In the past, Parisians used to rush there to send their bills late at night… the postmark being proof. Today, the cutter no longer falls at midnight and, in fact, at Madame Rêve, we lose track of time a little. One enters by stealth through a mini-lobby, a showcase of 19th century luxury, into this brand-new, 5-star hotel, which occupies the ground floor of the Poste du Louvre building, renovated by the architect Dominique Perrault, as well as two floors created around an unsuspected suspended interior garden, under the open sky, for which 100 trees were planted. Some of the 82 rooms and suites, all on the same level, more than half with balcony or loggia, overlook this green lung in the heart of Paris; the others overlook the roofs and monuments of the capital. The combination of solid wood and black steel dominates in these golden spaces, bathed in natural light. Bisazza mosaics make the bathrooms shine. Laurent Taïeb, the artistic director of this ultra-contemporary setting, has honored the original aesthetic with 800 pieces of mail art (illustrations on stamped envelopes) and murals by Olivier Masmonteil (in the sublime and dizzying Madame Rêve Café) and Marie José Benvenuto (in the restaurant-terrace, La Plume, facing the Sainte-Eustache church). The hotel’s spectacular panoramic rooftop will welcome its first guests next spring.
By Céline Baussay
