Sébastien calls ahead to see if we can take a look at a few rooms at Hotel de la Tour d’Auvergne, a designer boutique hotel tucked slightly off the beaten track, halfway between Opera and Montmartre.  The welcome is warm and the staff is happy to oblige. Rooms are large in size by Parisian standards, each is unique, modern and has a touch of glamour. ‘The location is real Paris… and the place is a miracle for the price,’ says Sébastien.

Photo courtesy of Hotel de la Tour d’Auvergne

We jump back in the car and Sébastien’s mind is racing with ideas. Suddenly he is on the phone again calling another hotel to see if we can take a look at the rooms. Transcending the codes of traditional hotels, this one is a discreet hideout for a night of passion with your clandestine lover. Vraiment!

‘Ce n’est pas possible,’ comes back the answer. ‘Of course, it is not possible does not necessarily mean that at all,’ says Sébastien. ‘It’s just a French game. We’ll just go there, you’ll see.’ It helps, however, if you are French.

We are guessing that the name Hotel Seven is a kind of play on the French cinq à sept (5 à 7), the interlude between 5 pm and 7 pm…hour of the apéro and other delicious things that take you to 7ème ciel, seventh heaven.

Sébastien puts on his charm. ‘No problem, we can show you some rooms,’ says the woman at the desk. Owner Philippe Vaurs sees himself as a creator of dreams and the unique rooms take my breath away. Absolute Levitation, with a twinkling ceiling will ‘Transport you into the clouds and take you close to the stars’. Everything in Suspended Bath is in levitation, even the bathtub. There’s Suite 007, a sophisticated blend of vintage chic and futuristic design, and La Sublime, where the housekeeper is placing rose petals on the oversized round bed. It’s romantic and sensual and draped in white. ‘The women love this one,’ says our guide.

Another favourite is Marie-Antoinette, and here are a couple of shots for you…

Photo courtesy of Hotel Seven

Photo courtesy of Hotel Seven

The last installment of our morning is coming soon, when we go from Seventh Heaven to a blow dry. Stay tuned!

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