HÔTEL BALZAC OPENS ATOP THE CHAMPS-ELYSÉES Olivier Bertrand opens a 5th distinctive hotel in Paris.

HÔTEL BALZAC OPENS ATOP THE CHAMPS-ELYSÉES

PARIS, FRANCE (July 24, 2024) – Olivier Bertrand announces the opening of his fifth hotel property (and his third new hotel in three years). Hôtel Balzac (www.hotelbalzac.paris), just off the top of the Champs-Élysées in Paris’ 8th Arr. reopened its doors June 1, 2024 after a total reinvention of its interiors by the renowned French architecture firm, Festen.

Hôtel Balzac is housed in a turn of the century building that sits on the site of the former home of the 19th century French novelist, Honoré de Balzac. 

Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay, the duo behind Festen Architecture, transformed Hotel Balzac into a unique destination, blending grand hotel spirit with intimate chic. Inspired by the hotel’s facade and architectural details, they created a distinctive atmosphere while honoring its history and heritage. 

From the glass-roofed lounge to the rooms and spa, the spaces offer a cozy and welcoming ambiance. Neutral tones, clean lines, and refined materials such as wood, velvet, and natural stone create timeless elegance. Light, considered as a true element of decoration, enhances the space throughout the day. Custom-made furniture, reminiscent of the 1930s and 40s, is reinterpreted with creative modernity and a constant focus on comfort. Every detail of this renovation echoes Balzac’s Parisian identity.

“Balzac perpetuates a timeless Parisian hotel heritage with its classicism. It's a place full of atmosphere, with a history that we have respected and extended. You need to experience this place to understand it,” says Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay.

A member of Relais & Châteaux, the new, 5-star luxury Hotel Balzac features 58 rooms and suites – some with views of the Eiffel Tower and open-air terraces, a glass-domed lobby lounge, a discrete bar, and the 3-Michelin star restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire, in its lobby. The hotel’s Japanese-inspired Ikoi Spa at Hotel Balzac will open this summer.

A mythical area, the Champs-Élysées is reclaiming its elegance, increasingly asserting itself as "the most beautiful avenue in the world." From the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde, the vibrant atmosphere, day and night, evokes dreams of the chic Paris of the golden years, radiating with energetic fervor. Slightly withdrawn from this whirlwind, on a quiet side street, Hôtel Balzac seems to observe the Parisian “human comedy,” as Balzac coined it, from its vantage point at the corner of Rue Balzac and Rue Lord Byron. The perfect place to experience the capital as a privileged guest, alongside a cosmopolitan Parisian elite.

Beyond the stone steps, an intimate and warm ambiance awaits. A Parisian sensation permeates the 58 rooms and suites, some with views of the Eiffel Tower and open-air terraces. A discreet Japanese-inspired spa, a mysterious hotel bar, a cozy lounge... A highly desirable new destination.

Ultra-chic, discreet, exclusive, a far cry from ostentatious luxury, Hôtel Balzac has been reinvented entirely in the grand tradition of French hospitality, like a beautiful private residence rich with unique history and atmosphere.

Neutral tones, pure minimalist lines, refined material effects... The designer duo Festen has crafted a new singular address deeply rooted in its Parisian identity. Inspired by the hotel's exterior façade, with its intricate architectural details, lanterns, elevated steps, and majestic entrance, Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay were guided by the soul of the place, its history, and its magnificent heritage.

From the cozy glass-roofed lobby lounge to the rooms and spa, a subdued atmosphere remains the connecting thread of this intimate hotel, designed like a home, where one feels comfortable from the first moment without even knowing why. Everywhere, the decoration exudes timeless elegance, with the reassuring presence of wood in burl, solid oak, or lacquered forms, intricate trimmings, selected art objects, and noble materials: velvet sofas, moiré fabric, natural stone, marble mosaics... The palette of brown, tawny, cognac, or camel tones is highlighted by an artistic reflection on light, which stages the spaces throughout the day and night.

The custom-designed furniture by Festen for Hôtel Balzac evokes the understated elegance of the 1930s and 1940s, revisited with a very personal modern creativity. For every detail, the pursuit of absolute comfort was the primary requirement, an obvious choice.

