3 minute read
HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD
STIMULATING THE SENSES
Maison Mère, Paris
P24: Images courtesy of Maison Mére
242 MILES FROM HOTEL HQ
Maison Mère is not just a hotel; it’s a hybrid and a constantly evolving abode with a flexible approach.
Maison Mère is part of a new era, the feeling of being completely at home while away from home.
It’s the story of a family and a team who put their hearts and souls into a project and gave birth to an invigorating and life-affirming sanctuary.
Owner and Founder of the Hotel, Aziz Temimi, is a third generation hotelier. Although trained as an engineer, he started his career in Management Consulting and e-commerce but has always had hospitality running in his blood. With his brother Walid, he took over the leading Hotel Belmont (the other family-owned venue), and began the project of reimagining hospitality.
“We have not simply created a hotel, but a place of life where every space is an experience. We do not receive guests, we invite them, as friends do. The idea is to not merely offer a room, but an extension of one’s own home.”
As we know, the location of a venue can often be the make or break of a hotel’s success. Situated in the midst of the 9th arrondissement, stands Maison Mère, the neighborhood landmark of the Village Montholon: an authentic and beautifully preserved part of the French capital that is off the mass tourism track but still within easy reach of the city’s countless wonders and attractions – making for a huge selling point.
After delving into the importance of hotel bars earlier in the issue, we move on to the beehive of the Maison, Hey Honey. Serving to refresh, nourish and entertain guests with a generous menu in an evolving, multifaceted setting, it’s the restaurant of the Maison Mère offering an all-daylong service. In the evening, guests can succumb to the enchantment of a selection of eclectic cocktails and French fusion dishes. This is a space to enjoy fine cuisine and an ambience nourished and inspired by subtle touches from the depths of Paris.
Hedonistic and a touch of provocative without overdoing it, Hey Honey is a distillation of All Paris: a menu of signature cocktails to accompany French fusion portions by Chef Santiago Guerrero and other small dishes and large platters ready to be shared, inspired by the flavours of the world.
When night falls it’s time for Hey Honey, the heart of the Maison, to take centre stage. This majestic bar dresses the spaces and opens them up.
At the Maison, Aziz revealed that the keyword throughout is ‘appetite’: “An appetite for fresh and excellent locally sourced produce.
“An appetite for trying out audacious combinations. “An appetite for authenticity and a family cuisine that echoes the ethos of the Maison.”
With an interior inspired by the Bauhaus style and the aesthetics of Japanese design, a sense of detail pervades the entire establishment. A subtle connecting thematic thread runs through every Parisian cornice, every play of light and every element of the parquet floor is skillfully laid in opposing directions and intentionally overlapping the octagonal tiles of their bathrooms.
Alexandre Danan, EDO – Interior Designer of Maison Mère, told us: “All the senses are stimulated in very different ways at each step of the journey. From the ground floor bustling with activity to the guest’s arrival in the intimate private haven of their room, by way of the transitional spaces that are the corridors and the lift.”
We asked Aziz what other hospitality venues could take from Maison Mère in terms of a business perspective, to which he responded with: “I would say the benevolence and caring. Consumers are sick of feeling like ambulant wallets. Not charging for bottled water in the room will go a long way in terms of spending in the bar. Also thinking of themselves as more of an entertainment complex rather than a housing business. It will not only allow them to create other revenue streams, but also boost the average room price through branding differentiation.”
