After gaining a solid experience in hospitality projects in France and abroad from the very start of his career, Michaël Malapert has been making his creative mark at the helm of his own Paris-based studio since 2010, when he began designing his first interiors for hotels, cafés and restaurants. 'A studio founded to create living spaces in which the art of different layouts transports guests into a narrative they will remember forever.'
Following the opening of the Le Boudoir des Muses hotel — inspired by the site's past as a theatre, convent and libertine house — the new Chérie Cherry dining concept for the Barrière Group's casinos, and the Cédric Grolet patisserie in Paris's Opéra neighbourhood, the interior designer unveiled last March his first hotel in Madrid with the Urban Hive brand. The Telefónica building, an Art Deco icon, has seen its former offices transformed into a 120-room hotel 'paying tribute to the style of Madrid's traditional houses, complete with a bar featuring Cordoba leather and works by local artists, a rooftop and a swimming pool.'
A warm and immersive experience is also coming to Lisbon, where the studio is creating the upcoming Maison Barrière Príncipe Real hotel, 'a marriage of exceptional hospitality and Lisbon art de vivre, evident in villa-style suites and spacious apartments bathed in natural colours and materials.' In total, 31 spaces featuring Portuguese craftsmanship will create 'the genuine feeling of arriving at someone's home, right in the heart of Lisbon, with views of the Botanical Gardens or Rua da Alegria in some cases.'
Proving its mastery of all sorts of projects, Studio Malapert will also be adding to Nice's vibrant hotel scene before the summer. Nestled next to Place Masséna, the Hôtel Posidonie has been designed 'as a place that connects the indoors with the outdoors, with its restaurant set at street level, its balconies, and its decorative nods to the gardens.' This is a vision of the hotel industry as an experience to be lived, where guests are no longer mere occupants, but fully fledged characters in an unfolding story.