La Fantaisie: A Parisian Pause After the Party

Paris in June hums with a particular kind of electricity. The kind that lingers in your bloodstream for days after Fête de la Musique ends and pulses again as Paris Fashion Week takes over the streets. This trip was equal parts escape and indulgence: a sensory collage of late nights, beautiful strangers, Vogue cigarettes, and one of the most elegant hotel stays I’ve had in recent memory. Tucked in the heart of Paris’s 9th arrondissement, La Fantaisie stands as a lush escape, a hotel that feels less like a place to sleep and more like a living, breathing garden dream.

 

Designed by renowned interior architect Martin Brudnizki, the hotel features 73 rooms and 10 suites that blend lush botanical motifs with plush velvets and gleaming gold trimmings. Every detail, from the playful curves of the furniture to the floral wallpapers, evokes a sophisticated yet softly surreal Parisian elegance. The hotel also boasts a rare private garden courtyard and a rooftop bar offering panoramic views of the city’s rooftops, making it an urban oasis amid the buzz of central Paris. Its location on Rue Cadet places guests steps from the historic Paris Opera and iconic shopping districts, perfect for those seeking both tranquility and access to the city’s vibrant cultural pulse.

 

I checked in fresh from the buzz of Fête de la Musique, a celebration that had turned the streets of Paris into open-air parties. After three straight days of red-lit basements, wine-fuelled soirées, and walking home as the sun came up, I traded in kitten heels for my Nike Shox and officially declared it ‘me time.’ My room was an airy haven, its walls lined with linen and framed art, accented with pistachio green details, and featuring a balcony that overlooked the bustling city below. Soft light flooded over a beautifully dressed bed, while the bathroom was the kind that deserves its own Instagram account: his and hers sinks, marble tiles, and a generous mirror practically designed for pre- and post-party selfies. Everything from the linen to the lighting felt intentional and mood-shifting. The entire hotel pulses with this gentle optimism; even the elevator feels charming, as if you might run into someone wonderful inside it.

 

I started one morning in the spa with the Signature by Holidermie Facial—an hour of pure indulgence that nearly lulled me to sleep. The kind of luxury that makes you briefly consider refinancing your life to support a regular facial habit. My skin emerged glowing and tight in the best way, and I left the space convinced that anyone navigating post Fête de la Musique chaos should be required to come here to detox and decompress.

 

The hotel is just the right kind of tucked away, close enough to the action, but far enough that the lobby always feels calm, like a secret you’re in on. Mornings were spent downstairs at the breakfast buffet, a ritual that felt quietly sacred. Freshly baked croissants still warm from the oven, paired with rich butter and bright fruit jams. Creamy scrambled eggs and delicately smoked salmon, all served on fine china—because really, what else would you eat breakfast on in Paris? As the sun dipped and the city softened into gold, evenings unfolded on the rooftop, where the air stayed warm and the energy low-key and languid. Mexican-style dishes—zesty guacamole, sea bass ceviche kissed with lime, and spicy margaritas—were served against a hazy skyline. Everything was light, fresh, and exactly what you craved in the thick, honeyed heat of a Parisian summer night.

 

What makes La Fantaisie special, beyond its impeccable design and five-star details, is how easily it slots into the cultural rhythm of Paris. One afternoon, I wandered over to a Manual (NYC) photo pop-up, a community-driven photo and lifestyle brand from New York that had set up a temporary home in the city. The space offered cold brew, matcha, vinyl sets, and disposable cameras as a way of documenting everyone’s Paris experience. It was here I met Malcolm Dia, the brand’s founder, and got swept up in conversations about photography and connection—proof that Paris, at its best, is still a city of beautiful collisions and spontaneous encounters.

 

Another day, while recovering from my social hangover, I wandered into Kwame Adusei’s boutique. Rollande (the most fabulous sales rep) warmly invited me in and encouraged me to try on “everything.” And I did. Kwame’s philosophy is that the garment should adapt to the person, never the other way around. The shop quickly became an impromptu fashion salon—strangers complimenting each other, snapping photos, and sharing the joy of finding the perfect fit. I still think about the shirt I left behind. One day, it will be mine.

 

Other new favorite spots included Revoir Vintage, where I scored a denim bolero-cape (don’t question the purchase); Unthaitled, where I tackled some serious laptop work while sipping a slushy Thai milk tea with condensed milk; Bar Principal, an industrial-chic bar with an open layout and delicious homemade churros; and Baby Love Burger, now my go-to fast food spot in Paris. Between late nights at afterparties, cigarettes clutched like accessories, and the deeply un-French (and slightly unhinged) detour to Le Refuge des Fondus, where we drank cheap wine out of baby bottles and dunked stale bread into molten cheese, I kept returning to La Fantaisie. It was my Parisian anchor. A moment of pause and peace. A sensory reminder to slow down and be present, even as the city whirled around me.

 

La Fantaisie, much like Paris itself, is a place of layers. It’s glamorous and grounding, refined and a little rebellious. It’s where you go to recharge, re-style, and maybe even reimagine what it means to travel well. I left with clearer skin, a camera roll full of memories, and a vow to return—with more time, a bigger suitcase, and maybe, finally, that Kwame Adusei shirt.

 

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Make your dreams a reality and book your stay at La Fantaisie here: https://www.lafantaisie.com/
Follow on Instagram: @lafantaisieparis

Special thanks to Manual NYC