A significant new investment will see the Chapitre Six hotel group acquire a slew of new properties over the coming years in its most exciting chapter to date.
Defined by their character, quirk and exclusive cachet, boutique hotels are increasingly big business. They’ve become the go-to choice for those seeking something more personal and unique in their travels, offering a genuine sense of place, local charm and the curated guest experiences that are often missing in traditional chains.
It comes as no surprise then that Goldman Sachs’ Alternatives has agreed an impressive investment with Chapitre Six, a collection of boutique hotels in iconic places—namely Paris and the Côte d’Azur. The investment will enable the company to acquire new hotels in prime locations in France and beyond, creating increasingly unique spaces for the most high-brow of travellers.
Founded by young French hotelier Nicolas Saltiel, and with nine hotels to its name, Chapitre Six has built its brand on its astute ability to offer guests unique experiences in iconic locations, where each address has its own identity and original character, and the codes of the hotel service are often reconsidered, all the while preserving the identity of the places in which they are applied.
As such, Saltiel’s vision has always been to create hotels that feel like a home away from home, yet with all the indulgence and style that only boutique hospitality can offer. Case in point? Maison Saintonge, located in the Marais, is an eclectic hotel-confectionery (pretty bags of sweets are delivered to all guests), with rooms that evoke the large family homes endemic to the southwest of France. Meanwhile, Hôtel La Ponche in Saint-Tropez played a significant role in making the town the elite hotspot it is today—from the 1950s onwards it, went from serving coming-ashore fishermen to starring as a backdrop in the movie And God Created Woman, while the stars of La Piscine, Alain Delon and Romy Schneider, frequently stayed here. The hotel soon became the hangout for France’s most refined clientele.
Housed in an elegant Haussmann building on the corner of Rue Washington, just off the ChampsÉlysées, Monsieur George is a particularly big hitter, crafted exquisitely in a kaleidoscope of colours and influences. Designed by actress/model/fashion designer turned hotelier Anouska Hempel, the name behind various Van Cleef & Arpels stores and the Louis Vuitton flagship in Paris, the floors gleam with polished bottle-green tiles, while large black silk fans cast shadows across the windows. Rooms are decorated in four different styles: Chequers, Windsor, Benjamin Franklin and Marly; and while most command a strict colour palette of grey, biscuit, ebony and deep green, the top rooms are all white, inspired by the floating clouds that can be seen from the gabled windows along with views of the Eiffel Tower.
All in all, the ambiance is luxurious yet discreet, complete with the comforts that rival those of the finest palace hotels. The one-Michelin-starred Galanga eatery offers innovative meat and fish dishes cooked in a “konro” (a traditional Japanese charcoal grill), while the spa is a collaboration with feted holistic wellness brand Lymfea.
Opened just last year in Paris, Hotel Hana is another highlight. Arguably the most dazzling of the collection, it was created in collaboration with creative director Oliver Leone, celebrated for his expertise in fashion, and interior designer Laura Gonzalez who, renowned for her vibrant, artfully eclectic maximalist style, is one of Paris’s most sought-after decor visionaries. Nestled between the Opéra Garnier and the Bourse de Commerce, a few minutes from Little Tokyo, from which it takes inspiration, this 26-key hotel fuses the East and West through its rooms (completely uncluttered with just simple, low, Japanese-style armchairs, a cupboard containing the minibar, and a TV screen set on an easel), food (Hanabi’s minimalistic Japanese menu is divided into “acts” rather than courses, serving the likes of roughly chopped steak tartare and miso-sauced udon with langoustine tartare) and spa (its kobido massages are a triumph).
The best bit? Now, with a significant investment coming Chapitre Six’s way, it looks like we can expect plenty more where that came from.
