Just in time for the first matches at the nearby Roland Garros stadium, the Molitor swimming pool has reopened its doors, transformed into a top-of-the-range hotel under the Accor group's Mgallery brand. Molitor... A glamorous place designed by Lucien Pollet that was inaugurated in 1929 by Johnny Weismuller, an avant-garde place where the first bikini was unveiled in 1946... A name that has spoken to generations and generations of Parisians who came here to cool off in fine weather or to skate in winter, before the pool was closed to the public in 1989...
Classified and saved from demolition by Jack Lang, the Molitor swimming pool was abandoned for a long time, serving as a place of expression for the inventiveness of graffiti artists. Until Bertrand Delanoé, then Mayor of Paris, decided in 2007 to breathe new life into this place steeped in history. The tender was won by a consortium made up of Bouygues, the property investment fund Colony Capital and the Accor hotel group.
Sébastien Bazin, who at the time was head of Colony Capital before taking over as head of Accor a few months ago, is proud to see the success of a project that he has supported since its inception. "It's a bit like my baby. I came here every week while the work was being carried out", he stresses. For him, "only a hotel project could make such a renovation profitable". In fact, €75 million was invested to restore the superb appearance of a site that had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Three years of work, a two-storey extension to accommodate the 124 bedrooms, an army of journeymen and craftsmen, interior design by Jean-Philippe Nuelwho is accustomed to resurrecting buildings such as the Palais de Justice in Nantes or the Palais de l'Ile de France as hotels. the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Marseille The Art Deco identity of the venue has been preserved wherever possible, with the swimming pool restored to its original colour of tango yellow. The stained-glass windows by master stained-glass artist Louis Barillet have also been restored, and the Art Deco ceiling in the restaurant has been completely redone. But there is a dialogue between the eras, and from the moment you enter the Hôtel Molitor, you will be surprised by its industrial and street art feel, culminating in a Rolls tagged by the artist JonOne in the lobby.
The new chapter in the hotel's history is written around the theme of "Pool Art Life". Pool, then, is the life of the hotel, naturally centred around its two pools lined with deep blue bathing cubicles, one 46 m long outside and the other 33 m long, heated to 28 degrees. A Clarins spa and a large gym complete the relaxation offer. The expected 1,000 members of the Club will be able to enjoy all these facilities at their leisure, for an annual fee of 3,300 euros, in addition to the 1,200 euros entrance fee. For companies, the corporate membership fee is 10,500 euros for one member and two guests. But all these pleasures are also available on a daily basis, at a cost of 180 euros.
On the Life side, the hotel's restaurant is supervised by Yannick Alleno and, in fine weather, is complemented by light dining on the roof terrace. This is a landscaped area from which you can see the swimmers doing laps in the summer pool below, the Jean-Bouin and Roland Garros stadiums next to it, and the Eiffel Tower and Auteuil greenhouses in the distance below.
Ideal for cocktails, the terrace can be fully privatised for events, with two 'green lounges' for lunches and dinners for 2 to 15 people. The area around the outdoor swimming pool can be used for intimate cocktail parties, the highlight of meetings held in one or other of the boardrooms with an 'aquatic' view. Under its reconstructed glass roof, the winter pool can also be made private for large-scale events, and the pool can even be covered for the occasion. In the basement, the hotel also has four modular meeting rooms. In this 400 m² space, some of the walls are left untouched, gradually waiting to be covered by big names in urban art. With its tagged walls, the Manufacture illustrates the hotel's arty leanings.
It's easy to forget that this is also, and above all, a hotel. Its 104 rooms and 20 suites are very contemporary, sober and uncluttered, in light and dark grey tones, and almost all overlook the pool. The windows are relatively, but deliberately narrow so as not to break the harmony with the poolside cabins. The seven rooms that do not benefit from this view make up for it with other features, some with large terraces. The average room price is €300.