"Hôtel Balzac perpetuates a timeless Parisian hotel heritage through its classicism. It's a place full of atmosphere, with a history that we have respected and extended. One must live this place to understand it," says Charlotte de Tonnac & Hugo Sauzay.

Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay met during their interior design studies at the Camondo School. Graduating in 2011, they immediately founded their design studio in Paris, Festen, which means "celebration" in Danish. The duo works on private residence projects and hotels worldwide, as well as scenography and installations. Rather than developing a unique and recognizable style, they focus on understanding the places and their specific context to reinvent their history while respecting their identity. Each of their projects thus has its own personality, inspired by the essence of the site. Working with local artisans and materials, recycling and restoring as much as possible, is a given for them.

A delightful sensation of peace and preserved discretion permeates the 58 rooms and suites at Hôtel Balzac where guests are invited to savor the pleasure of living in the endless spectacle of the capital. Some rooms offer views of the Eiffel Tower while being well-protected from the outside bustle. This feeling is even more exhilarating in the two suites with private open-air terraces, giving the heady impression that Paris belongs to you.

In every space, Balzac achieves the perfect balance between grand volumes, with beautiful high ceilings, and a warm, soothing atmosphere. The decorative concept embraces visual simplicity and exceptional materials, blending classic heritage with contemporary lines, radicality, and sensuality. A "quiet luxury" hotel that whispers and murmurs a certain idea of well-being, firmly positioned among the timeless values.

Adjacent to the lobby, the glass-roofed lounge is a versatile living space for relaxation, meetings, rendezvous, or gourmet breaks, according to one’s desires and mood. The joy of sitting and watching time pass, which always takes on a fascinating density in Paris. Savor every moment. Enjoy the precious calm with delight, like a privilege. Appreciate the reassuring feeling of being perfectly in place, among those who share the same hedonistic vision of life, whether for a peaceful breakfast, a Caesar salad or truffled croque-monsieur on a sofa, or a gourmet tea or coffee time.

A bit further away, the Bar exudes a mysterious atmosphere, with carefully dimmed lights and muted sounds, resembling a chic Parisian speakeasy where one wouldn’t be surprised to glimpse the shadows of Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Here, Parisians and travelers from around the world mingle to share a drink, for a business meeting or a romantic tête-à-tête. The menu features expertly mixed and highly inspired cocktails with Balzacian humor names. Additionally, there are high-quality wines and spirits to accompany some Petrossian caviar specialties or a lobster roll with Espelette pepper and ginger. Time stands still, real life begins.

From the lobby, a secret door leads to the gastronomic restaurant Pierre Gagnaire, adjacent to Hôtel Balzac but entirely independent. Both establishments, part of the Relais & Châteaux addresses, share the same values of generosity and authenticity, with a strong commitment to French tradition and local craftsmanship. It is the perfect opportunity to taste the cuisine of the great Chef, awarded 3 Michelin stars.

Relax, breathe, unwind in the hotel’s Ikoi Spa, which opens this summer. Ikoi means "a place where one feels good" in Japanese, fully lives up to its name with three cabins dedicated to absolute well-being. The treatment menu includes dream protocols to revitalize tired faces and bodies, with rituals bearing poetic names and authentic performance.

Guests may exercise at any time in the fitness room, relax in the sauna, release tension, and forget everything in the pool. Divine moments ahead, after a day of meetings, frantic shopping, or nonstop cultural visits in Paris.

With Hôtel Balzac, Olivier Bertrand adds a new interpretation of his art of hospitality in Paris, which is above all an art of living, emblematic of French hospitality. "Living" reflects the passion of his family, which has been engaged in luxury hospitality since 1979: an invitation to discover charming hotels, designed like private homes, with an original history, a unique identity, and an advanced sense of service. 

Owned by Olivier Bertrand and his family, Hotel Balzac and its sister hotels Saint James Paris (16th Arr.) and Relais Christine (Latin Quarter) are members of Relais & Chateaux. The family’s other properties include two other new hotels opened in the last year: néo-art-nouveau-inspired Château des Fleurs and the Hotel Norman, which was inspired by modernist graphic designer Norman Ives, both in the 8th Arr. near the top of the Champs-Elysées.