Bulgari Hotel in Paris reinterprets an architecture of the past through a play of light, color and material

Located on the Avenue George V in the ‘Golden Triangle’, home to the French capital’s luxury and fashion excellence between the Seine and the Champs-Élysées, the Bulgari Hotel Paris has opened today, December 2, 2021.  The interiors of the hotel, entirely designed by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel Italian architectural studio, feature 76 rooms and suites, including the Bulgari Penthouse.  The building and the façade of the Bulgari Hotel Paris have been designed and restyled by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel in collaboration with the French architectural firm Valode & Pistre.

The story begins with a modern building on the junction of the Avenue George V and the Rue Pierre Charron; a building the hotel architects describe as delightful and improbable: “Its seventies façade made it totally incongruous, but this building had two extraordinary assets: a slightly uncompromising transgressive charm and the cheeky audacity of vintage contemporaneity.”

Bulgari Hotel Paris embraces the same color palette and textures that characterize its siblings in Milan, London, Dubai, Shanghai and Beijing: marble, silk wallcoverings, granite, tapestries and varnished eucalyptus woodwork create the perfect environment for designer furniture and art pieces.

Illuminated by a superlative lighting installation in metal and glass with gold powder inclusions crafted by the furnace of Barovier & Toso of Murano, whose history begins in the 13th century, the vestibule immediately sets the tone for the unique experience to come. The impressive dome lined in signature Bulgari saffron silk speaks to the matte beige raw silk wallcoverings that provide a superb backdrop for a portrait of actress Monica Vitti wearing a magnificent 1960’s necklace. The painting is by the Franco-Chinese painter Yan Pei-Ming, whose portrait of company founder Sotirio Bulgari hangs in the vestibule at the Bulgari Hotel Beijing. The eight-pointed signature stars set into the floor reassert the influence on Bulgari of the unique Italian lifestyle and its ability to combine the historic with the timeless.

The tall leather-trimmed reception and concierge desks are immediately to the left. The large glass and copper mesh screen – a signature piece designed specifically for the hotel by Antonio Citterio – bathes the entire space in a soothing pink glow.

Linking the vestibule, reception and lounge, the enormous doors crafted in figured eucalyptus were finished using the gommalacca technique beloved of Italian cabinetmakers in the 1930s. This heritage technique creates a luxurious sheen on the honey-colored wood, which in turn adds a further level of richness to this first sensory experience, which continues to the right and into the generous, but still intimate, Bulgari Lounge.

Inspired by the design of a Bulgari clutch, the lines of the ceiling speak to those of the Italian walnut floor to create a subtle puzzle and mirror effect. The shimmer and sheen of the rose gold and yellow silk carpet by Altai of Milan echo those of the polished eucalyptus doors. Special attention has been focused on the ruby red, ivory, jade green and malachite fabrics that contrast with the very simple lines of the brushed metal Atollo lamps and the delicate interlacing of the Pinecone lights by Fontana Arte.

The Bulgari Hotel Paris offers 76 rooms and suites served by three elevators lined with polished eucalyptus paneling. Ranging in floor area from 42 square meters to 400 square meters + 600 square meters of garden for the Bulgari Penthouse, most have a private loggia overlooking the internal garden or a balcony with views over the Avenue George V.

The light colors used for the walls showcase the chromatic palette of the furniture with its shades of hazelnut and coffee, and the rich Dedar fabrics in garnet, amethyst and gilded topaz. The uniquely comfortable bedding boasts linen by Rivolta Carmignani and cashmere blankets by Enzo degli Angiuoni.

The larger suites have a dedicated dining area. Disguised as a travel trunk, the minibar contains many Made in Italy surprises: a carefully selected range of Italian specialties, as well as drinks specially created by chef Niko Romito.  All suites are served by a dedicated butler. The bathrooms – some equipped with private hammams – exploit the interplay between dark and light.

Inspired by the Italian modernist style with frosted glass wall lights and hand basins set on mirror chrome bases, all are decorated with a glass art piece engraved with the Bulgari Serpenti Constellation motif, using the same historic technique as France’s glass design maestro René Lalique.  The fragranced shower gel, shampoo, body lotion and other bath products are specially created for Bulgari Hotels & Resorts by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavalier.

DINING

For the first time in France, the Bulgari Hotel Paris unveils a unique gastronomic concept envisioned by chef Niko Romito for the Bulgari Hotels. Awarded three Michelin stars for his Reale restaurant in the Abruzzo region in Italy, Niko Romito reinvents the transalpine dining tradition by focusing on the essential ingredients and characteristics of Made in Italy culture, elegance and vitality.  Il Ristorante – Niko Romito is hidden from view in a private garden. Its 26 tables offer all the flexibility required for an intimate lunch or a celebratory meal with friends.

Inspired by the domestic cuisine, Italian gastronomic tradition is primarily based on the principle of simplicity and distinct flavors.  Accompanied here by executive chef Davide Capucchio, Niko Romito presents his vision of cuisine that reflects the perspective of today’s expectations on a healthy, light and balanced nutrition.  So the mantecatura of the risotto – an essential step to create its melt-in-the-mouth texture – is made not with butter, but with ricestartch, while the tomato sauce for his famous Spaghetti e Pomodoro excludes the traditional soffritto stage thus enhancing the only two ingredients of the dish: spaghetti and tomatoes. The chef minimizes the use of animal fats, preferring the light touch of a drizzle of olive oil.  The chef also wanted to pay tribute to some French classics – only available in the room service – including blanquette de veau and sole meunière.

Adjacent to Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, a private dining room, furnished by the great name of Italian design Maxalto, seats eight guests to provide an exclusive bubble among the luxuriant planting of the garden.  The garden at the rear of the Bulgari Hotel Paris faces the bar and restaurant, and creates a bubble of cool greenery at the heart of the capital’s most prestigious quartier. The garden has been landscaped to create a green retreat paved with original antique stone cubbles coming from a French castle courtyard.  On the bar side of the garden, the elegant lines and soft cushions of Hervé Baume wrought iron furniture designed and crafted in Provence.

The Bulgari Lounge is a hidden treasure at the heart of the hotel where to go, from late morning coffee to the generous aperitivo hour that signals the dawn of a new kind of elegant evening in the City of Light. More than that, it is the perfect setting in which to sample IL CIOCCOLATO, the chocolate specialties of Bulgari, and enjoy a unique teatime experience with LA PASTICCERIA, pastries created exclusively by Niko Romito for Bulgari Hotels & Resorts.

Photos credit: Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts