Review: Hôtel Le Clos Médicis
359
A
hotel can never be your home. Who would want to live in a hotel? Not
me. No, it is the idea of home that one looks for in a hotel: a place
to feel comfortable, safe, cozy and welcome. It is the idea of home
that hotels target. I’m here to say that Hôtel Le Clos Médicis has good
aim. I checked in on one of
those clear and brittle late winter’s days when the sun is beginning to
feel warm again. I found my fourth-floor room clean and well lighted,
its cobalt blue carpet offset nicely by the beige curtains and
bedclothes. The bathroom, with its full-sized tub, was tiled in a
Mediterranean fashion. All had a simple, which is to say good,
contemporary feel, especially considering that the building will
celebrate its 231st birthday this year. After
exploring my room (mini-bar, lock box, satellite TV, comfy bed, nice
sheets, large modern art book, view on hotel courtyard), I wanted to
see more of the hotel. In the lobby Olivier Méallet, the hotel
director, was engaged in a lively and warm discussion with one of the
hotel’s guest. As Mr. Méallet later explained to me as he gave me a
tour, when the hotel reopened after its 1994 major renovations, the man
with whom he had been speaking was the first guest and since then has
come back several times a year. Perhaps this man has found the idea of
home at Le Clos Médicis? The
hotel has 38 rooms, classified as Classic, Deluxe or Superior,
depending on the bed(s) and whether there is a bathtub or large shower.
Two rooms can be rented together as a suite. Each of the rooms I saw
had variations in décor and colors; in some the original wood beams and
rafters were exposed. Most rooms on the first floor have terraces
overlooking the hotel courtyard, full of beautiful plants and tables
for breakfast or relaxing after a busy Parisian day. It must be lovely
in summer. I wanted to go for a
walk to discover the surrounding area as a hotel guest might, but
stepping outside I discovered that the sky had closed, and what at
first was a light rain quickly became heavy with a mix of snow.
Chilled, I abandoned my walk, substituting for it a hot bath spent
imagining what I could have seen had it been nice out. Le Clos Médicis
has a central location in the sixth arrondissement, close to Luxembourg
Park, The Panthéon, and the Latin Quarter; close, really, to the vast
majority of Left Bank must-sees. If what you want to see is elsewhere,
transport is excellent: the RER direct from Charles de Gaulle is around
the corner; down the street is the métro station Odéon, which serves
both lines 4 and 10. In the
evening I went down to the salon, finding the fire Mr. Méallet informed
me was a nightly fixture at the hotel. Seated next to it reading the
newspaper, looking very relaxed, was Mr. First Guest, now a bit of a
celebrity to me. I decided I could do no worse than he, and taking a
paper from the selection of English and French dailies, I settled into
the other toasty fireside chair. But instead of reading, I watched the
fire crackle while reminiscing about the time before I moved to Paris,
when a typical winter weeknight for me would be just this: a bath
followed by reading by the wood stove. Looking around the candle-lit
salon, with its modern design, small 24-hour bar, and inviting couch
and chairs, knowing I wasn’t at home couldn’t overcome the feeling that
I was. Even the wood floor let out a homelike sigh when Mr. First Guest
retired for the night. Breakfast
the next morning was perfect: a buffet of pastries, yogurt, cereal,
juices, applesauce, boiled eggs, meats, and cheeses. All were fresh and
delicious. The room was both plain and elegant; it looked onto the
courtyard, closed for winter. It must be lovely in the summer. There
was one unfortunate side effect to the idea of home. When I checked
out, I left all my toiletries in the bathroom, just like I lived there.
When I realized and returned for them later that evening, Mr. Méallet
had them waiting for me at the front desk. Hôtel Le Clos Médicis is a
great place to stay in Paris. Just don’t get too comfortable. Hôtel Le Clos Médiciswww.closmedicis.com56 rue Monsieur-Le-Prince75006 ParisPhone: (33) 1 43 29 10 80Fax: (33) 1 43 54 26 90E-mail: [email protected] Prices range from 135 Euros to 240 Euros. Breakfast is 10 Euros. After
graduating with a degree in Biology, Brian Thayer became a traveler.
