THE CHARMING BOUTIQUE HOTEL CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS, THE MARAIS

When I recently stayed at the Caron de Beaumarchais hotel in Paris, I felt I was living my medieval bohemian fantasy.  To stay at this charming little boutique hotel in the historic Marias district is like being transported back to 18^th century France.  The hotel is named after Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais who occupied a house a little bit further down from the hotel which is situated on Vieille du Temple, a prominent street in the Marais.

Medieval Marias with it’s narrow cobblestone alleyways is steeped in history dating back to the 12^th century, it was an area largely occupied by nobility.  Today, it is very much the Jewish Quarter of Paris and this is very evident on every street corner with the many groceries, deli’s, restaurants and book shops.  It is also home to the Memorial de la Shoah – the Holocaust Museum which I stumbled upon during my visit to Paris last October, understandably, it was very moving and emotional and something you must put on your list of things to do.  I love the Marais, it’s quirky bohemian vibe is so addictive, it’s an area covering the 3^rd and 4^th arrondissments of Paris, there’s so much to see and do, little nooks and crannies to discover at a leisurely pace, stopping off for refreshments along the way….  this is my idea of a perfect day spent in Paris.

The hotel was bought by the current owner in the late 1980’s who set about refurbishing the house extensively and restoring it to its 18^th century radiance and charm. Of the old building, only the foundations and beams remain today and that’s testament to their good quality. To appreciate the beauty of the hotel you must first understand who Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was, he was a celebrated author of novels such as The Barber of Seville and the Marriage of Figaro.  He was also a watch maker, music teacher, diplomat, ship owner, arms trader, inventor of copyright for authors and royalist spy – a man of many talents it seems. His mansion, 47 Rue Vieille du Temple was the headquarters of the trading house that supplied George Washington and the American Revolution with ships and gunpowder until US Independence in 1782, an interesting character. There is so much history behind the hotel that was once a mansion now named after this French polymath.

I knew I had always wanted to stay here having seen the hotel featured and discussed many times in the various travel magazines and blogs.  The vivid blue façade of this charming boutique hotel is so striking and unmissable and that’s what drew me in.  As soon as I read about it, I knew that this hotel would be my first destination and choice of hotel in the Marais. Its location is fantastic, it’s literally opposite the rue du Pont Louis-Phillippe which is the road that takes you over to the Left Bank by crossing the river Seine at Pont Saint-Louis, one of my favourite bridges in Paris. I adore this part of Paris, the very charming cobbled little street rue des Barres could be from another time, it’s home to the church Eglise Saint-Gervais which is worth a visit.

Having booked Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais for our brief visit to Paris last August, I set about researching the area and what we could do in our short 36 hours, I was so excited to see this hotel for myself and spend some time in the Marais. Upon entering the hotel, you honestly feel you are back in the 18^th century, the small lobby is charming, cute and full of artwork and antiques evoking the 18^th century period. A large piano sits at one end of the lobby, a table with a scattering of playing cards at another and taking centre stage, a stunning harp, one can imagine a noble lady playing a tune on this elegant instrument…. oh, and how could I fail to mention the magnificent and sparkling diamond like chandelier above, it’s a sight to behold.

There are so many photo opportunites in this stunning , romantic and boudoir of a hotel, I couldn’t resist but take so many.

Chandeliers are a prominent and striking feature of this hotel and adorn the ceilings of every room. I’m struck at how beautiful and intimate this hotel is, it’s like a quaint cottage from a bygone age, going by what I saw already, I knew we were going to be in for a treat. The reception staff on duty was a lovely man originally from England but had travelled and worked all around the world. I honestly thought he was French, I couldn’t tell from the way he spoke, so perfectly and fluently just like a native! I was in awe as I would love to learn how to speak French, I was really impressed but he added that he had always loved languages as a small boy, I’m still persevering in my quest to learn this romantic and sensual language.

After the usual check in formalities were finished, we were handed our keys and shown to the lifts, tiny but adorable little lifts decked in chintzy floral fabric.

We had booked a front side room which I’m told are the larger rooms, there are ten of these and a further 7 front side rooms which are slightly smaller.  Our room was enchanting, yes, rooms are small but that’s standard for Parisian boutique hotels unless you’re staying in one of the many 5* deluxe palace hotels. The room is tastefully decorated in classical 18^th century French style as is the theme for this hotel, beautiful fabrics and exposed beams further add a romantic ambience to the room.

The room has a small terrace where breakfast can be enjoyed overlooking beautiful Marias, built in wardrobes with ample room and an antique writing desk and sitting on top of the desk, a welcome bottle of chilled pink champagne, it was the perfect addition.

By the side of the bed, really useful USB  sockets to charge our mobiles, this was so useful my husband muttered as I explored the bathroom supplied with my favourite Annick Goutal toiletries. I love AnnickGoutal, a quintessentially Parisian perfume house with several shops in Paris and branches in London, you only tend to find toiletries of this luxurious nature in 5* deluxe hotels so I was really impressed and very grateful to be able to use these fresh, sweet smelling products. Also in the room is complementary wifi, a flat screen TV, air conditioning, in room safe and telephone, even an ironing board, everything you need to make your stay truly comfortable and memorable.

Continental breakfast is 13 euros and can be taken downstairs in the breakfast room or in the comfort of your room, perhaps on the terrace if weather permits and it was a scorching weekend when we arrived in Paris however, my husband very much being the outdoor type had decided the weather was too nice and wanted to enjoy breakfast and a cigarette at a cafe while watching the world go by, who am I to argue with that.

We had a full on 36 hours but as much as we packed in in such a short time, it was also very leisurely, we felt we had a relaxing time and the weather was gorgeous, in fact, I felt it was too hot.  I was literally sweltering, my make-up melting off me as were walking around Paris trying to look very elegant but failing dismally. In the evening, I had booked from London a fantastic restaurant in Montmartre called Chamarre, a fusion of Mauritian and French, a new post about the restaurant coming soon.  I will also be sharing with you a post on how we spent our 36 hours in Paris. There is so much to see and do in the Marias – the charming squares of Place des Vosges and Place du Marche Sainte-Catherine, MuseeCarnavalet (currently closed until end of 2019 for refurbishment) MuseePicasso, MemorialdelaShoah, MuseeCognacq-Jay are just a few suggestions and of course, numerous cafe’s and restaurants.

Returning in the evening, we were welcomed with much needed air conditioning, it was lovely laying our tired bodies on the most comfortable bed and drifting off to the most welcome sleep. I’m truly grateful to the hotel for their hospitality and making our stay so memorable, the Caron de Beaumarchais lived up to the rave reviews and surpassed my expectations.  It’s a hotel that I will most definitely return to again and the best bit, it’s so affordable with doubles starting at around 150 euros per night.  There are many beautiful hotels in the area which I must visit for the benefit of the blog, but the CarondeBeaumarchais is definitely my go-to Marias hotel.

There are packages available to suit all occasions for example, the Romance Package is a front side room and includes a bottle of champagne and a gorgeous box of Pierre Herme Macarons, breakfast for two and a boat cruise on the River Seine and all this for 215 euros per night– note, this package has a minimum two-night stay, I think it’s magnificent value for money. You can also secure a cheaper rate by booking in advance saving up to 40% but this is a pre-paid rate, there is no flexibility.  Booking a flexible rate allows modifications to your booking and payment is made upon departure.  You can book via this link.

                  

All views and images are my own unless stipulated. Our champagne was complimentary.

Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais

12 Rue Vieille du Temple

Marais

75004, Paris

hotel@carondebeaumarchais.com

Tel : +33 (0)1 42 72 34 12