Zoku Paris

There's an excellent locker room where you can store luggage and freshen up

- Hannah Brandler

BACKGROUND Dutch brand Zoku is a long-stay aparthotel concept, with guests able to stay from one night to a year. The brand, launched in 2016, is named after the Japanese word for tribe or clan and focuses on fostering a sense of community. Zoku has properties in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Vienna, while Zoku Paris opened in April 2023 with 109 apartments known as lofts.

WHERE IS IT? Just within the Boulevard Périphérique (the ring road that surrounds central Paris) in the 17th arrondissement, a five-minute walk from Porte de Clichy metro.

WHAT'S IT LIKE? Zoku occupies the top three floors of the glass Stream Building, a mixed-use structure that also houses offices, co-working spaces and retail outlets.

There's a discreet, narrow entrance for Zoku, with a pair of lifts that take you to the lobby on the eighth floor. The lobby is flooded with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and a lush rooftop terrace. Public facilities are spread across this floor, with pot plants and blooming bouquets at every corner, low-hanging lampshades and hanging wicker seats. Guests can choose from long communal co-working tables, individual cubby holes or comfy sofas. The rooftop offers an oasis filled with hammocks, lounge chairs and tables, with a wooden canopy strewn with fairy lights.