Madame Rêve Café

"Paris may boast many of the world’s grandest and most storied hotels, but Madame Rêve, which opened earlier this year, stands apart from competitors—not just for its elegance, but for its sense of discretion. This lack of pretension is evident from the entrance, which is almost unmarked and easily missed. Guests must buzz into a very small (but impressively chic) lobby. Where the grand first floors of Paris’s best-known five-star hotels—flooded with flower arrangements, fine furniture, and deferential professionals—lend themselves to chance encounters and copious small talk, at Madame Rêve, patrons can slip in and out with ease. The property is a product of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s transformation of Paris under Napoleon III. Built in 1888, the stately building—was there any other kind in 1888?—served as the city’s first and only 24-hour post office. The space was transformed for its present usage by Laurent Taïeb, the entrepreneur behind popular Parisian dining destinations Kong and Le Trésor. A short and picturesque walk from the Palace des Victoires, the Jardin du Palais-Royal, and the Louvre, Madame Rêve’s ideal location feels noticeably quieter and less overrun with tourists than many comparable hotels, while remaining firmly in the center of the action. (And despite the hotel’s hushed, secretive spirit, if prompted, the knowledgeable concierge will happily offer their expertise on lesser-known attractions to fill your stay in the city.) The sophisticated, sexy rooms and suites offer further refuge from the city’s bustle. Hues of oranges and browns compliment the onyx, leather, and brass used throughout, while contemporary details elevate the earth tones to reflect the hotel’s broader blend of old-world Paris with cutting-edge design." - Ian Malone