French Fancies: Beaumarly

I’m continuing with my series of posts about French family-run hospitality companies. Masters of their craft, the Costes brothers know where to go and where they want to go. Their holding company Beaumarly embodies these qualities and reflects them in its establishments through a French art of living that is unique to the Costes family who create emblematic places. 

Five-star hotel, star-studded bar and courtyard café — the Hotel Costes isn’t just a famous Parisian hotspot for the rich, fashionable and famous — it’s a bonafide institution, and a celebrity magnet smack bang in the city of chic.

Founded by Jean-Louis and Gilbert Costes in 1995 and decorated by iconic French architect, and interior designer Jacques Garcia, the hotel is an exercise in plush opulence.  Located at 239 rue Saint-Honoré, a stone’s throw away from the Place Vendome and the Tuileries Garden, this place is a ‘go to’ destination for famous names and fashionistas from all over the city, and the world.

How it all began

The story goes something like this. The Costes family, notably Marie-Josèphe, owned a gourmet restaurant in the Aubrac region. The two sons of Marie-Josèphe Costes, Jean-Louis and Gilbert, born in the 1950s, arrived in Paris during their adolescence, where they started work as waiters.

They opened Café Costes in the Les Halles district, decorated by Philippe Starck, in 1984 — breaking ground as “the first in Paris to put creativity and quality into the design of a café”. Their ingenuity was well rewarded, and the two brothers were able to successively open other establishments in Paris.

In particular, the brothers understood the power of mood lighting and how best to show off clients, whether at Café Costes; Le Café Marly, inside the Louvre; Georges at the Pompidou Centre; or, later, L’Avenue, a post-shopping stopover just down the street from Hôtel Plaza Athénée. In the 1990s, they acquired the Hotels France and Choiseul which were transformed into the Hotel Costes.

After great success with the hotel and its restaurants, Costes started to extend its influence (and namesake brand) to the realm of product extensions such as chocolates, perfumes, liqueur, scented candles, watches, luggage and especially music. Today, the hotel is not only well-known for its funky beats and famous DJs, but continues to grow as a luxury destination the world over.

But after all this magnificent opulence, there is now a place for minimalism and daylight at the Costes. A new wing has opened around the corner, in what was formerly the Hôtel Lotti on the Rue de Castiglione, with an entirely different architecture and look. It’s not really an extension of the original, which is staying much the same as it ever was. Castiglione, as the new property is called, is its own separate universe, save for its elegant lobby and check-in area, which can be used by guests of both properties.

Jean-Louis Costes has described Castiglione as “mature” in that, for the first time, he approached a project as an established hotelier and hired an established designer. Legendary minimalist Christian Liaigre completed his plans for the property shortly before his death in 2020, and his signature style is very grown-up. The look is visible everywhere—from the liberal use of wood paneling and carved brass door handles to the clean lines of the jewel-toned furniture and the eye-catching Calacatta marble that dominates the oversize bathrooms.

Beaumarly is largely a group of twenty or so upscale Parisian restaurants, hotels and clubs. From the Place de l’Etoile to the Bastille, via St Germain des Prés, the Comédie Française and the Paris Operas, the establishments benefit from iconic locations and enjoy the proximity of emblematic Parisian monuments.

Beaumarly is part of the Parisian restaurant, hotel and international brasserie scene which offers, above all, a Parisian art of living. An art of living that now extends to Nice!

All images courtesy of Beaumarly