High-end travelers are used to the approximations of friendliness imagined by large hotel chains. But with so many rooms and so little time, many are artificial reflections of no one’s home.
The backlash is clear in the unprecedented success of Airbnb and the rise of boutique hotels, which offer fewer rooms with bespoke furnishings combined with a sense of authenticity and privacy.
It seems like we yearn for a more authentic time, before homogenized mainstream quality hosting.
Many boutique hotels are inspired by the style and ambiance of old Paris. So it may come as a surprise to learn that Paris itself didn’t have its own high-end boutique hotel scene until recently.
“We have a lot of palaces and four-star hotels in Paris, but there were no independent five-star boutique hotels with less than 50 rooms.”
Coming from a family of hoteliers, Lucas Beguinot grew up in the Parisian hospitality industry and quickly realized there was a gap in the market for a Paris home away from home. “I love art, I love design,” he says. “I knew that was what I wanted to do, to create a dream house in the heart of Paris.”
His first boutique hotel was The Favart House, a 39-room four-star experience heavily inspired by the style and decor of 18th-century France. “We were trying to create an intimate sense of the House, which in French is “house”, explains Lucas. “It was 2012, and the day it opened, we started working on our second hotel.”
Eventually, Lucas and his team settled on an office building occupied by the French military. It was a most unlikely candidate for one of the city’s first five-star boutique hotels. “We have a lot of palaces and four-star hotels in Paris, but there were no independent five-star boutique hotels with less than 50 rooms,” he reveals.
Modern comfort, but a classic vibe
The result was The White Narcissus, located in the 7th arrondissement, a 15-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and the cruise pier on the Seine. The 7th is traditionally a part of Paris synonymous with romance, a theme that Le Narcisse Blanc indulges in a sophisticated and understated way.
Entering it is like entering the artistic Paris of the 1900s. Neutral tones superimposed on black and white accents create a warm and classic atmosphere in the 37 rooms of the hotel. Decor is both traditional and contemporary, offering a nod to the neighborhood’s history combined with the five-star comfort travelers to Paris expect, down to the smallest detail.
“Even the materials you use in the room are important,” Lucas points out. “How loud, how it feels when you touch it. Some people don’t notice those kinds of details, but those who stay in five-star luxury hotels do.
Lucas believes flexibility is one of the best qualities a boutique hotel the size of Narcisse Blanc can offer. “In a big hotel, everyone knows exactly what to do. It’s a procedure,” he says. “In a boutique hotel, you have to have eyes everywhere, your staff must be able to think differently.”
Hospitality at its best
The hotel is indeed a quiet sanctuary away from the crowds. It’s small, intimate and peaceful, the staff ready to listen and attend to your every need. Room service doesn’t even offer a menu; they ask you what you want and make suggestions, and even if you ask for something simple like pasta and salad, it will be given the delicious Parisian touch.
The Clarins Pool and Spa below the city streets is the perfect place to soothe sore muscles after a day of sightseeing.
“In English, the word guest is only the person welcomed, but the French word for guest, invite, addresses both the host and the receiver.
The concierge, Hakim, has been with the hotel since it opened in 2016 and seems to have an uncanny ability to know what you need before you do. “He takes care of the foyer and the restaurant,” explains Lucas. “He sees everything.”
All of this is in line with Lucas’ belief that hospitality should be a very human experience. “True hospitality doesn’t use computers,” he notes. “When our staff says ‘I hope you enjoy your stay’, it’s personal, not an automated email. When you come back to Narcisse Blanc and our staff recognizes you, it’s a feeling you can’t conceive.
Local delicacies
The restaurant and bar are more like a lounge, with armchairs allowing you to sit and enjoy traditional French cuisine and an enviable selection of drinks. Restaurant, Cleo, is deliberately set back in the hotel to replicate the ambience of a dining room at home. “Privacy is the ultimate luxury, it’s not sitting right next to the street,” Lucas points out.
The strength of the menu is its simplicity. He only makes a handful of meals, which change regularly, but he does them extremely well. During my visit I tasted thin slices of sea bream with fishing and fresh almonds followed by a very French meal of braised beef shredded with foie gras.
Breakfast the next morning is a divine basket of buttery Parisian delights, hot from a local bakery (in fact, the entire hotel’s culinary utensils are sourced locally whenever possible). The leafy courtyard is one of the most serene places one could hope to find in the 7th arrondissement for a latte and a book.
Discover Paris in style
And if you are lucky enough to have an attic room at the front of the hotel, you can indulge in one of the most beautiful views of Paris, which seems to be reserved for you: the Eiffel Tower, erect and proud at the above the rooftops. When dusk hits Paris, light-sensitive twilight censors in the tower activate 20,000 twinkling lights that flicker every hour, and if you do it right, you can watch the night’s final display at 1am – when the lights sparkle the most – from your bed.
Le Narcisse Blanc is impressive yet comforting at the same time and attracts a loyal following of loyal customers who call it their Parisian home, and that’s exactly what the owners were looking for.
“In English, the word guest is only the person welcomed, but the French word for guest, invite, addresses both the person who welcomes and the person who receives,” explains Lucas. “You are both part of the experience.”
The boutique hotel approach exemplified by Le Narcisse Blanc may seem disruptive in an ever-changing industry, but Lucas says there is no deliberate method. “It’s just about being human, talking with people and being attentive to their needs,” he says. “It’s just natural.”
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