Paris, France ~ Maison Souquet

October 2023

This stay in Paris, our first in 15 years, came after spending four days in Lyon in the modern, light, and airy Villa Maïa. For Paris, where we had four more days, we wanted something that would match the mood of the city and of Montmarte, the neighborhood we would call our home base. Searching for the right hotel in Paris can be overwhelming – there are just so very many choices – but Maison Souquet kept appearing on our go-to lists, so we decided to give it a go. When we made our booking, only two “De Luxe” rooms were available for all four nights, and the team at Maison Souquet sent pictures and helpfully described the features of both: peaceful courtyard view or street view of Paris rooftops; a small balcony four floors up or windows on the first floor; shower or deep bath. They also promised to let us know if a larger junior suite became available for the duration of our visit. With Paris Fashion Week just ending and the World Cup Rugby Championships arriving in the city along with us, we were glad to secure a room.

Sumptuous all around

Maison Souquet is steps from the Blanche metro station down one of the streets that run south from the Moulin Rouge. It’s officially in the 9th arrondissement, right at the bottom of Montmarte. As a former brothel (the hotel is named after its madame) the hotel’s exterior is unassuming, and the two red lights outside the front door were the landmarks we used to find it the first time and on all of our returns. Immediately upon entering on our initial arrival, we felt as if we had entered a secret sanctuary in plain sight of the hustle and bustle – and quite honestly, the tourist spectacle – just outside. The hotel’s sumptuous design embraced us: low lights, dark hues with voluptuous textiles on the furniture and the walls, a candle burning with the hotel’s signature scent, and a warm welcome from two members of the Maison Souquet team. It was so different from our typical tastes, but oh-so beautiful.

As one staff member attended to our registration details, another gave us an introduction to the hotel, walking us through the multiple rooms on the ground floor that the brothel’s “guests” would visit: the reception to meet Madame Souquet, the inner salon (now the hotel’s beautiful bar) to meet the women of the brothel, and the parlor where men could have a pre-departure refreshment. We also got a description of the basement spa, which is available for private use by guests, and an offer to use the lovely backgammon and chess sets displayed on a shelf in the salon. By the time we were done with our tour, our luggage had been delivered to our room, and we were escorted up.

Petite Marguerite

Upon advice of the hotel team, we had chosen the Marguerite room on the fourth floor, a room with Chinese-inspired design. (All of the rooms are named for women who purportedly worked at the brothel and have designs inspired by locations touched by the French empire). Like the common areas on the first floor, our room was decadently beautiful. It was small – not much room for more than a bed and a few beside tables – but the deep red and gold textiles with shiny black lacquer accents created a coziness that made the size feel just right.

The balcony overlooked the buildings across rue de Bruxelles and brought in the sunshine during the day. Even though the room was petite, we found a place for all of our things and even managed to stow our luggage away in the spacious closet. Our first night in the Maison Souquet brought heavy rain overnight, which we could hear and smell through the open window, and a fantastic sleep with dreams of Paris from days gone by.

…And the less petite but equally charming Païva

On our way to coffee on our first full day in Paris, we learned that the hotel had just received a cancellation for a junior suite, and we were offered the upgrade. We had settled into the Marguerite but thought it would be fun to stay in a second room and also enjoy a little more space for our next three nights. La Païva, on the third floor, gave us more breathing room with a chaise lounge and coffee table, a separate toilet room, and two windows that, this time, looked out to the courtyard. The yellow and black textiles and upholstery were an homage to the Far East, and we especially loved the portrait of the goddess-like woman above the chaise.

Pulling off design like this is not easy. For it to work, it has to be impeccable. No scratches, no stains, no smudges (on the many glass surfaces we encountered in both rooms), nothing crooked or wobbly or drippy. And Maison Souquet did pull it off, in every respect but one. In both rooms, a glaze finish on the black tile floor had begun to peel; at first, we thought the uneven surface was by design, but then we noticed the flakes and knew it wasn’t purposeful. But this won’t last. On our last night during turndown service, the hotel left a feedback card and we made a note – the only suggestion amidst our effusive comments. On our flight home, we received an email from the hotel’s general manager who thanked us for the compliments and noted that the floors are scheduled for repair the next month.

Not to be missed: drinks and a swim

Each night at Maison Souquet, we enjoyed fabulous cocktails in the bar. At the beginning of the week, the scene was quiet and relaxed with hotel guests. By the time Thursday and Friday arrived, we were joined by patrons from around Paris, many of whom looked like they had come directly from one of the Paris Fashion Week shows (from the runways of those shows). In every experience, the bartenders were attentive and generous with advice about their favorite drinks and nibbles. We were just visitors from a Midwestern American city, but we always felt like VIPs. 

This feeling was amplified by the time we spent in the hotel’s spa – just the two of us because we had reserved it all for ourselves. For each night of our stay, we were invited to spend an hour of “privatized” time in the spa. At the designated time, a Maison Souquet staff member picked us up in our room and delivered us downstairs where a ten-meter pool and hammam (steam room) awaited. As the staff member was leaving, she pointed to fresh glasses of water, fluffy towels, the post-spa shower, and a phone on the bench, which she said she would ring five minutes before she would pop down to pick us up. Let’s just say, if every spa experience were like this one, we might never get out to explore the cities on our trips.

A beautiful hotel made more wonderful by exceptional staff

Both of our stays in France during this holiday – in Lyon and Paris – were characterized by truly exceptional service. To a person –in email and in-person communications – every exchange we had with the team at Maison Souquet was top-notch. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful but also friendly and never stuffy. They seemed genuinely happy to see us, whether it was during our arrival, on a stop in the middle of the day, or at an early-morning check-out. After our visit, we had a few email exchanges with the hotel manager who had reached out after we left our feedback card. He said he had shared our praises with the team. We hope they all know what good work they do.

Stay details:

• Maison Souquet, Paris, France, 9th arrondissement bordering Montmarte
• 4-night stay: October 10-14, 2023
• De Luxe Room (Marguerite) and Junior Suite (La Païva II)

What we did, where we ate:

• Dinner at Peppe Pizza Martyrs
• Dinner at Can Allegria
• Dinner at Severo
• Dinner at Les Marchands de Vin
• Breakfast at Cafe des deux Moulins
• Coffee at Café Pera
• Coffee at Liperli (brand new coffee shop, friendly and yummy)
• Lunch at Le Timbaud
• Craft cocktails at the hotel bar
• Walk through Jules Joffrin neighborhood
• Nicolas de Staël exhibit at Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
• Walk along the Seine
• Visit to Bois de Vincennes Park
• Visit to Cimetière du Père-Lachaise

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