Midnight in Paris: Hotel Jules et Jim gets it just right

All photos courtesy of Jules et Jim

If we opened a Parisian hotel, it would look an awful lot like Jules et Jim. From the photography on the walls, by Out contributors Nicolas Wagner and François Rousseau, to the signature candles by perfumer and Out100 honoree Francis Kurkdjian, to the very uncontinental late breakfast (served until 1 p.m. on weekends), this boutique hotel on the edge of the Marais is everything a city hideaway should be.

A screening room

Let’s start with chic: There’s something deeply appealing about a hotel that does not shout to you from the street. Instead, the pleasures of Jules et Jim reveal themselves by turns: the blackout blinds in the bedrooms, for example, or the way owners Antoine Brault and Geoffroy Sciard have incorporated so much HI-MACS, a seemless resin, to create curvilinear walls in some of the rooms, which makes for a cocoon-like experience as you sprawl on the large comfortable bed.

The living wall

The outdoor fireplace and lush living wall in the small courtyard near the restaurant are also a plus. So, too, is the location, a short walk from Rue de Bretagne, where you can eat merrily and cheaply at the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest covered market, built in 1615. Or just grab a coffee at gay-friendly Café Charlot (38 Rue de Bretagne) and watch the boys pass by.

Jules et Jim, 11 Rue des Gravilliers; HotelJulesetJim.com

The cozy bar