Paris has many modern hotel towers, but there’s a special pleasure in staying at a well-maintained historic property just a five-minute walk from Quartier Pigalle, with a view of the Basilica of Sacré‑Cœur from your window. Stroll through the 9th arrondissement, sample the neighborhood’s bars and cafés, and save time for sleep—or for kissing.
When Hotel Rochechouart at 55 Boulevard Rochechouart opened as a privately owned, eight‑story hotel in the 1920s, it welcomed international travelers, Parisian writers, actors and many European intellectuals who frequented the nearby theaters and art galleries.
© Ludovic Balay
Rochechouart is one of the last great Parisian hotels devoted to Art Deco, yet its public spaces and rooms feel welcoming rather than museum‑like. Beyond the striking façade, many guest rooms and suites recreate Belle Époque details and furnishings. The hotel is part of the Orso collection, a small group of unique Paris properties; Orso describes Rochechouart as “very Parisian without being luxurious, with a theatrical facade. A true Pigalle monument.”
The building’s original furnishings and ornaments are kept with care: a marble staircase, an old glass elevator and an entrance designed to make arrivals feel warm and invited at any hour. Guests are greeted with a daily buttery madeleine crafted by the chef. The hotel’s long corridor‑gallery leads to a quiet library that’s always open for reading, and an Honesty bar stocked with homemade drinks and gourmet bites.
© Ludovic Balay
The décor celebrates the palette of the 1920s—muted greens, bronze, tobacco, mocha, terracotta and faded yellows and reds appear throughout the rooms. No two guestrooms or suites are the same. Rooms beneath the rooftop are particularly charming and many offer memorable views of the Sacré‑Cœur. If you’re feeling inspired, bring an easel and paints—and a close companion.
Suites feature long sofas or king beds positioned for skyline views; they are ideal for an afternoon nap. Minibars are thoughtfully stocked with carafes of whisky and gin, tailor‑made cocktails and small surprises chosen by staff.
Orso hotels developed their own line of bathroom products made in Grasse, the Provençal center of France’s perfume industry. Branded Colomba, these toiletries carry fresh notes of fig, wild fennel, lemon and bergamot, bringing a subtle regional scent to each bathroom.
On the ninth floor, the Rooftop Bar is the place to see and be seen. A large terrace planted with fig and Chinese almond trees and climbing vines offers sweeping views of Montmartre, Sacré‑Cœur, the Eiffel Tower and much of the Paris skyline.
Anouk and Louis Solanet © Ludovic Balay
With wrought‑iron lounges, benches, sofas and tables, the Rooftop Bar welcomes guests and locals from about 5 p.m. for tea and light bites and can remain open until the early hours, serving cocktails made with gin, vodka and whiskey. Downstairs, the Mikado is a cozy, intimate club where couples can dance, drink or simply relax until bedtime.
The hotel restaurant, open from noon to 11 p.m., reopened after a careful renovation that preserved its original Art Deco sculptural arches and large mirrors. The floor was restored to reveal the original blue mosaic bordered in gold, a 1930s detail that reinforces the room’s historic character. The menu matches the setting, with dishes such as beef tenderloin with pepper sauce and crispy fries or pan‑fried scallops with candied potatoes and a classic Grenoble sauce.
As tradition demands, the restaurant sets tables with white tablecloths and serves food on plates bearing the hotel’s new insignia. In a personal touch overseen by owners Anouk and Louis, the restaurant uses 180 unique napkin rings—each different—a long French custom that adds charm and individuality to every place setting.