A 5-star hotel located on Rue Cadet, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, which hides a garden in the heart of the block and a room transformed into a temporary art gallery. La Fantaisie, opened since June 2023, shakes up the codes of luxury Parisian hospitality by focusing on vegetation, designer aesthetics, and limited-time artistic collaborations.
An old 4-star hotel turned case study in hotel design
Before becoming La Fantaisie, the address housed the Opéra Cadet, a 4-star hotel dating back to the 1980s. The transformation of the place was entrusted to Anglo-Swedish designer Martin Brudnizki, known for his works in London, New York, and Miami.
His approach: a bold plant-inspired poetry with pastel tones, floral wallpapers, aged brass, light wood, and colorful mosaics. The result is unlike any classic Parisian palace.
This transformation has also been recognized by the industry. La Fantaisie won an award in the “Architectural Design Hotel – Luxury” category at the LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2025. This type of distinction, usually reserved for major hotel renovation projects, confirms that the place transcends mere lifestyle positioning.
Hidden garden and rooftop: two spaces that define the Parisian experience
Why is there so much talk about this hotel when Paris is not lacking in 5-star addresses? The answer lies largely in its outdoor spaces, unusual for the neighborhood.
The indoor garden, accessible from the ground floor, occupies the heart of the block. It is a true lush garden, not just a courtyard adorned with a few pots. It functions as an open-air lounge, isolated from the noise of Rue Cadet.
Up high, the rooftop offers a clear view of the rooftops of the 9th arrondissement. Between Pigalle and the Grands Boulevards, the panorama covers a significant part of the right bank. These two spaces create a strong contrast with the bustling neighborhood, surrounded by theaters, galleries, and cafés.
What these spaces concretely change
In most luxury Parisian hotels, the common areas are limited to a lobby and a bar. Here, the garden and the rooftop redefine the time spent outside the room. You can have breakfast there, read, or dine. The hotel experience is not limited to the suite.
Room 607: a gallery-room accessible until February 2027
The Hungarian artist Szabolcs Bozó has completely decorated Room 607 in a universe that can be described as “pop-bucolic.” Zoomorphic creatures, folk references, bright colors: every wall, every textile bears his signature.
What makes this initiative interesting is its temporality. The artistic installation of Room 607 is accessible only until February 22, 2027. After this date, the room will be redecorated. This is not just a simple marketing partnership: it is a setup that transforms a hotel night into a dated cultural experience.
This gallery-room format remains rare in Parisian hospitality. A few establishments offer occasional collaborations with artists, but they often limit themselves to a single artwork hung in the lobby. Here, the artist has taken over the entire living space of the guest.
Rooms, suites, and restaurant: what to know before booking
The hotel offers rooms and suites with varying designs. Brudnizki’s work is not limited to Room 607: each room category incorporates the plant and colorful codes of the entire place, with variations in palette and furniture.
On the dining side, the establishment has a restaurant that focuses on contemporary French cuisine. The garden and rooftop also serve as dining venues depending on the season.
Three criteria to check before booking
- The room category: some overlook the indoor garden, others face the street. The difference in ambiance is significant, especially in summer.
- The availability of Room 607: if you are interested in Szabolcs Bozó’s artistic experience, check the dates. The installation has a scheduled end.
- Access to the rooftop: depending on the period, access conditions and hours may vary. It’s best to confirm at the time of booking.
Luxury hotel in the 9th arrondissement: an atypical positioning in Paris
The 9th arrondissement is not the area where one would expect to find a 5-star hotel. Palaces and luxury houses traditionally concentrate around the 1st, 8th, or 16th arrondissements. The choice of Rue Cadet, between Pigalle and the Grands Boulevards, is a geographical gamble.
This positioning attracts a different type of traveler. The Faubourg Montmartre neighborhood is lively, popular, and mixed. The streets around are filled with food shops, performance venues, and historic covered passages. The hotel does not seek the isolation of classic Parisian luxury, it is embedded in a dense urban fabric.
For visitors who already know Paris and seek something other than a view of the Eiffel Tower or the Seine, this location offers a more direct immersion in the life of the neighborhood. The family group Leitmotiv, behind the project, seems to have built the hotel’s identity around this idea: a luxury rooted in its environment, not cut off from the city.
La Fantaisie does not tick the usual boxes of a Parisian palace. No monumental spa, no white marble lobby. Its bet relies on the garden, Brudnizki’s design, artistic collaborations, and a grounding in an arrondissement that luxury hospitality had largely ignored until now. It is precisely this deviation that makes it a place to watch.
