Urban residence or lifestyle hotel? The heart of Jardin de Verre balances between the two. Opened last February in the Ve arrondissement, near the Place Monge and the Jardin des Plantes, this first French establishment of the Locke long-stay brand has all the makings of an apartment hotel, with 145 flats, each with a fully-equipped kitchen or kitchenette, and practical services such as a laundry and fitness room.
But at the same time, it has all the attributes of a contemporary hotel. With a cocktail bar featuring a DJ at weekends and 100% French spirits - even the tequila comes from Corsica - a coworking space a restaurant offering a simple, short menu based on local produce. All that's missing is a rooftop to tick all the boxes of lifestyle hotel basics.
To compensate for this venial absence, the venue can draw on other assets, first and foremost its past. In fact, its entrance is based on that of a former town house dating from the XVIIIeIt welcomes visitors to a baroque courtyard, a graceful open-air lobby and a bar in fine weather. A fusion of eras, the Jardin de Verre also takes over a former industrial building from the end of the 19th century.e century. Hence the 10-metre-high period glass roof, listed as a Bâtiments de France building, which has been restored to create a vast green atrium housing the 110-cover Bibie restaurant. A popular venue for business lunches for professionals from the neighbouring arrondissements, the hotel also benefits from its proximity to the Jussieu campus.
This refurbishment project was originally intended to house a Hilton, before the British group edyn, owner of the Locke brand, took over during the pandemic. Its in-house design team was responsible for designing the rooms, taking inspiration from the three architectural periods of the site: the XVIIIᵉ century for the main residence, the XXᵉ century for the industrial heritage and the XXIᵉ century for the contemporary touch. While London and Los Angeles-based design studio Fettle focused on the atmosphere of the communal spaces and signature suites, the Begonia duplex suite and the Rose Garden suite, the largest of all.
In all, the company distributes its 145 rooms in 11 categories, including 65 studios, as well as suites with terraces and connecting flats. The only establishment of this capacity in this part of the capital, the Jardin de Verre has already established itself as a popular pied-à-terre for tourists in the Latin Quarter. But the hotel doesn't just cater for leisure travellers. Business travellers now account for 30% of its business. This clientele is catered for by an 8-person boardroom, the Lutèce lounge, with plans to add a second, larger room in line with market potential.
Located 20 minutes' walk from the Gare de Lyon via the Jardin des Plantes, the Jardin de Verre has been welcoming incentive groups and professionals alike since it opened its doors. business stays of four to five nights. Unlike other aparthotels, its top-of-the-range positioning means that its rates are less degressive and therefore less competitive for stays of several months. The price to pay for discovering a lifestyle hotel apartment.
