One of the corridors of the Parisian hotel Sinner, in Paris.
The Parisian rue du Temple still bears the name that honors the templars who inhabited it in the fourteenth century.
Transformed today into chic territory, this modern street of the Marais Since last July, it has been hosting one of those hotels called to transform – really this time, yes, word – the concept of luxury.
The Sinner hotel appeals on its fabulous website to "artistic people, urban explorers and individualistic wanderers” although, ultimately, anyone looking for good service and elegance will be more than pleased with this curious place that appeals, however, to other types of more carnal satisfactions.
Detail of the decoration of the new Sinner hotel.
“À T-J Je vous confie mon plaisir”, reads a black marble tombstone in the little crypt next to the reception . Crypt? Crypt, we say well.
A small selection of gifts and bric-a-brac is sold in this (slightly) ghoulish cubbyhole, lit by huge candles, including the characteristic fragrance of the hotel and its scented candles, and is the prelude to a most sensual hotel experience.
The creator of interior design, Tristan Auer –also responsible for the Hôtel de Crillon and the Hotel Les Bains in Paris–, has devised for Sinner a religious air atmosphere with, eye, some doses of transgression.
SInner belongs to the Parisian group Evok , the creator of Nolinksi , designed by Jean-Louis Deniot, and Brach , with interior design by Philippe Starck, and plans another one on the Place des Vosges.
DJ nights at the Sinner hotel in the Marais.
It seems that Auer, who is in his fifties, jumped into the pool with the concept of this space, tired of the repetition of aesthetic canons in the hotels.
Of course, this place is different. We are surrounded by candles, the staff is dressed as in a monastery... and we detect an amusing amount of sensual allusions.
Do not hesitate: Christian Gray would feel very comfortable here , but let no one expect to find eroticism in the seedy sense of the term.
The walls of the Sinner honor the artistic spirit of the neighborhood in which it is located: they host 400 works, some of them, of course, with a marked provocative vocation.
Alessandro leads us through the corridors of the Sinner, in Paris.
We follow Alessandro, an Italian from the staff with a friendly smile. He leads us down dark corridors lit only by the light that filters through the stained glass windows , in which we distinguish scenes of sexual content.
We asked about the type of guest they usually receive. “Oh, many families come ”, He tells us he. "Of course, if they bring children, we remove some of the amenities."
He is referring, we believe, to deluxe lubricant and condom products. Or is he hinting to the whip that is in each closet ?
Bed with bars, in the Justine suite.
We first visited the Deluxe and Executive rooms in his pleasant company, and we are surprised by how bright and colorful they are, although they do not lack the detail of the holy water stone font (without holy water, of course).
They also have turntables and a selection of vinyls carefully chosen.
Other aesthetic references – less 'seventies wild night' and more 'medieval-erotic' – offers us the Classic room category, which includes a cozy four-poster wooden bed.
In it there is inserted a confessional for voyeurs. In other words: through a lattice, whoever is in the bathroom can 'spy' on who or who are in bed , or proclaim your repentance, this goes according to taste, a game that is repeated in several of the rooms.
Suite Justine, a tribute to the Marquis de Sade.
But the jewel in the crown of the Sinner is, without a doubt, the Justine suite. His name is a tribute to the classic of the Marquis de Sade, that book full of sexual violence committed against a virtuous protagonist that was banned and circulated clandestinely to the scandal and solace (sometimes both) of all kinds of readers.
It is said that Sade used these terrible and explicit episodes as an excuse to later expose his philosophical thoughts and reflections . We keep thinking that this suite would delight him and any rock or literary star, really.
Justine suite bathtub.
And it is that the stay encourages voyeurism, yes, and the bars of his round bed ("They wanted it to be revolving", explains Alessandro, "but it was very complicated technically") to emulate the 'evil things' of the characters that populate his books, but the Justine suite also encourages, and a lot, reading.
The volumes of art that populate its shelves and that are seen stacked in every corner they are a real wonder.
In the bathroom you will also find a interesting selection of novels of yesterday and today in careful editions. Most of it in French, yes, but isn't it the best language to sin in?
Sinner hotel spa.
If one manages to leave this sinful suite, it is advisable to adorn one of the monastic air bathrobes that is in each bathroom and go down to the spa on the first floor, where a pool inspired by Greek and Roman baths awaits us.
There, going down a staircase (careful, we insist that there is little light), as if we went to the dungeons or the red room of 50 shades of gray , we arrive at a treatment room with a double cabin where one can purge what is needed by asking for an Ablutio: “Nosce te ipsum”.
Composed of facial and body massage by Jimmy Jarnet, this treatment is applied in a luxurious atmosphere of red lights and aphrodisiac aromas.
Sinner hotel bar.
In any case, it is not necessary to stay in the hotel to abandon oneself to sin. You just have to book a table (for two, three or whatever each one considers) in his homonymous restaurant, on the ground floor.
In the, incite to evil chef Adam Bentalha and Yann Brys desserts, a good preliminary for DJ nights, that take place in a glamorous and flattering haze, worthy of Bram Stoker.
One of the doors of the Sinner hotel.
Finally, the Sinner hotel proposes a series of interesting extras to sin with style.
For example, the option of hiring a coach or a personal trainer. Or the Paris Creation tour, a 90-minute sidecar ride plus a private visit to the Empreintes concept store.
On the other hand, pets are welcome and you can request a walker and even have food prepared for them. Children can sin to the extent of their innocent possibilities: with toys, children's books and video game console in the room.
Just a note: after the experience, don't forget to confess . But don't try it in the confessional in the lobby...it's actually a business center.
Door of the suite that honors the Marquis de Sade.