At 3 AM, in the middle of a late-June heatwave, I pushed the shutters of the old stone house a little further open, hoping for a breeze. The air was hot, stiff and stale. I ran downstairs for a fresh bowl of ice to replace the one melting beside my bed, propped up my laptop, and finally pulled the plug. One night at SO/ Paris, a cool hideout high above the Seine, booked before the fresh ice had a chance to melt and the menacing heatwave could steal another night of sleep.
The staff greeted me in blue and white striped shirts and easy smiles. But what really greeted me was the air conditioning. Cold, steady, glorious air conditioning. I was relieved before I even reached the elevator.
The rooms at SO/ begin on the seventh floor, and each one is built around the window. I had a Collection room, with a floor-to-ceiling window facing the Seine, although the trees along the quai had grown tall enough to keep most of the river to themselves. Inside, there was warm wood, leather and parquet underfoot. A slatted wooden screen separated the bedroom from the bathroom, allowing light to pass between the two while giving each its own sense of space. Beyond it, the bathroom was all cool marble and soft light, with a shelf of CODAGE, the Parisian skincare house.
I didn’t get to linger for long. I was already getting ready for the Amiri show, and left the room wishing I’d given myself another hour.
When I returned, a bottle of champagne was waiting on the table, along with two glasses, chocolates from Angelina and a chocolate chip cookie practically the size of a saucer. They were spoiling me already.
That evening, I headed up to the 15th floor for dinner at Bonnie, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. The room wraps around the top of the building, with Paris unfolding beyond the glass: rooftops, domes and the Seine winding through it all. The sun was sinking over the city, and I found it increasingly difficult to stay in my chair. By the third time I got up, my waiter had gently given up trying to keep me at the table. He offered to hold it for me while I wandered around the room for half an hour, taking far too many photos as the light changed.
In between, I returned to a plate of creamy crab pasta, eating slowly with one eye still on the windows. I watched the sky turn from gold to blue, then darker still, until the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle.
Back in my room, I changed quickly and went one floor higher. On the 16th floor, Bonnie gives way to a club, the only glass-enclosed rooftop club in Paris. I went for the views. On my own, I had expected one drink and an early night. Instead, I kept finding myself in conversations with strangers over the music. Every time someone asked how far I’d come, I got to deliver my favourite sentence of the trip: “No, I’m right downstairs. Yes, it’s lovely.”
A night out in Paris without ever leaving my hotel. It felt a little like bragging, and I let it.
The next morning, I went for a run along the Seine, on the opposite bank from the hotel, before finishing my workout in the hotel gym. A bright room on the seventh floor, fitted with cardio machines and free weights, and open around the clock.
Breakfast was a buffet, and the spread kept me at the table for hours. Warm croissants, French toast, a board of cheeses I kept returning to, and a cup of tea I was in no hurry to finish. I lifted my teacup over the Paris skyline and took my time.
My AMEX card had already secured a late checkout, but the hotel staff kindly extended it by another hour. I took the extra time to head back up to Bonnie, where I met a friend for a glass and one more look at that panoramic view. A lovely way to stretch out the stay a little longer.
When I finally left, the heat had eased considerably. Paris felt different in the afternoon air, and I was in no hurry to be anywhere else. I’d slept, danced, watched the city light up, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and found time for one last glass above the rooftops.
Sometimes, the best way to experience Paris is to give yourself a little more time, and a lovely place to spend it.
SO/ Paris hotel review: The details —
- Best for: Solo travelers, a one- or two-night city reset, and Fashion Week stays.
- The room to book: Rooms run from the 7th to the 14th floor. Collection rooms are the entry level, and views vary; mine looked toward the Seine through the trees. For a clear view of the river and the Eiffel Tower, book an Iconic Paris Skyline room or a suite.
- Eat and drink: Bonnie, the restaurant on the 15th floor, with the bar and club on the 16th. Book dinner for sunset. Breakfast is a buffet, with à la carte options.
- Wellness: The gym is on the 7th floor and open 24/7. There’s also a spa with an indoor pool.
- The neighborhood: On the Seine between the Marais and Île Saint-Louis, a few minutes’ walk from Place de la Bastille. Nearest metro: Sully-Morland (line 7).
- How to book it well: SO/ Paris is part of Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. Eligible Platinum Card Members who book through Amex Travel get daily breakfast for two, a guaranteed 4 PM checkout, and a room upgrade when available.
- Address: 10 Rue Agrippa d’Aubigné, 75004 Paris.
