In a former industrial district of Metz, a small French city better known for its Gothic cathedral than contemporary architecture, stands what might be the most whimsical hotel in Europe. Maison Heler, which opened its doors in March 2025, is both a building and a story – the fictional tale of a 19th-century inventor named Manfred Heler and his elusive beloved, Rose.
The 104-room hotel is industrial architect Philippe Starck's first complete hotel project in Europe, and it bears all the hallmarks of his irreverent approach. A monolithic nine-story structure supports what appears to be a traditional Lorraine house perched on its roof – a surrealist touch that would make Magritte proud.
Photos by Julius Hirtzberger
"Maison Heler is a unique and one-of-a-kind hotel, conceived as a surrealist and poetic work of art," says Starck, who has designed everything from toothbrushes to mega-yachts (including the one for Steve Jobs) but never before an entire hotel property from scratch.
Philippe Starck's playful imagination brings an eccentric mansion to life in Metz, with a rooftop 'house' and stained glass windows.
The building sits in Metz's Amphitheatre district, a stone's throw from the Centre Pompidou-Metz, the contemporary art museum's first outpost outside Paris.
This architectural pairing has helped transform a once-overlooked French city into something of a design destination, just 85 minutes by high-speed train from the capital.
La Cuisine de Rose - the brasserie on the ground floor
Inside, the narrative of lovelorn Manfred Heler unfolds through thoughtfully designed spaces. The ground floor hosts La Cuisine de Rose, an all-day brasserie serving seasonal dishes that draw on regional traditions.
La Maison de Manfred - the restaurant inside the rooftop's "villa"
But it's the rooftop restaurant, La Maison de Manfred, that delivers the real visual feast. Artist Ara Starck (Philippe's daughter) has created 19 stained glass windows for the space, including a monumental piece that bathes diners in cathedral-like colored light while offering panoramic views of Metz.
Metz sits at a cultural crossroads, just an hour from Luxembourg and Germany and under three hours from Brussels. The city's multiple layers of history – from Roman ruins to medieval quarters and elegant 18th-century squares – provide rich context for Starck's contemporary intervention.
The rooms and suites are between floors 2 and 8.
Whether the fictional Manfred Heler ever found his Rose remains part of the hotel's whimsical mystery, but guests can now inhabit his surrealist fantasy – if only for a night or two.
31 Rue Jacques Chirac, 57000 Metz, France
