The 61 Bonaparte is the idea of a family hotel in pure Germanopratin style.
At the entrance of the Bonaparte Hotel, on the left, a Manurhin scooter from the 60s. On the walls, the owner, Olivier Dumas, a sculptor at heart, who lives here with his tribe (since 1930 the hotel belongs to his family) talks about his paintings in a playful way: “I offer a bottle of wine to the client who will take a photo in front of all the clues of the monuments hidden in the paintings”. Because wine is his other passion. Olivier makes his visitors taste biodynamic and organic wines, which he buys directly from the winegrowers. He has set up a cellar in the Haussmann-style hotel. And he shares his beverage with his guests in this small lounge decorated with pieces he has collected, or made. The exposed stones, the discreet library and the antique leather armchairs overlook a charming little flowered courtyard: it feels like home. In the 29 rooms, no gilding or embellishments but style; no two are alike. Nor will you see the names of famous writers on the doors—such as Henry Miller and many others who stayed here for a long time—to make the tourist dream. Here, it’s just the right touch: the decor, like the service, is friendly, authentic, discreet and warm. This is undoubtedly the reason for such a loyal clientele and the exclamations of the visitors who consider it so typical. And then, what a location! Just 20 m from Place Saint-Sulpice, in the historic heart of Saint-Germain. Soon, on the new green terrace that he will share with the famous pastry chef Pierre Hermé, you will be able to taste a macaroon-wine-champagne mix. Comfortably seated, if you turn your head slightly, you will see the 3 basins of the famous Saint-Sulpice fountain. Perhaps it is precisely here that Paolo Coelho—who also stayed in the hotel while writing his Alchemist—thought: “Here, everything is a sign”…
61, rue Bonaparte – 75006 Paris
+33 1 43 26 97 37
www.hotelbonaparte.paris
Photo © Tanguy de Montesson