Starting in London as a security guard, he was most recently found
commercial fishing in Alaska. Now he lives in Paris, but doesn’t
consider it travel. He is currently at work on a book about his time
spent in the Middle-East.
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Ahotel can never be your home. Who would want to live in a hotel? Not
me. No, it is the idea of home that one looks for in a hotel: a place
to feel comfortable, safe, cozy and welcome. It is the idea of home
that hotels target. I’m here to say that Hôtel Le Clos Médicis has good
aim.
I checked in on one of
those clear and brittle late winter’s days when the sun is beginning to
feel warm again. I found my fourth-floor room clean and well lighted,
its cobalt blue carpet offset nicely by the beige curtains and
bedclothes. The bathroom, with its full-sized tub, was tiled in a
Mediterranean fashion. All had a simple, which is to say good,
contemporary feel, especially considering that the building will
celebrate its 231st birthday this year.
those clear and brittle late winter’s days when the sun is beginning to
feel warm again. I found my fourth-floor room clean and well lighted,
its cobalt blue carpet offset nicely by the beige curtains and
bedclothes. The bathroom, with its full-sized tub, was tiled in a
Mediterranean fashion. All had a simple, which is to say good,
contemporary feel, especially considering that the building will
celebrate its 231st birthday this year.
After
exploring my room (mini-bar, lock box, satellite TV, comfy bed, nice
sheets, large modern art book, view on hotel courtyard), I wanted to
see more of the hotel. In the lobby Olivier Méallet, the hotel
director, was engaged in a lively and warm discussion with one of the
hotel’s guest. As Mr. Méallet later explained to me as he gave me a
tour, when the hotel reopened after its 1994 major renovations, the man
with whom he had been speaking was the first guest and since then has
come back several times a year. Perhaps this man has found the idea of
home at Le Clos Médicis?
exploring my room (mini-bar, lock box, satellite TV, comfy bed, nice
sheets, large modern art book, view on hotel courtyard), I wanted to
see more of the hotel. In the lobby Olivier Méallet, the hotel
director, was engaged in a lively and warm discussion with one of the
hotel’s guest. As Mr. Méallet later explained to me as he gave me a
tour, when the hotel reopened after its 1994 major renovations, the man
with whom he had been speaking was the first guest and since then has
come back several times a year. Perhaps this man has found the idea of
home at Le Clos Médicis?
Thehotel has 38 rooms, classified as Classic, Deluxe or Superior,
depending on the bed(s) and whether there is a bathtub or large shower.
Two rooms can be rented together as a suite. Each of the rooms I saw
had variations in décor and colors; in some the original wood beams and
rafters were exposed. Most rooms on the first floor have terraces
overlooking the hotel courtyard, full of beautiful plants and tables
for breakfast or relaxing after a busy Parisian day. It must be lovely
in summer.
I wanted to go for a
walk to discover the surrounding area as a hotel guest might, but
stepping outside I discovered that the sky had closed, and what at
first was a light rain quickly became heavy with a mix of snow.
Chilled, I abandoned my walk, substituting for it a hot bath spent
imagining what I could have seen had it been nice out. Le Clos Médicis
has a central location in the sixth arrondissement, close to Luxembourg
Park, The Panthéon, and the Latin Quarter; close, really, to the vast
majority of Left Bank must-sees. If what you want to see is elsewhere,
transport is excellent: the RER direct from Charles de Gaulle is around
the corner; down the street is the métro station Odéon, which serves
both lines 4 and 10.
walk to discover the surrounding area as a hotel guest might, but
stepping outside I discovered that the sky had closed, and what at
first was a light rain quickly became heavy with a mix of snow.
