PARIS–The name, FAUCHON, has long been associated with fine foods, patisserie, and other French delicacies, and in just a few months, the brand will mark its entrance into the hospitality industry with the much-anticipated September 1 opening of its first luxury boutique hotel: FAUCHON L’Hôtel Paris. The 54-room, five-star property is situated on the Place de la Madeleine, the home of the FAUCHON brand since 1886, and is already a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
FAUCHON L’Hôtel Paris is just the first step in FAUCHON’s bid to become a global hotel group. Earlier this year, the FAUCHON Hospitality organization was created and is headed up by Jacques-Olivier Chauvin as President and CEO. Mr. Chauvin, who has been CEO with Relais & Châteaux, and SVP with Van Cleef & Arpels, is spearheading the effort to leverage the brand’s 130-year-old legacy as innovators of fine Parisian gastronomy to create a domain of service excellence, decadent gourmet cuisine, luxurious five-star hospitality, and tailor-made local experiences.
According to Mr. Chauvin, “The strategy is to establish a portfolio of FAUCHON L’Hôtel branded properties, with a goal of 20 hotels over the next decade. With FAUCHON’s legacy in all aspects of the culinary industry, it is a natural next step to open our own hotels. It has been essential for us to define a concept that truly sets us apart, so we are not just another hotel brand.”
Mr. Chauvin underlines that what sets a FAUCHON Hotel apart is the gourmet approach at all moments in the guest experience, including the brand’s groundbreaking in-room “Gourmet Bar” which has completely disrupted the “hotel minibar” concept by providing all guests a selection of complimentary Fauchon products. Other key aspects include dynamic food and beverage operations — which are completely unique from typical hotel restaurants; an innovative and modern brand design and bold attitude; range of in-room gourmet services; and carefully curated local experiences.
The FAUCHON Hospitality brand’s Unique Selling Proposition in every one of its hotels is easily defined as “GLAM”: GOURMET (the most creative Parisian patisserie adhering to the French culinary tradition); LOCATION (at the heart of the urban life of the city); ATTENTION (attention and experiences which are bespoke, far beyond the usual exclusive hospitality services; and MESDAMES (a hotel always in tune with women featuring sophisticated lighting, Dyson hairdryers, properly sized bathrobes, Carita amenities, and more).
FAUCHON Hospitality’s EVP and General Manager Samy Vischel adds, “We are currently in advanced discussions for a hotel in Doha, Qatar and Kyoto, Japan, as well as with a top European player. We are in contact with a major US operating company regarding expansion in the US.” A graduate of Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Mr. Vischel has been in charge of the international development of Fauchon for nine years.
As to continued global expansion, the top priorities include countries where FAUCHON is well known (Europe, Japan, Middle East, Eastern Asia) and countries or cities where the FAUCHON Hospitality target customer is very present: US (Los Angeles, Miami, New York), UK, Brazil, and China.
The model for future hotel developments will be to partner with highly recognized regional management companies to jointly operate FAUCHON hotels, always with a strong emphasis on the F&B side of the operation.
Designed by acclaimed architect Richard Martinet (Peninsula Paris), the property opening September 1, will be the inspiration of all future developments and an academy to train all teams worldwide. FAUCHON Hospitality is jointly operating the Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris with a pure Parisian player, Esprit de France.
