The spirit is fitting: the hotel takes its name from Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, a celebrated 18th-century explorer who left his mark on the French East India Company, and whose restless, curious spirit permeates every corner of the space.
Behind the lobby reception desk, a panoramic dreamscape sets the tone from the very first moment: trees rendered in stylised silk, hand-painted with gold leaf by the Parisian atelier Ulgador, unfurl like the opening pages of a travel journal. The imaginary journey continues into the cocktail bar, Minuit Express, where compartmentalised alcoves furnished with enveloping banquettes and armchairs evoke the slow, sociable rhythm of the great international trains – and of an age when the journey itself was part of the experience.
The hotel’s 53 rooms and junior suites – some with views over the Eiffel Tower – cultivate the same spirit of quiet softness. Each is assigned to one of three chromatic worlds, each evoking a distinct emotional destination: Floral Blue, recalling sky, ocean and cool fresh air; Beige and Straw, for the warmth of Asian landscapes; and Terracotta, a reference to desert roads and golden sunsets.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Hotel Designs.
