Review: Hôtel Madame Rêve

Why book? This posh property is a soon-to-be-outed secret. Located on a discreet corner near Les Halles in what was once Paris’s only 24-hour post office, Madame Rêve is where well-heeled guests spend the night in stylish rooms with monument views, or at the hotel’s 10,000-square-foot rooftop and restaurant, primed for peak summer socializing.

Set the scene There are no flashy signs or high-falutin flags waving outside this 82-room hotel in central Paris, a hop and a skip from Les Halles, Palais Royale, and the Louvre. Rather, you either know it’s a post office-turned-chic-hotel or you don’t. There’s not even an automatic door at the entrance. Guests—tattooed, beanie-wearing fashion designers and white-haired entrepreneurs in pink Saint Laurent sneakers—must buzz to be let in the small “lobby,” where the scent of musk hits the nose immediately upon stepping on the spectacular hand-laid floor mosaic.

The backstory Founded by French entrepreneur Laurent Taïeb—whose hospitality group owns a few notable Paris restaurants, including Kong and Le Trésor, as well as the “Tours Duo”' skyscrapers in the 13th arrondissement—the hotel is located inside a Haussmanian building dating back to 1888 that was the city’s first (and only) 24-hour post office. Following nine years of construction, the post office has reopened (though it now closes at midnight), and the hotel pays homage to its shared residence and neighbor courtesy of thoughtful design touches, such as 800 pieces of mail art hung throughout. The collection was purchased from one collector whose only request upon selling it was that it be displayed. Signed, sealed, and delivered, indeed.

The rooms The property’s color palette of woodsy browns and golden yellows is maintained throughout each room—whether it’s the corner Suite 382 facing the Eiffel Tower, 347 with a leveled view of the Saint-Eustache cathedral, or one of the 40 inner courtyard rooms that have outdoor terraces. All rooms are on the third floor (though, it’s really six levels up) and reaching them via the dark corridors is easy, thanks to signs and directions denoting the street they’re facing, as the enormous building lines four of them: Rue de Louvre, Rue Etienne Marcel, Rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau, and Cour Gutenberg. The subtle, yet smart mail theme continues in the rooms with cheeky custom-made carpets that, in French, read: “Dear, I tried to pay my taxes with a smile, but they preferred a check.” Not all of the mosaic-tiled bathrooms come with bathtubs, but most rooms have onyx desks and tables, tan leather chairs, and brass lamps that give off a Bond-meets-Balmain vibe. Come evening, the room still felt a bit too seductive for applying makeup or getting dressed, despite digitally operated lighting functionality—with daylight, night light, and black out options (the latter being for when you want to close the electric shades). But, I suppose, with such sumptuous linens and perfectly plump king-size pillows, who needs to get dressed anyway?

Food and drink The hotel has two restaurants. First is the stately, art deco-inspired Kitchen by Stéphanie Le Quellec, where uncomplicated but well-executed classic French dishes are is served all day long in a moody space with 26-foot ceilings and high-back swivel chairs at the bar, or the sunny outdoor terrace that seats 70. Second is La Plûme, a Franco-Japanese offering that’s definitely the property’s pride and joy—not only because its menu is also available as room service, but also because of its super sexy, dimly lit dining room. (It’s so dark at night, in fact, the table of four older men in suits, sans ties, who arrived as we were finishing dessert had to use their cell phone flashlights to see the menu.) Guests either enter from inside the hotel, on the same floor of the rooms themselves; or from rue Etienne Marcel, walking down a tunnel-like hallway and taking a lift to the third floor. Either way, the crowd arrives late, around 9 p.m. Cocktails get a peacock plûme garnish, while the music is poppy at dinner (think Michael Jackson and Britney Spears) and jazzy at breakfast.

In the evening, dishes came out at a pleasant pace, and silverware was changed between courses. We could’ve used some more water after our two half-bottles of flat and bubbly water ran out, but I suppose the unfinished sake led them to believe we had something to quaff our soif. While the crispy fried avocado pieces have a kick—especially once you dip them in the chili sauce—there’s no need to wave anyone down for a cucumber to calm the taste buds or tissues to dot any tearing eyes. The prices skew high—roasted duck with sweet potato pickles is €34 and the lobster hotpot is €46—but each dish is worth it. Even the salad with asparagus and avocado, doused in wasabi dressing, is more than just a bowl of mache greens. Breakfast, while decidedly quieter, is sunny thanks to the east-facing windows directly across from the gothic Saint-Eustache cathedral; with typical menu options executed perfectly, whether it’s a poached egg on avocado toast or a buttery mushroom and cheese omelet.

The spa The first-floor wellness center is very DIY. There’s no official check-in desk, so upon exiting the elevator it’s a little unclear where to wait. After peeking around the hallways, down which there’s a fairly large sauna and a well-stocked fitness room (treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, boxing bag, ballet bar, yoga mats, weights, etc.), you’ll have no choice but to sit on the tan leather, boudoir-like couch where only a sheer curtain hangs between you in your robe and the public addressing letters at the post office below. Pay them no mind and help yourself to a hot tea or cucumber water before being brought into one of two treatment rooms, where skin and body treatments include the likes of a “sweet” or “savory” scrub (using either sugar or salt) or the utterly relaxing “Madame Rêve Modeling” massage.

The neighborhood/area This is as central Paris as you can get. Walk south a mere four blocks to the Seine and the newly reopened La Samaritaine department store. Walk east to the spectacular Bourse de la Commerce Pinault Collection and Les Halles, or west to Palais Royale and the Louvre. Essentially, you can’t sneeze without bumping into 1,000 years of Paris history and culture. The pedestrian thoroughfare rue Montorgueil is also nearby for all your artisanal desires, be it a box of chocolates from À la Mère de Famille or a specialty pastry from Fou de Patisserie.

The service If staying more than one night, this is the type of place where servers will remember that you take Darjeeling tea rather than Earl Grey in the morning at breakfast. You’ll also be accompanied to your room after checking in where, in perhaps the hotel’s only not-sly maneuver, they personally and dramatically lower the electric shades to reveal the wow-worthy view. Don’t have toothpaste? Need extra body lotion? Pas de problème. It’ll arrive at your room minutes after the request is made. Room service also arrived quickly, though I do wish they’d called or knocked to take the dirty dishes away. (Is leaving them outside the door still a thing?)

For families The room directory says they offer babysitting services, but nothing about this hotel says “come with your kids”—unless, of course, you intend to hand off les enfants while you shop, dine, and tour.

Eco effort Solar panels on the roof supply approximately 50 percent of the establishment's hot water.

Accessibility There are no steps, and all rooms, restaurants, and lounges are reachable by elevator.

Anything left to mention? It wasn’t open yet during my stay, but there’s a spectacular 10,000-square-foot rooftop terrace that will be accessible to guests only until 6 p.m. (no pool, but there are yellow striped sunbeds and lounge chairs for unwinding), with a 37-seat bar serving drinks and finger food from La Plûme. The sprawling space is covered in plants and offers 360-degree views of Paris and some of its most famed monuments.

Finally, in 100 words or less, what makes this hotel worthy of Hot List? In a year that saw splashy openings (Cheval Blanc a few blocks away, Le Grand Contrôle in Versailles), Madame Rêve opened as a bit of a whisper. But it’s the ultimate retreat to both see and be seen—and slink away unnoticed. Anyone who appreciates true luxury without all the pomp and circumstance, not to mention a balanced blend of old-world-meets-modern-day design, won’t ever want to stay elsewhere.