Hotel Online
News for the Hospitality Executive

advertisement


Celebrated Decorator Jacques Grange Redefines French Tradition
at Sofitel's Hotel Scribe in Paris, France
 
  
PARIS � Oct. 23, 2007� Sofitel, the French luxury hotel brand, presents the new face of the Scribe after two years of renovations. Jacques Grange, renowned interior architect, refreshed the Scribe in a typically elegant Parisian style, perfectly matching the brand�s vision of luxury hotels.  
 
Located a few steps from the Opéra Garnier and the Place Vendôme, the hotel was entirely renovated and offers new spaces ready to welcome the most discerning guests including a spa, the �Le Café Lumière�, the �La Maison de Thé� and a fitness center.
 
Opened in 1861, the hotel is inspired by the personalities who left a mark in its history. The hotel embodies French sophistication, combining contemporary luxury with the timeless charm of rare and precious decorative features.
 
Inside, paintings accompany the visitor along the hallways. Each floor celebrates an event or a distinguished guest in the Scribe�s history: the first public projection of cinema by the Lumière brothers and the visits of Josephine Baker and Jules Verne.  
 
Jacques Grange, French decorator of international repute and ambassador of Parisian elegance, exercises his talents around the world. He has decorated private residences and palaces of clients such as Yves Saint-Laurent and the Princess Caroline de Hanovre. Hotel Scribe is Grange�s debut at showcasing his talents at a premiere French hotel.
 
Discover the new Scribe�
 
In the heart of the capital�s neighborhood of business, luxury, culture, nightlife and shopping landmarks, the Scribe is a haven of serenity and timeless charm. The elegant façade of Second Empire architecture was entirely renovated and widened. The majestic entrance is enhanced with crystal chandeliers and a checker floor.
 
The Scribe�s lobby is an invitation to relaxation and refinement with two separate welcoming spaces:
- The deep velvet sofas of a plush salon in the mezzanine library, offer a cozy ambiance under the dimmed light of the 1925 chandeliers.
- The �Café Lumière� delights with contemporary cuisine under its new transparent glass roof.
 
Room and suites
 
Jacques Grange made the 200 rooms stylish and distinguished spaces, playing with subtle shades of blue, green, grey and brown. 
 
The furniture blends simple lines and precious sycamore and white mahogany woods. Grange incorporated Art Deco style furniture in shapes that combine pure lines and supple curves, pyramidal volumes and a contrast between light and dark tones.
 
Four spacious and luminous duplex suites offer the allure of a private residence. They are decorated with pictures by famous photographers such as Lee Miller who stayed at the Hotel Scribe.
 
Each of the hotel�s six floors celebrates an event or a person that left a mark in the Scribe�s history: 

1st floor - THE JOCKEY CLUB - The origins of the Scribe
As early as 1863, the French Horse Breeders� Society chose the already prestigious Scribe as the location for its aristocratic Jockey Club. 
 
2nd floor - JOSEPHINE BAKER � The Scribe and music 
Arriving in Paris in 1925, Josephine Baker was famous for her mythical �Revue Nègre.� She was also very involved in the Civil Rights movement. She stayed at the Scribe often and made the hotel one of her privileged places in Paris.
 
3rd floor - MARCEL PROUST � The Scribe and literature
One of Marcel Proust�s recurrent characters, the Baron de Charlus, is a member of the Jockey Club at Hotel Scribe.
 
4th floor - SERGEI DIAGHILEV � The Scribe and dance
In 1909, the Russian Ballets were performed at the Théâtre du Chatelet and received an enthusiastic welcome. The dancer Sergei Diaghilev, like many artists, frequented the Grand Café, on the ground floor of the Scribe.  
 
5th floor - LOUIS & AUGUSTE LUMIERE � The Scribe and cinema
On December 28, 1895, Louis and Auguste Lumière held the first public demonstration of their new invention -- cinema. For this event, the Lumière brothers chose the Salon Indien, below street level of the current Scribe.
 
6th floor - JULES VERNE � The Scribe and science
In 1896, Doctor Wilhelm Röntgen also chose the Salon Indien to unveil another major discovery - X-rays. Jules Verne, precursor of science-fiction and visionary author is illustrated on the top floor, just under the roof, a tribute to imagination without limits.

The Spa
 
A sanctuary of serenity in the midst of Parisian luxury, the Hotel Scribe spa welcomes guests into a world of lustrous, pearly white. Located on the first floor, the urban spa of 2,045 square feet is a place of pure indulgence. The signature treatments are an invitation to embrace the delights of essential oils, clays and vegetal essences.
 
In the heart of the spa, the Lancôme Beauty Institute ? the signature of French luxury and beauty ? boasts its exceptional �French touch.�
 
Lancôme�s commitment to the beauty of women and men is redefined with its expert treatments and unique savoir-faire.  All senses are stimulated in the intimacy of the private cubicles, with rich multi-sensory experiences. 
 
The hotel offers additional wellness opportunities at the Jacuzzi and dynamic sessions at the fitness center.
 
« La Maison de Thé »
 
Take a break from the bustling activity of the city in the tranquil intimacy of the hotel at �Maison de Thé.� Evoking respite, the library-inspired tearoom is an ideal place for a delicious break between shopping sprees or for a business meeting. A variety of rare and exclusive teas from the prestigious Cha Yuan brand accompany the delicatessen prepared by the Patisserie Chef Pierre Prévost.
 
Gastronomy
 
In February 2007, the Scribe opened its restaurant �Le Café Lumière.� The name pays tribute to the Lumière brothers with a glass roof, creating a winter garden effect. The talented Chef Franck Charpentier is at the head of the operation and is also the Chef at the Michelin-rated �Les Muses,� the hotel�s gourmet restaurant.  In Parisian décor, inspired by the cinema spirit, Franck Charpentier offers a creative and modern cuisine.
 
The bar innovates with whimsical variations of classical cocktails like the �Purple Mojito� or creative cocktails with names dedicated to cinema: �Fiction,� �Suspense,� �Cartoon,� and �Comedy.�

Sofitel: luxury hotels with the French touch
Because no one country or city is the same, Sofitel has made each of its hotels around the world a truly unique establishment. Combining the spirit of each place with the values of modernity, refinement and absolute comfort, they are all imbued in their inimitable way with the French �art de vivre�. Whether their setting is a great business metropolis like Paris, New York or Bangkok, or nestling in the landscape in Indonesia, Polynesia or Brazil, each Sofitel hotel offers travelers a genuine haven of peace. So that each guest, for an overnight stay or longer, during a business trip or for a holiday, can enjoy the rich variety of these unique places in comfort and tranquility.

.
Contact:

Nicole Hernandez
(212) 891-0228/0208/0205
[email protected]
www.sofitel.com
 

.
.
Also See: Didier de La Ferrière Named General Manager of the Sofitel San Francisco Bay / May 2007
Architect Marie Parente's Designed Sofitel Paris La Défense Grande Arche Being Completed at Cost of $72 million / May 2000
.
.


 


To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.OnlineSearch
Home | Welcome| Hospitality News | Classifieds| One-on-One |
Viewpoint Forum | Industry Resources | Press Releases
Please contact Hotel.Onlinewith your comments and suggestions.