Review: Kube Hotel, Paris

Within five minutes of pulling into Gare du Nord station on the Eurostar, you’ll be slinking into the glass reception box in the courtyard of 41-room Kube Hotel. Located in the less-than-salubrious La Chapelle district, you’ll spend your time hanging at the hotel with the Paris beaux mondes and exploring the nearby Marche de Clignancourt (Paris’ biggest market) on Saturdays, Sundays and Monday mornings.

Inside Kube Hotel’s gated 19^th century exterior, a serenely cool vibe permeates, giving a Hoxton feel in the main restaurant-lounge-bar area, filled with touchable velvets, faux furs and moody tones. You’ll need a torch to navigate through the lounge to the lifts, but then pull out the sunglasses for your blindingly white room (accessed via James Bond-esque fingerprint locks instead of boring old key cards).

A vast white bed backs onto a stand-alone glass-cube wall, behind which is the open-plan, doorless dressing area, with bath, shower and sinks – not one for the modest. Luckily, the loo is in a discreet, disco-lit room (where’s that torch again?) with a proper door. Show-offs should book the airy floating-bed Nordic Room, with even fewer places to hide from your paramour’s prying eyes.

When not crashing out in your room, you’ll be bopping away in the tres-chic nightclub (the party gets started at 8pm most nights, with Parisian and Euro models, musicians and club supremos arriving from around 10 onwards), chatting to painters, sculptors and photographers at the famous Sunday Arty Brunch (with Kube-essential DJ grooves) or chilling out in the Grey Goose Ice Bar.

IN DEPTH

Best room

The Nordic Room is sure to float your boat if you fancy a swinging bed combined with cheeky exhibitionism. Alternatively, Room 409, the XXL Terrace Suite I stayed in, had views over the courtyard and a terrace overlooking the theatre school across the street.

Eating and drinking

With the main combined restaurant, cocktail bar and lounge, plus The Ice KUBE by Grey Goose bar, there’s always something to eat and drink. Food is inventive French and European cuisine, with especially fine finger food. The wine list is fine, but it’s the cocktails you come for. It’s open for non-hotel guests, who often outnumber hotel guests in the evenings and Sunday brunch.

In keeping with its clubby scene, the best meals here aren’t meals at all, but glorified nibbles. It’s the inventive finger-food menu you want to ask for, with 15 options. But don’t miss the long, leisurely Sunday Art Brunch if you there for a weekend – bookings essential as Parisians flock to it.

Wrap up in the provided thermal jackets for a vodka cocktail or two in the ice bar.

Fashion/design credentials

This is one of the very few Paris hotels you’ll want to linger in – and that in-the-know Parisians trek to – for its chic, clubby feel, with glass cubes here, there and everywhere, faux-fur cushions, monthly changing artwork and playful lighting.

What’s hot?

The genuinely in-the-know scene, Wednesday femme DJ sessions, and the Sunday Art Brunch make this the choice for trendies who’ve ticked off the major Paris sights and want to get into this city’s laid-back groove instead.

What’s not?

The fingerprint lock is nifty, but you have to remember to use the same finger and place it in exactly the same way as the first time – not so easy after a few cocktails in the lounge. The open-plan rooms will be off-putting if you’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage of a relationship – or if you come with a mate instead of a date.

Celebrity guests?

Music, art and fashion supremos flock here, but the hotel won’t name names.

FACILITIES & ESSENTIAL INFO

KUBE Hotel

1-5 passage Ruelle

75018 Paris

+33(0)1 42 05 2000

kubehotel.com

Cheapest double is €300, room only

Number of rooms (no.): 41

Room service: Yes

Swimming pool: No

Spa: No, but there is a fitness room

Dogs welcome: Yes

Check-in/Check-out times: 3pm/12noon

Rates:

Doubles from €300 to €900, room only (£250 to £765)

Type of accommodation

· Boutique hotel

· Luxury hotel

· Design hotel

Style of hotel:

· Urban chic

· Modern

· Quirky

Best for

· Romantic getaways

· City breaks

· Shopping trips

· Luxury stays

· Gang of friends

· Girly weekends

· Dog-friendly

· Art/culture lovers

· Party girls

HOW TO GET THERE

Near to?

Apart from the Marche de Clignancourt, this is not an area you’ll want to linger in beyond the hotel gate. Luckily, the metro (Line 2 La Chapelle and Line 12 Marx Dormoy) is five minutes away.

Distance to nearest train station/airport:

Eurostar is the easiest access, being barely more than five minutes walk from the hotel. Otherwise, Charles de Gaulle airport is 30 minutes away and Orly Airport is 45 minutes. Those arriving by Ferrari (not that uncommon) will find a valet parking service and private parking.

Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) has trains from London to Paris from £69 return.