Indulgence in the style of Wilde – L’Hotel, Paris

Remember my previous write about Oscar Wilde’s exhibition in the Petit Palais? This time I would much like to dive deeper into the place where this renowned writer spent his last days of his life – the L’Hotel in Paris. During my visit to this hotel a year ago, I still remember the sumptuous and luxurious interior that decorated by one of my beloved master French interior designer, Jacques Garcia, that truly seduced me to make my footstep into this beautiful hotel for a relaxing afternoon tea. The mysterious and quintessential French boudoir inspired décor, the signature Bordeaux red velvet furnishing and the fringed table lamps, taking me back to the heydays of the ‘Belle epoque’ in early late 19th / early 20th century, which reminds me why I fell in love with the French style and culture at the first place. Besides that, another most important thing for me to be there, is to trace back the literatural aura of Oscar Wilde, the misery and tragic ending of his final days that spent in this hotel, without money nor love, career nor social status, but barely his poetic knowledge, strength and his writing that finally keeps him going until his last breathe, the kind of sorrow beauty in mix emotions somehow intrigues me to reconnect to Oscar in this hotel, and breath in the legendary trace he left even after a century later.

The tracing journey starts from the renowned Oscar Wilde suite, a 35 square-meter room where the writer stayed until he passed away in 1900, the room is exquisitely furnished with nostalgic furniture, antique interior décor, and the details of the crafted wood work, it literally brings one back to the late 19th century with immense poetic atmosphere. This spacious suite featured a large private terrace and bathroom with a separate bath and walk-in shower, offers the utmost pamper for those who traveled a long day and get ready to refresh and relax before starting a new day in the city.

Coincide with the current Oscar Wilde’s exhibition, the hotel is now offering a unique and sumptuous afternoon tea set, which dedicated to the beauty and literatural aura of the writer, a poetic reconnection to the past. This thoughtful afternoon tea set is designed by the Head Pastry Chef of the hotel, Joana Thöny Montbabut, which takes each patron on a culinary journey to celebrate Oscar as one of their famous hotel guests in history, the set included an assortment of delicate sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, macaron with Guinness infused cream centre, Madeleine perfumed with Earl Grey tea and After Eight chocolate mousse infused with mint, a beautiful reminiscence of the late 19th century with the feel of ‘Café society’, getting together with the intellects over a cup of fine perfumed tea and delicious pastry.

Sometimes a little literature indulgence not only be found in the classic books, but also in a beautiful hotel and an afternoon tea, enjoy.

Image courtesy of L’Hotel Paris / A Curious Groups of Hotels.

http://www.l-hotel.com/