When I say that Hoy is a wellness oasis smack in the center of Paris, I mean it: it’s merely 15 minutes walk from the Eurostar station at Gare du Nord. But as you enter the hotel, an almost surreal level of calm awaits you inside. Stepping off of the busy street and into the lobby, you immediately encounter “La Florería,” featuring enormous plants, bouquets of flowers, and artisan ceramics curated by Japanese florist Chiaki Kokami. (It’s as if you’ve entered a botanical garden set within a sleek, earthy wellness center.) Also tucked away in the Haussmannian building in Paris’s 9th arrondissement? A plant-based Mexican restaurant, a meditation studio, and, of course, a holistic spa.
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Photo: Sophia van den Hoek
The 22 hotel rooms are equally set up as spaces to decompress, with a light, calming palette throughout of ecru, turquoise, and slate. There are no televisions, but meditation pillows abound; as do books on yoga and meditation, naturally. There is also something I never would never have expected to enjoy in a hotel room, but now think should be mandatory for trips when you know you’ll be exploring the city on foot: a ballet barre for stretching. Absolutely indispensable after a day of racking up over 20,000 steps.