Ómós Digest #167: A Contemporary Guesthouse.
What that really means. Written by Cúán Greene.
Hello!
A big Happy New Year to you all and welcome back to our 4th year of writing!
Following a restorative Christmas full of good food, ample drink, engrossing books and restorative walks, I found room for one last celebration to ring in the year at Le Doyenné, a restaurant, farm and rooms on the rural outskirts of Paris. It’s a project I have followed closely since 2019 and a trip I had eagerly anticipated. The experience was deeply memorable and it raised a question that has reverberated over the last few days: what exactly defines a guesthouse and are people aware of what our offering at Ómós will consist of?
Thank you all for your continued support. I hope you enjoy this one.
Cúán and the Ómós Team.
What a Contemporary Guesthouse Really Means.
It was New Year's Eve in the French countryside. We had travelled to stay at a property known for its elevated farm-to-table cooking, natural wine and rural charm on the outskirts of Paris. Excited and giddy with anticipation, we wandered down from our room, taking a seat by the enormous fire in Le Doyenné’s lounge area, located in the dining room’s extensive entrance. As we got to grips with our painfully beautiful surroundings, a conversation sparked a sudden realisation. The terminology to define a dwelling where one can stay overnight is dependent on the region and cultural differences, as much as it is about the offering, with terms that can be used interchangeably. Thus our decision to define Ómós as a ‘guesthouse’ might be misinterpreted.
In the U.S., a guesthouse is what we in Ireland define as a bed and breakfast (B&B). Traditionally, the need for B&Bs was to accommodate weary travellers, musicians, wanderers and merchants. These homes are widespread throughout Ireland today and typically bare modest bedrooms where one can rest the head for a night and wake up to a simple, nourishing breakfast typically served by ‘an bean an tí’ (the lady of the house). On the contrary, an ‘inn’ is an establishment with rooms, historically associated or attached to a tavern or public house. These were quite humble rooms where following a night of drinking and eating, you can be assured a place to sleep. However in the U.S. of late, ‘inn’ has been reinterpreted by overnight experiences with an emphasis on high-end dining. One could assume the term ‘inn’ to be most applicable to Le Doyenné. While the rooms were thoughtfully designed with French linen sheets, bouquets of freshly cut flowers from the garden, a little artisan chocolate set on a handmade plate by the bedside table, and repurposed tiles decorating the bathroom walls, the emphasis was without question on the restaurant, located directly below the rooms. As you walk into the dining room, by an enormous stone-clad fireplace is a lounge area, which opens out to a conservatory with seating for both lounging and dining. The vaulted ceilings in the dining room are beautifully lit by ingeniously hung tracked lighting, illuminating antique wooden tables, dressers and service benches adorned with huge chunks of French cheese, vintage cutlery, stacks of silverware and giant flower displays. The entire place makes one want to escape to France for a fortnight, to fill sacks full of antiques found at brocantes and vide-greniers! The old stable rafters have been left exposed to create an atmosphere that feels expansive and intimate at once. Their feet are scribed onto giant slabs, just like in Japan, where the practice is known as ishibatate, or standing on stones.
