you in, where you will be greeted by the sight of spectacular Indian lanterns hanging from the ceiling of the expansive lobby, from the new Anouska Hempel Design collection. Satisfy your wanderlust by curling up with one of the hotel’s many travel books, while smartly suited waiters serve you coffee and plates laden high with sweets.

At Monsieur George, every space is designed to ensure that your stay in Paris is wonderfully unique. Everything has been well thought out to make you feel at home, to experience a very personal, Parisian welcome with detail-orientated and seamless service.

With classic dormer windows, the rooms are all carefully designed as beautiful retreats set across 6 floors. Each floor has its own style, and each room its own unique ambiance and charm. Well-designed, simple and warm, each is an elegant space designed to please the many tastes and needs of the cosmopolitan traveller.

The 24-hour Galanga Restaurant & Bar, named after a rare ginger plant, offers a comfortable environment for all-day dining, inviting Parisians and hotel visitors to enjoy special moments in Paris with refreshing breakfasts, lunches, snacks, aperitifs, afternoon teas, dinners and nightcaps, mixed for clients at any time. The restaurant can be found down a leafy walkway, lit by lanterns, where impeccable staff wait to serve you.

Menus are constantly updated by a young, enthusiastic duo: Head Chef Thomas Danigo and Premier Second Chef Simon Pinault, both under 30 years of age, but already very experienced. Together, they combine freshness, creativity, and tradition. They offer a full range of dishes from simple meals to world-renowned cuisine and are committed to delivering an interesting culinary experience. The bar, meanwhile, sits within the restaurant area and offers an impressive cocktail menu with traditional drinks and numerous house creations, which will surprise amateurs as well as more experienced clientele seeking new concoctions.

Located near the kitchen is the Monsieur George Wine Cellar – housing a very special selection of the most amazing clarets of Bordeaux and other world-renowned wines, carefully preserved and made available for the “Table d’Amis.” This is a private dining area within the cellar itself, where guests can enjoy special moments in private, setting the world to rights while enjoying a glass of fine wine and a delicious platter of speciality cheeses.

In the basement, a spa, created by yoga club Le Tigre (the ultimate benchmark for health and well-being), offers custom programmes including special yoga courses, fitness sessions, therapeutic massages, and a wide variety of aesthetic services.

For a stay unlike any in Paris, Hôtel Monsieur George offers exceptional service, exquisite interiors and epicurean delights all within a boutique setting. For your next visit to Paris a stay at Monsieur George is a must, c'est manifique!

HÔTEL MONSIEUR GEORGE 17 Rue Washington | 75008 Paris www.monsieurgeorge.com

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