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123 Sébastopol Hotel….Spend a Night in the World of a Cineaste
These days, I devote all of my articles to the notion of being away from home at a hotel. Today I’d like to present to you the 123 Sébastopol Hotel Paris, which illustrates precisely this theme of being far from home.
Clients are always after an atmosphere or an ambiance that transports them “away from home.” 123 Sébastopol Hotel subscribes to this very spirit. This 4-star hotel will immerse you in the untapped magic of the cinematic myth, somewhere between your memories, your dreams, and your emotions. What an exciting human adventure!
Numerous artists of the film world came to assist architect Philipe Maidenberg by entrusting him with their time and their personal artistic vision. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claude Lelouch, Danièle Thomson, Agnès Jaoui, Jean Pierre Bacri, Elsa Zylberstein, and maestro Ennio Morricone have proven hold of an immense generosity that one can identify on the floors that have been dedicated to each of them.
Quiet on the set—the film is rolling across all the floors! From the moment you step into the lobby, you are immediately plunged in this seventh art; you feel as if you’ve found yourself right in the middle of an American movie theatre. Everything has been designed to draw you back to the cinema: projections of film extracts, retro-lit signs presenting names of featured stars in black letters, handprints of artists along the walls as a clever nod to the stars that line Hollywood Boulevard, and more.
The bar, spread out under a glass wall, is remarkably arranged like a film set. The bases of the tables recall camera mounts. The couches evoke the directors’ seats (with even a pocket to slip in a script and the name of the director embroidered in gold thread on the backrest), and film spotlights flash across the ceiling.
HOTEL 123 SEBASTOPOL CHAMBRE E ZYLBERSTEIN
Each floor reflects a unique decoration prepared by a designated artist. There is, for instance, the Jean-Paul Belmondo floor, where you will find iconic and unforgettable images from some of his films: Breathless, Itinerary of a Spoiled Child, A Monkey in Winter, etc. Yet another floor is dedicated to Claude Lelouch, who creates references to his films, such as A Man and a Woman, l’Aventure c’est l’Aventure, and Happy New Year.
The rooms by Danièle Thomson, on the other hand, offer a more feminine feel.
With full and vivid colors, it is a universe suffused with light and warmth. A selection of large-format film captures and images from her greatest films adorn the rooms. I personally loved the room dedicated to The Party, with scenes featuring both Sophie Marceau and the screenwriter. From there, I leave you to discover the floors prepared by Agnès Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri, Elsa Zylberstein, and Ennio Morricone. Each of these artists has brought in their signature and source of inspiration.
Calling on film artists to design a room is a highly intriguing initiative and certainly stands out from classic hotel offerings. You may love it or hate it, but it will definitely leave a strongly memorable experience. I would not be surprised to see designated 5-star hotels take inspiration from this idea soon enough. There are already ‘star’ designers who take part in decorations for hotels—so what is to stop famous athletes, singers, and film stars from doing the same?
Don’t miss out on my upcoming interview with the hotel’s proprietor, Serge Cachan, on my blog.
HOTEL 123 SEBASTOPOL ENTREE
Laurent Delporte, an editor and conference speaker, is a strategic expert in the sector of hotels. A visionary, he brings his unique look on hotels in service to the decision-makers in the industry, whether to enhance the development of new projects or strategic visions.
Laurent has visited and audited over 350 hotels across the world and also participates in mystery visits to provide quality control for the world’s finest hotels.
