in South Pigalle, Paris is a holistic refuge informed by three pillars; connection to place, connection to nature and connection to self.
When you think of Paris, words like ‘serene’ or ‘tranquil’ don’t quite come to mind. It was this exact notion that France-based, Mexico-born founder Charlotte Gomez de Orozco says sparked the idea to design an urban retreat where both Parisians and tourists could convene and share their love of good food and wellness practices. “I created HoY because I couldn’t find a place that offered all the things I love in one: yoga, meditation, healthy food, holistic therapies and flowers,” Charlotte adds.
The concept of a wellness hotel isn’t foreign in tropical climates or closer to the beach, but in the bustling metropolis of Paris, it’s potentially where people need it the most. From television-free bedrooms down to the plantable seed paper business cards, every detail in HoY has been deeply-considered for a reposeful stay that feels worlds away from Paris’ busy Pigalle district.
Located at the entrance of the hotel, ‘La Florería’ features a colourful assemblage of flower arrangements by Japanese florist Chiaki Kokami set against a backdrop of hand-carved, hand-glazed tiles.
‘Mesa’ or ‘table’ in Spanish is HoY’s in-house plant-based restaurant offering a rotating menu of seasonal, sustainably-grown and locally-sourced cuisine inspired by Charlotte’s Latin-American culture.
The Location
The 9th arrondissement spans from the iconic Palais Garnier to the base of Montmarte. Developed during the Belle Epoque art period, this arrondissement is filled with theatres, concert halls, grand boulevards lined with Haussmannian buildings, and late-19th-century department stores.
HoY is situated in the centre of Rue Des Martyrs; a former market street running from the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette to the Sacré-Cœur in Montmarte. Rue Des Martyrs is an epicure’s dream, dotted with boulangeries, fromageries, produce stands and flower stores. HoY pays homage to the street’s culinary history in ‘Mesa’ – the hotel’s plant-based restaurant offering a rotating menu of seasonal, sustainably-grown and locally-sourced cuisine inspired by Charlotte’s Latin-American heritage.
The Hotel
HoY translates to ‘today’ in Spanish; a concept that leads every element in the hotel. Whether it’s the positive affirmations written on passing walls or soft instrumental music playing in the lobby, every space encourages guests to .
‘La Florería’, located at the hotel’s entrance, features a colourful assemblage of flower arrangements and bouquets by Japanese florist Chiaki Kokami, each available for purchase. The flower studio leads to the in-house yoga studio, where daily classes of all levels are available for guests and the public. Alongside a regular yoga schedule, HoY also offers health and wellness treatments ranging from sound healing and Reiki to osteopathy in their dedicated care suites.
HoY provide looseleaf tea in handmade mugs and a reusable glass bottle filtered with Japanese binchotan charcoal in each room.
The Rooms
In each of the 22 rooms, a stretching bar and yoga mat replace the television and reiterate the notion of living in the moment. Bedlinen is sourced from a local, French-made company while walls are painted in natural, chemical-free lime with a blue tinge – a colour chosen for its innate calming properties. Zero-waste toiletries are supplied by The Naked Shop, refilled at their store in the 11th arrondissement every other week and delivered by bike.
HoY are paving the way for a new generation of environmentally-conscious hotels and accommodation. In Charlotte’s words, “HoY is a case study of the small things we can do every day to change tomorrow.”
The post appeared first on .
