Discover Paris’s Enchanting Wine Bar and Boutique Hotel

Walking past it, you might not even look twice: a simple façade on a side street in the mostly residential 15th arrondissement. In fact, this is a neighborhood that many travelers to Paris don’t find themselves wandering through at all. Until now, perhaps.

Le Wallace Hôtel & Bar, which opened in November 2021, is the sixth property from Paris-based Orso Hotels — the team behind the recently renovated Hôtel Rochechouart, on the border of Pigalle and Montmartre, as well as the new Hôtel Orphée.

Formerly home to an unremarkable budget hotel, the building it occupies had fallen into disrepair in recent years. In fact, it was in such bad shape when work began that the team lovingly nicknamed it the “Wallace Palace.” However, a massive renovation by multiple Paris-based design firms — including the addition of several floors by architect Silvio d’Ascia — has transformed the space into one of the city’s most charming new places to stay.

“The project started as a blank canvas,” said Louis Solanet, co-founder of Orso alongside his wife Anouk. “Everything needed to be reinvented. The creative freedom inspired us and got our design collaborators really excited about taking this on.” Consequently, Le Wallace has 45 guest rooms, ranging from cozy but comfortable singles to large balcony suites, curated by interiors duo Hauvette & Madani, who took the lushness of the 1970s Italian Riviera as inspiration. Even during the rainy winter weekend I visited, their thoughtful design helped inject a bit of southern Europe into this quiet corner of Paris, featuring jewel tones, terrazzo-floored bathrooms, and an abundance of heavy textiles and lacquered wood.

Furthermore, Le Wallace is a mere 20-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, easily spotted from many of the suites. “To remind guests that they’re in Paris,” as Louis mentioned. The very top of the tower is even in view from the 750-square-foot terrace, which is filled with plants and cushy seating — plus a sauna and Scandinavian-style cold plunge bath to briefly transport yourself a few thousand miles north.

The centerpiece of the hotel, however, is hiding deeper within: a small, plant-filled central patio and adjacent atrium wine bar, with natural light pouring in from a skylight far above. “We wanted to create a real common space instead of the typical small lobby you often see in Paris,” Louis stated. “That served as the starting point for building out the rest.”

The airy bar becomes the focal point of a stay, with guests rotating through for a breakfast croissant or a Negroni nightcap. “The Riviera-influenced design inspired us to offer a menu of great Italian products,” Anouk noted. “Additionally, we were fortunate enough to find some amazing purveyors within walking distance.” The Le Wallace aperitivo hour (in collaboration with culinary incubator Fulgurances) is also drawing in locals for fritti, mortadella, and a tight list of Italian wines. Cin cin.

For further information, please visit hotelwallaceparis.com.