Bloom House Hotel & Spa, 10 arrondissement
A relative newcomer to the Parisian hotel scene, Bloom House threw open its doors in September last year. Located between the Gare de Nord and Gare de l’Est, the 4-star property hailed as an exotic green oasis doesn’t disappoint. A kentia-palm fringed courtyard flanked by cushion-covered wicker chairs houses a karma-inducing water feature dotted with Moroccan lamps. Stylish interior spaces are hives of digital nomad activity surrounding a centre stage bar. Highlights include stunning views of Sacré-Coeur, elevated in all its Roman-Byzantine glory atop the hill of Montmartre, which can be spied from rear-facing balconies. Cosy rooms are havens for the warm, luminous tones of golden hour glows to filter through the shutters. Gourmands are well catered for at BLOOM GARDEN which showcases contemporary Mediterranean cuisine crafted by Chef Olivier Streiff.
Secret tip: the indoor pool, within the BLOOMY SPA wellness sanctuary in the boughs of the hotel, can be booked out exclusively so guests and their plus ones can have the place to themselves. Inspired thinking.
23 rue du Château Landon, 75010 Paris; https://bloomhouse-hotel.com
Paname Brewing Company, 10e
Swap the Seine for the lesser frequented surrounds of Canal Saint Martin in the 10th arrondissement for some of the finest craft beers with a view in town – a mere 10-minute stroll from Bloom House. It’s a great lunch spot for people-watching, which, according to legend, takes its name from the Parisian adaptation of Paname. Workers returning from the Panama Canal would stock up on famous “Panama” hats to bring home as souvenirs, which were popularised by affluent Parisians and the name just stuck. PBC is housed within an old granary wharf on the banks of the Bassin de la Villette, and there’s nothing finer on a summer’s day than sitting out on the terrace, feasting on delights ranging from pizzas and burgers to charcuterie platters and shrimp curries – all washed down with any one of a dozen of the brewery’s amber nectar craft beers – the irony in the name of PBC’s take on a hazy NEIPA, ‘Brexiteer’, certainly wasn’t lost on me!
41 bis Quai de la Loire, 75019 Paris; https://www.panamebrewingcompany.com/
Le Passage à niveau, 19e
The kind of place which feels like it was invented specifically for our demographic, hidden gem ‘Le Passage à niveau’, is one of a succession of unpretentious restaurants which have sprung up in recent times along disused sections of Parisian railway lines – comparable I suppose to a paired-down and ungentrified version of New York’s High Line and still under the radar to most tourists. This one, which borders on to the Ourcq canal cannot be booked in advance so it’s advisable to get there at midday to bag an outdoor table before the in-the-know crowd nab the best ones. Serving up seasonal mains (including to-die-for bavette steak-frites) and fresh produce straight from its on-site vegetable patch which follows the snaking curvature of the train tracks. There’s a thoughtfully considered wine list (including a fave of mine, Cab Franc synonymous from Chinon in the Loire) and they do mean draft lagers and IPAs.
2A Rue de l’Ourcq, 75019 Paris
Hôtel Pilgrim, 5e
Located in a quaint side street off chi-chi Boulevard St-German in the city’s revered Latin Quarter, Hôtel Pilgrim lies equidistant from the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and Jean Nouvel’s shimmering gold edifice, the Institut du Monde Arabe. With its beige and orange-hued New York loft-style interiors, Pilgrim oozes calm the moment you sashay through the door. Minimalist chic rooms, decorated with clusters of antique collage framed art, are super light and airy with king-size, rest-inducing mattresses and the type of pillows that envelop you, cocoon-like, the moment your head hits them. The hotel’s rooftop draws a well-heeled crowd, who sip on innovative cocktails crafted by mixologist Alceste Siobhan Von Holz, up on the seventh floor – the views across the city’s fabled rooftops, including La Tour Eiffel, are dreamy. Similarly to Bloom House, don’t miss the subterranean delights of the hotel’s chic pool and hammam which can be booked out exclusively for you and yours alone.
11 Rue de Poissy, 75005 Paris; https://hotelpilgrim.paris/
Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouges, 3e
Just a half hour stroll across the river from Hôtel Pilgrim and you’re in Le Marais, home to the city’s oldest covered market, Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouge, which is so named due to its proximity to the Hospice des Enfants Rouges, an orphanage where children traditionally wore red uniforms. Dating back to 1615, Marché Couvert reveals itself behind a rather unassuming white concrete facade, which gives little indication of what lies within. Besides the colourful array of daily produce and cheese and flower stalls, it’s manifested into a thriving and buzzy foodie hub, where hipsters congregate at the counters for lunchtime fixes of Middle Eastern street food, Asian Bento boxes and Italian deli sandwiches – with the odd glass of delectable light and fruity Fleurie thrown in for good measure. Why wouldn’t you?
39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Restaurant Robert et Louise, 3e
Robert et Louise is one of those little French bistros that we always have a romantic notion of discovering, but rarely find and live up to expectations. Even more so when you read ‘Grillades fumées au feu de bois’ above the door. Communal dining is positively encouraged here, allowing diners the opportunity to make new friends as they break bread and imbibe on carafes of Côtes du Rhône. In fact, it was a fellow diner and Marais resident who told me I’d stumbled upon the best steak frites joint in Paris. Meat fiends are certainly in for a treat with everything from Beef ribs, entrecôtes and T-Bones to legs of lamb, ribs and confit duck breast all grilled in front of you over a wood fire. It’s been in the same spot since 1958, now presided over by Pascale, daughter of the late owners Robert and Louise, who’s assisted by her other half François.
64 rue Vieille-du-Temple 75003 Paris; https://www.robertetlouise.com/en/
Lee Osborne is Creative Director of Secret Trips