Chilled, I abandoned my walk, substituting for it a hot bath spent
imagining what I could have seen had it been nice out. Le Clos Médicis
has a central location in the sixth arrondissement, close to Luxembourg
Park, The Panthéon, and the Latin Quarter; close, really, to the vast
majority of Left Bank must-sees. If what you want to see is elsewhere,
transport is excellent: the RER direct from Charles de Gaulle is around
the corner; down the street is the métro station Odéon, which serves
both lines 4 and 10.
In the
evening I went down to the salon, finding the fire Mr. Méallet informed
me was a nightly fixture at the hotel. Seated next to it reading the
newspaper, looking very relaxed, was Mr. First Guest, now a bit of a
celebrity to me. I decided I could do no worse than he, and taking a
paper from the selection of English and French dailies, I settled into
the other toasty fireside chair. But instead of reading, I watched the
fire crackle while reminiscing about the time before I moved to Paris,
when a typical winter weeknight for me would be just this: a bath
followed by reading by the wood stove. Looking around the candle-lit
salon, with its modern design, small 24-hour bar, and inviting couch
and chairs, knowing I wasn’t at home couldn’t overcome the feeling that
I was. Even the wood floor let out a homelike sigh when Mr. First Guest
retired for the night.
evening I went down to the salon, finding the fire Mr. Méallet informed
me was a nightly fixture at the hotel. Seated next to it reading the
newspaper, looking very relaxed, was Mr. First Guest, now a bit of a
celebrity to me. I decided I could do no worse than he, and taking a
paper from the selection of English and French dailies, I settled into
the other toasty fireside chair. But instead of reading, I watched the
fire crackle while reminiscing about the time before I moved to Paris,
when a typical winter weeknight for me would be just this: a bath
followed by reading by the wood stove. Looking around the candle-lit
salon, with its modern design, small 24-hour bar, and inviting couch
and chairs, knowing I wasn’t at home couldn’t overcome the feeling that
I was. Even the wood floor let out a homelike sigh when Mr. First Guest
retired for the night.
Breakfast
the next morning was perfect: a buffet of pastries, yogurt, cereal,
juices, applesauce, boiled eggs, meats, and cheeses. All were fresh and
delicious. The room was both plain and elegant; it looked onto the
courtyard, closed for winter. It must be lovely in the summer.
the next morning was perfect: a buffet of pastries, yogurt, cereal,
juices, applesauce, boiled eggs, meats, and cheeses. All were fresh and
delicious. The room was both plain and elegant; it looked onto the
courtyard, closed for winter. It must be lovely in the summer.
There
was one unfortunate side effect to the idea of home. When I checked
out, I left all my toiletries in the bathroom, just like I lived there.
When I realized and returned for them later that evening, Mr. Méallet
had them waiting for me at the front desk. Hôtel Le Clos Médicis is a
great place to stay in Paris. Just don’t get too comfortable.
was one unfortunate side effect to the idea of home. When I checked
out, I left all my toiletries in the bathroom, just like I lived there.
When I realized and returned for them later that evening, Mr. Méallet
had them waiting for me at the front desk. Hôtel Le Clos Médicis is a
great place to stay in Paris. Just don’t get too comfortable.
Hôtel Le Clos Médicis
www.closmedicis.com
56 rue Monsieur-Le-Prince
75006 Paris
Phone: (33) 1 43 29 10 80
Fax: (33) 1 43 54 26 90
E-mail: [email protected]
www.closmedicis.com
56 rue Monsieur-Le-Prince
75006 Paris
Phone: (33) 1 43 29 10 80
Fax: (33) 1 43 54 26 90
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices range from 135 Euros to 240 Euros. Breakfast is 10 Euros.
After
graduating with a degree in Biology, Brian Thayer became a traveler.
Starting in London as a security guard, he was most recently found
commercial fishing in Alaska. Now he lives in Paris, but doesn’t
consider it travel. He is currently at work on a book about his time
spent in the Middle-East.
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