Montblanc Debuts Hotel-like Flagship in Paris
Serious pen collectors can now plunk down six figures in the plushest setting imaginable, complete with staggering views of the Arc de Triomphe over flower boxes blooming with perfect roses.
A corner VIP suite is just one of the striking amenities at Montblanc’s new hotel-like flagship boutique at 152 Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris.
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The 2,400-square-foot corner unit, home to a Montblanc boutique for the past 20 years, just reopened after an extensive renovation and expansion to accommodate a new concept that merges retail with hospitality.
“We really wanted to deepen our retail experience by taking inspiration from the way in which luxury boutique hotels today offer such a multifaceted, immersive universe,” Montblanc chief executive officer Nicolas Baretzki explained in an interview, describing a place “where guests can escape from the everyday, disconnect, unwind.
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“When you have a great stay at your favorite boutique hotel, you don’t ever want to leave,” he added, bringing to mind the lyrics of a famous Eagles ditty. “We hope our customers will feel just the same about their visit.”
Visitors to Montblanc Suite 4810, the number representing the elevation in meters of Europe’s famous snow-capped mountain, alight upon a mosaic threshold like those found in palace hotels or Paris’ famous covered passages, and are invited to “check in” at a retro, wooden reception counter.
There, sales staff can orient visitors toward what they might be seeking, or invite them to discover the 116-year-old German luxury brand, starting with its emblematic resin writing instruments, through to timepieces, leather goods and other personal accessories.
Products are sparsely merchandised throughout the airy ground floor, but there is much to discover, from the “ink bar,” where visitors