It’s this authenticity that inspired the couple to open two properties there in 2021. Wallace Hôtel & Bar and Hotel Ami are intimate and design-forward, and both are already resonating with travelers eager to venture away from the more tourist-heavy pockets of Paris but still wanting considered French hospitality. “People who come out here are typically seeking a more tranquil hotel without having to compromise on design and comfort,” Solanet explains, adding that given the 15th’s limited traveler traffic, the hotels in the area have conventionally been a little staid.
If more desirable lodging is a critical part of seducing travelers to the 15th, then Orso (along with Mama Shelter which has a property here, and Villa M, a new hotel designed by Philippe Starck) will only continue to help put the area on people’s radar. But the neighborhood is already home to so many other fantastic venues that local residents have been enjoying for years, from under-the-radar museums to urban farms to one of the city’s Statues of Liberty. If you’re not already planning to make your way to the 15th arrondissement, Solanet says you’re “missing out on another version of Paris”—and we’re inclined to agree.
This is certainly the case during the 2024 Olympic Games, when a plethora of exciting initiatives and activations will be taking place within and around the 15th arrondissement. Did you know that to get locals even more excited about the 33rd Olympiad, Paris staged the District Olympics, where residents can represent their arrondissements in a citywide competition in a variety of sports like table tennis and basketball? Everywhere in the City of Light, including the 15th, the spirit of the games is already palpable.
Here, our guide to the best neighborhood in Paris you don’t know.
Where to Stay
As part of the Orso takeover, Wallace Hotel & Bar has been transformed into a cool 45-room refuge by the designers at Hauvette & Madani. Rooms are small but stylish with their glazed wood headboards, fringe-trimmed sconces, gilded side tables, and curtains in shocking red-and-white stripes. There are larger suites, too, of course, and some have windows that perfectly frame the Eiffel Tower. (You can also see the tower from the leafy second-floor terrace where the hot tub and sauna await.) The basement-level bar, where breakfast is served, is an intimate hangout where you can mingle with other guests over refreshing cocktails and Italian bites from the team at Fulgrances and sweeter treats (like a decadent serving of babka) from Adar’s Israeli kitchen. And they’ve recently reimagined the rooftop space into Tuco, an al fresco lounge inspired by the Italian Riviera. It’s the perfect spot to sneak away to if the city’s Olympic buzz starts to get too heavy. Here, bright cocktails, easy-drinking natural wines, and snackable cheese plates will keep you company while you enjoy a more intimate retreat.