Review: the Hotel de Sers – A Different Spirit on the Paris Scene

Hotel de Sers sets the standard for modern/minimalist décor, not to mention comfort, which has been elevated to a new high.  Located minutes away from the Champ Elysées, the hotel is in the “golden triangle” next to the Four Seasons – George V, and so many upscale stores that it’s only safe to go shopping when they’re closed! (OK, why not stop in at Fauchon, located next door?)  Those who love modern décor and have the budget are going to be clamoring for reservations. The hotel is a masterpiece. The owners consciously decided to retain the “bones” of the private residence, which was constructed in 1880 for Henri-Leopold Charles, the Marquis de Sers. The curving marble stairwell is a remnant of the 19th century mansion. The foyer’s walls and the lobby’s high ceilings haven’t been stripped of moldings. If only the Marquis could see the building now, he couldn’t help but be impressed. Since being constructed as a private home, the building has had several incarnations, including some time as a hospital. Most recently, it was the grand dame Hotel Queen Elizabeth. However, she was showing her age and needed more than a facelift. The Vidalenc family purchased the property in 1999, and decided to do a gut job, rather than redecorating and upgrading it. The family spent eleven million Euros to create a state-of-the art destination. It would have been easier to demolish the building. However, that would have been sacrilege, not to mention illegal, as it’s a historic monument. Twenty-nine-year-old architect Thomas Vidalenc, a graduate of Paris’s Ecole Speciale d’Architecture, moved back from New York and started the planning process with his cousin Thibault Vidalenc,  the hotel’s general manager.  Both men are young and speak impeccable English, courtesy of stints in Boston and in New York. They approached the hotel as if it were a blank palette, albeit facing givens, such as bearing walls and other physical restraints. Thomas is fast to admit that once the demolition began, there were a multitude of surprises. As we toured the property, it was clear the architect was making notes about needed changes, (visible only to him), and apologizing for some unfinished details. Even though the hotel is definitely open, he estimates it’ll be another few weeks until every detail is complete. For example, the white marble bar with polished steel edging was initially designed to be on the first floor. After further consideration, it’s going to be placed on the ground floor, adjacent to the dining room and the interior garden, which will double as a sitting/dining area during good weather. The hotel’s 45 rooms, four junior suites, two panoramic suites complete with terraces where you can see all of Paris, plus its one 80-square-meter apartment, are all different. However, they share design similarities. Each room or suite has recessed closets (giving the impression of more space), a recessed mini-bar, and strategically placed panels of mirror that give the impression of expanding the room’s depth. There are architectural plays between wood accents and walls that are subtle tinted with hints of color. The blackout curtains are made with luminous fabrics in different colors that take on different glows depending on the light. When open during the day, they appear to disappear. Carpets are recessed into the rooms’ wood floors. The beds are luxuriously covered with high-fiber count white duvets. The bathrooms are also works of art, where inevitably, after a long day, people will want to haul up in the retro-deco bathtubs and relax with bath products from Anne Semonin. If you’re the shower type, there are separate shower stalls in the majority of the rooms; some are so large that two people would by no means be a crowd.                 Each room, no matter the size, has individually controlled air-conditioning, high speed and WiFi Internet connections, televisions with flat plasma screens, and DVD players. The telephones have direct lines and voice mail. In-room faxes are available. The majority of the upholstered furniture has been designed by Thomas Vidalenc. If he didn’t design a piece, he personally selected it. Some of it is Danish in feeling, while other pieces are adaptations of French classical pieces. He’s managed to achieve an eclectic mix. The architect has also used furniture that’s sculptural in feeling; some of the resin pieces exhibit a real sense of whimsy. This hotel isn’t for people who like silk and swags. However, like Oscar Wilde, I’d be very content to live and to die here.  The Hotel de Sers41, av Pierre 1er de Serbie75008, Paris FranceTelephone:  (33) 1 53 23 75 75Fax:(33) 1 53 23 75 76Email: [email protected]Website:www.hoteldesers.com Rates: From 390 euros. Visit their site for information on specials in effect to December 22, 2004.