The Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood gets another lovely hotel in Le Grand Hôtel Cayré. It’s Miiro’s first of four new hotels (including Barcelona, London and Vienna), a new lifestyle hotel brand from India’s InterGlobe that’s putting the focus on the ‘neighbourhood’ . The roaring twenties-themed boutique stay in the trendy part of the 7th arrondissement is all about the local ‘in the know’ feel.
James McDonald
Paint the picture
Find the leafy Le Grand Hôtel Cayré in the heart of Paris’s trendy Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood, between the buzzy Boulevard Raspail and the food and gallery-centric Rue du Bac. This location is ideal for chilled-out cafe-hopping (the famous Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore are both three minutes away) while being walking distance of iconic landmarks including the Louvre Museum, the Seine River and Musée d’Orsay – all which are about ten minutes walk away.
Design notes
Inspired by the Roaring Twenties, interior design studio Michaelis Boyd (who’s also behind the new Battersea Power Station apartments) has paid homage to the building’s creative history as a residence for Parisian artists, writers, and intellectuals. This is evident from the moment you enter and are greeted by a tile and marble wraparound bar flanked with an impressive art selection. This is especially true in its beautiful restaurant, Annette, a traditional all-day brasserie serving a contemporary twist on French classics, which was named in tribute to Annette Kolb, the inspirational French-German writer and pacifist who lived at the original Hotel Cayré for 17 years from 1944.
The hotel’s 123 rooms and two suites vary greatly in size and price, and it’s one of the area’s more affordable stays for those staying in the smaller rooms. Some Premium Rooms come with a small balcony with a table and a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower – not what you get at every Paris hotel. This was especially lovely at night when the landmark shimmers.
Art lovers may want to make their way to the most notable room, ‘La Suite Du Collectionneur’ which was designed in collaboration with renowned curator Gilbert Kann. No two stays will look the same here as the large suite is peppered with custom-made furniture, antiques, bespoke pieces, and one-of-a-kind collector’s items – all of which are available to purchase.
The hotel can range in its affordability thanks to its ‘three levels of service’ starting with ‘the essentials’ which excludes a minibar and daily cleaning and ending with the ‘Full Works’ which also includes complimentary minibar, daily cleaning, turn-down service and amenities like bathrobes, slippers and vanity sets.
Food and drink
The highlight of our stay was Annette. The hotel’s contemporary brasserie is open to the public and does the classics with a playful twist. Helmed by Bruno Brangea (the former head chef for Alain Ducasse), highlights during our stay included a pate en croute and fois gras, roasted duck fillet with honey, fennel and yellow peach alongside a grandiose serving bowl filled with perfectly cooked fries that was incredibly comforting and more-ish. Breakfast here starts with a gorgeous selection of pastries and breads.
