Located in the 9th Arrondissement in central Paris, close to the 19th-century Opéra Garnier and Galeries Lafayette and just a short walk from Place de La Madeleine, the newly renovated Hotel Astra Opéra offers a modern base for visitors looking to discover or rediscover the French capital.
The project is the work of Paris-based Agence Maidenberg Architecture for the Astotel group, which today operates 17 boutique hotels across the city. Their collaboration began in the early 1990s with the renovation of the Bergère Hotel and has since led to dozens of successful projects, helping the now award-winning practice founded by Philippe Maidenberg build up a solid interior design portfolio in the hospitality sector. In this project, the practice worked on an important landmark in the group’s history: in the 1960s, Astotel purchased this historic building on Rue De Caumartin, marking its first venture in central Paris. Now, after three years of renovation, the hotel has been completely transformed.
The project restored the hotel’s Haussmannian façade, characteristic of this elegant district, while transforming the interiors around a storytelling concept inspired by its name – “astra”, Latin for stars. Philippe Maidenberg likes to tell a story in every hotel he designs: “Creating one or more distinct worlds makes a stay more engaging. From the reception desk to the foot of the bed, there should always be something to spark curiosity… This is what people are looking for when they visit Paris: they want to be surprised, captivated by one of the many atmospheres that define this city of art, culture and intellectual vibrancy.”
From the moment guests step through the ground-floor entrance, Hotel Astra introduces them to a world shaped by four iconic figures: Marie-Agnès Gillot, danseuse étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet from 2005 to 2018; Claudie Haigneré, one of France’s first female astronauts; actor and director Daniel Auteuil; and the Bouglione family, a renowned French circus dynasty active since the 1930s. Each played a role in shaping the project, guided by an architect well-versed in such creative collaborations.
Four stars for four styles – each of the hotel’s 73 rooms, from doubles to apartments with balconies overlooking the Eiffel Tower and Parisian rooftops, reflects a unique aesthetic. Distinctive furnishings, colours, materials and textures create an experience that is both varied and highly personalised, with an element of surprise in every space. On the second and fifth floors, the essential, masculine Daniel Auteuil rooms feature headboards inspired by wooden crates used on film sets, illuminated by miniature ceiling-mounted stage lights. Meanwhile, the stark, pristine and highly functional interiors of spacecraft inspire the Haigneré style, with Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon immortalised on coffee tables, a blue-sky motif on carpets, round porthole-style windows and lunar phases reproduced on similarly round mirrors. The rich atmosphere of theatres, reflected in their dark wood floors, sets the tone for the poetic Marie-Agnès Gillot rooms, where soft powder pink hues are accompanied by mirrors adorned with ballet barres that visually expand the space. Finally, the Bouglione rooms evoke the magic and spectacle of the circus with four-poster beds, gold-trimmed velvet quilts, red and blue carpets, swings, animal-print details and bedside tables that imitate elephant stands.
A basement swimming pool and spa, as well as a lounge bar and restaurant, complete this project that successfully combines quality and luxury.
The selection of the premium materials used in the main spaces of Hotel Astra Opéra was also the result of a meticulous approach to design. The Lithos collection from Cotto d’Este, chosen in a 14 mm thickness, is a distinctive feature that elevates the design and functionality of the hotel’s main areas. Used in the lobby, corridors, swimming pool and spa, Lithos explores mineral materiality and colour, blending the allure of natural stone with the elegance of the finest marbles. The result is a sophisticated ambience with extraordinary visual continuity, creating functional and welcoming spaces that serve as true oases of well-being – essential qualities in the world of hospitality.
The Lithos collection was also used in the bathrooms, enhancing the spaces with a natural and refined atmosphere that fosters relaxation and a sense of intimacy. Lithos is part of PROTECT®, an exclusive range of surfaces featuring a special silver ion shield that eliminates up to 99.9% of bacteria, ensuring safe and protected environments. Cotto d’Este’s contribution helps define the identity of this Parisian hotel, transforming it into a location where every detail contributes to a comfortable, stylish stay.
