MGallery: intimate luxury in Issy and elsewhere

The Domaine de la Reine Margot is set in a relatively rare natural setting so close to Paris, with its almost untouched greenery and its breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower just a few leagues away as the crow flies. Located in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, five minutes' walk from the metro and almost as much by car from the Porte de Versailles, this boutique hotel embodies the special spirit of the Accor group's top-of-the-range MGallery brand. " A collection on the rise since its launch 15 years ago" explains Maud Bailly, General Manager of the brand, as well as Sofitel and Emblems.

With just over 120 hotels around the world - 44% of its 13,000 rooms are in Europe and 33% in Asia-Pacific - MGallery brings together establishments with a strong character, unique and independent, but linked by a common identity: a certain idea of a unique and unique hotel. confidential luxury. For Maud Bailly, " the MGallery brand embodies the hotel industry of tomorrow, both modern and committed" . This positioning is illustrated by the large M, a promise of 'memorable' moments and a 'meaningful' hotel experience, focused on originality, well-being and sustainability, with many of the establishments already eco-certified.

The Domaine de la Reine Margot, which opens its doors on 24 October, is part of this approach, giving a new lease of life to an old building. historic site. A former seminar centre for the priests of Saint Sulpice, it was also the residence, in 1606, of Queen Marguerite de Valois fleeing the plague that was sweeping through Paris. Four years of work were needed to turn this listed monument into a hotel with 83 rooms and suites, some of which are housed in the historic building and the majority in a new building designed by the Jean-Michel Wilmotte architectural firm. Neutral, sober colours, minimalist décor, natural materials: the design is faithful to the purity that befits a monastic setting.

Nestling in a 9,000 m² estate, the hotel is organised around a large garden planted with trees and 80 varieties of vegetables, fruit and herbs. In the middle, a greenhouse can be used as an intimate meeting room or an original setting for business meals. While the Domaine de la Reine Margot targets a leisure and weekend clientele with its daylight spa and its restaurant with a lovely terrace in summer, the hotel aims to become a privileged meeting place for businesses, taking advantage of its proximity to many head offices, including those of Microsoft and Accor.

In this context, rather than taking part in major professional events, the establishment is positioning itself on management meetings and executive committees with its three rooms housed in the historic building, two of 30 m² and one of 45 m². As for the chapel, which used to house young priests in training, it now lends its lounge atmosphere to intimate meetings. Deconsecrated and transformed into a rum bar seating around fifteen, it can also be used for workshops on the fringes of events, focusing perhaps on meditation or, more certainly, on tasting with one of the largest collections of rums in France, boasting 400 agricultural references. " Workshops in the garden, yoga classes, darts, table tennis: the Domaine has plenty of other fun things to do to liven up a day of meetings." says hotel general manager Camille Devaux.

A collection of intimate events

With just over 80 rooms on offer, the hotel, which has already been consulted on this subject, may be able to offer complete privatisations. But always in an exclusive spirit. "The days of large seminars for 800 people are over. The need for exclusivity that we're seeing in leisure activities is also reflected in business travel, with an ever-increasing demand for "tailor-made" packages. intimate seminar venues" says Maud Bailly.

As a result, MGallery hotels offer an alternative to traditional luxury hotels. In China, the DongFengYun Hotel Mi'Le, which won the Versailles prize for its striking red-brick architecture, hosts seminars for major luxury groups, including French ones. because they want to take their staff to unexpected places" says the brand's general manager. What's more, not all MGallery hotels initially had meeting rooms, most of the new members of the collection come hereThe Hôtel de la Cité in Carcassonne, for example, has added a 600 m² extension for meetings and events in 2019, as has the Saint Nazaire convention centre.

In addition to professional events, the MGallery brand offers business travellers - the collection has a strong feminine positioning - a range of boutique urban hotels à SydneyRio, Tel Aviv or Liverpool as in Paris. Business travellers will soon find new meeting points within the collection, as 38 hotels are expected to be added over the next three years. Some will appear in France with the Baron Amédée Armand in Marseille at the end of 2023 or the Domaine du Liziec in Vannes next spring. In 2024, the brand will also be setting up in Nairobi, Szczecin in Poland and Sapporo in Japan. As for the United States and the Middle East, Maud Bailly says she is convinced of the "potential for growth". enormous potential "In these two regions, where the brand still has little presence.