Tonight, Joséphine

19 September 2016

Josephine Bonaparte/Hotel de JoBo We’ve always been fascinated by Joséphine Bonaparte so we were excited to hear about a new Paris hotel inspired by the 18th-century Empress, mistress-wife and trend-setter. Corridor/Hotel de JoBo Set in the heart of the Marais district, close to the Places des Vosges, Hôtel de JoBo (see what they’ve done there?) has been designed to transport visitors back into Josephine’s world – starting with a Napoleonic campaign tent covered in roses in reception. Bedroom/Hotel de JoBo Roses were apparently Josephine’s passion: born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie (Joséphine was Napoleon’s nickname for her), she had 240 species of her namesake planted at Malmaison, her château just outside Paris. So naturally when she came to decorate the 24-room boutique hotel, designer Bambi Sloan used roses as the main motif – on the floors, the walls, even on the ceilings, commissioning beautiful textiles based on designs found in the archives of a historic manufacturer called Maison Le Manach. Leopard print/Hotel de JoBo Joséphine/Rose was mad about interior design herself and spent her life inventing, assembling and collecting items to adorn her various residences. It was for her that the first ever panther-skin rug was made and there is plenty of leopard-skin print at Hôtel de JoBo, too. Bathroom/Hotel de JoBo The whole effect is intended to be romantic, quirky and just a bit saucy rather than chocolate-boxy. ‘This is a hotel for both licit and illicit love affairs,’ says Sloan, who refers to the rooms as ‘love nests’. She’s certainly gone for authenticity with design inspired by the Directoire style, down to the detailing of the carpentry, the Marquina and Carrara marble moisaics, very popular in the 18th century, in the bathrooms, and lozenge-shaped mirrors on the wardrobes. Bar/Hotel de JoBo Spread over four floors around a hidden courtyard, Hôtel de Bojo has no formal restaurant, but there is a tea room serving French patisseries and a cocktail bar. What to drink? We’ll be ordering an Imperatrice (Gin, Ginger, Honey, Lemon juice, Apérol). It would be rude not to. Hôtel de JoBo, 10, rue d’Ormesson, 75004 Paris. Rooms from €180 per night.