Though Anouk Solanet was born in the Netherlands, you'd be forgiven for thinking she's Parisian. Having lived in France since 2007, she's the epitome of French girl chic: long, artfully messy
hair, impeccable style, the ability to somehow make raising a family and running a business seem like a piece of cake. Since 2020, Anouk and her husband Louis have been working on their own hotel brand, Orso Hôtels, which currently includes eight of the coolest hotels in Paris. Below, check out the couple's guide to doing Paris like a local.
TRAVEL
o La Compagnie - We would love to travel with La Compagnie one day. It’s the perfect way to get to New York. The full flat seats and the seasonal French gastronomy onboard... soon hopefully!
o The Bike - To go from arrondissement to arrondissement. Anouk still has her Dutch blue bike she bought the first week after moving to Paris and Louis still has his Dutch black bike that Anouk gave him for his birthday just after they met. To stop, you have to pedal backwards (there are no hand brakes) and the bikes don’t have gears.
o The Metro – There is a French expression that says: métro, boulot, dodo. Almost all Parisians use the metro as it is the fastest way to get around Paris.
o Road trip – While not exactly in Paris, Louis likes discovering regions or countries by car with our three kids in tow (Anouk tends to show less enthusiasm at the idea but always ends up excited about the trip!) It’s a great way to see a lot in a short amount of time. The next one should take us to a part of Normandy we’re not very familiar with: beaches of D-Day and its surroundings, like Jersey, Cotentin, good food, old castles, etc.
STAY
o The Ninth – Developed during the Belle Epoque era of the 1900s when the city was burgeoning, the fantastic atmosphere is still there, you will never have a dull moment. Our very own Hotel Rochechouart with its rooftop terrace (360 degrees view) is a must!
o The Seventh – Beautiful, classic neighborhood, not very far from Hotel Wallace, which is technically located in the 15th but attached to the 7th, so much so that you can see the Eiffel Tower from the hotel!
o The Fifth — We lived together in this neighborhood at the beginning of our relationship. It’s close to Le Jardin du Luxembourg. A more beautiful park doesn’t exist. Hotel Léopold is very close by and in the lower part of the 5th we are set to open Hotel Orphée this year. We now live on the west side and Louis sometimes crosses Paris on Saturday mornings just to buy special vegetables from a farmer at the local market on Port-Royal.
o The Tenth – The neighborhood is breathing new life into the city with its craftsmen and hidden corners.
EAT
o Restaurant Rochechouart – Of course! The place hasn’t been open long but we already consider it an institution because of how French it is thanks in part to the iconic 1920s Art Deco vibes. It attracts locals a much as visitors, for classics like leek vinaigrette and roasted pork belly and a dessert menu that speaks for itself—an "île flottante" so decadent and delicious, it secretly serves 4 people, and a “gâteau de crêpes” so secret, the recipe hails from a longtime friend on Louis’ side of the family. We’re also planning to open a “dancing bar” under the restaurant, Le Mikado, so that, after dinner, you can stay for a cocktail and go show off your dance moves. Also coming soon, an oyster bar next door, Citron et Huitres.
o Caché- Owned by our Italian friends Gianpoalo Polverino and Lorenza Lenzi. A hidden place with great Mediterranean seafood and cocktails. Plus, next door you have Amagat which serves Catalan food as Gianpaolo shares his time between Paris and Ibiza.
o Café Compagnon- Owned by our friend Charles Compagnon and designed by his wife Gesa Hansen, who we worked with on Hotel Ami in the 15th. The food is fresh and you can’t leave without trying the caramel tart or riz au lait. Charles is a jack of all trades; he produces his own wine, grinds his own coffee beans, and is working on making his own chocolate. He is also behind two other Paris hot spots, Le Richer and Faubourg-Saint-Denis.
o Le Gourmet de Ternes - Because it is so French. The boss is grumpy and still firmly believes he is a modern day Casanova as you could expect, but the food is great (the beef tenderloin, the baba au rhum,…), it’s a vibrant place that makes you truly embrace Paris, and it’s near our Hotel Doisy in the 17th.
SHOP
o Nose - Shop of our friend Nicolas Cloutier with niche perfumes and skincare products. They don’t sell Colomba—our own line of products—(yet!) but that detail aside, people visiting the 2nd arrondissement should stop by for a cool olfactive experience.
o Musée des Arts Décoratifs - This one feels a bit like a one-stop-shop; the museum is very well located next to the Louvre. The rotating exhibitions are great and they have a very nice shop (boutique) where you can stop after having visited an exhibition and before going for lunch at Loulou, which is a very cool destination designed by Joseph Dirand. The restaurant has a beautiful terrace set up in the Tuileries gardens during the summertime.
o G.Detou and La Librairie Gourmande — Also located in the 2nd, they provide all kinds of fine foods and provisions, from raw products to full preparations. As someone who really enjoys being in the kitchen, La Librairie Gourmande is a place where Louis likes to spend time to find new cookbooks and their selection is unmatched.
o Aussi – Atelier meets curiosity shop meets gallery, this place is a real goldmine for vintage finds and unique pieces. It’s just steps away from Hotel Cabane, which has been furnished with vintage pieces only.
EXPERIENCE
o Opéra Garnier- One of the most beautiful places in Paris, from the outside and on the inside. We love to go there and watch ballet. It’s magical.
o Fondation Louis Vuitton – The architecture of the building designed by Franck Gehry is amazing. The Fondation is committed to making art and culture accessible to all and hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. They have a shuttle service at Charles de Gaulle at it’s conveniently walking distance from Hotel Doisy!
o Philharmonie de Paris — This concert hall of la Vilette, brought to life by architect Jean Nouvel, is one of the best. The neighborhood is also home to many great restaurants, on the other side of Buttes Chaumont.
o Simple but still amazing — Walking endlessly around Paris early in the morning or at night. It’s always a pleasure, even for us after living here for so long. Seeing the sun rise on the Champs Elysées or from the top of Montmartre never ceases to amaze us.