JO&JOE Paris Gentilly Open House Hotel

JO&JOE Paris Gentilly is the second JO&JOE open house from PENSON’s portfolio and is the world’s first BBCA low-carbon hotel. PENSON created the seven-floor, 485-bed hotel as a hybrid – it meets somewhere between an open house, a hotel, and a hostel. This model is unlike anything the sector has seen to date. In September 2020, JO&JOE Paris Gentilly was awarded the Best Hotel & Tourism Resort at the 2020 MIPIM Awards – specifically for its Open House design and Street Art concept envisioned by PENSON.

The JO&JOE brand was co-created by PENSON and Accor Group in 2016 to disrupt the economy hospitality model. PENSON created a physical and branded experience for JO&JOE to offer a fresh take on the interior design, atmosphere, dining, service, and customer experience. A SOCIAL HUB Being a stone’s throw from Paris’ major attractions and with beds from €25 a night, PENSON wanted to create a hub away from the centre of the city. A place where guests and locals could relax, eat good food from a seasonal menu, sink some serious drinks, meet new people, party, and plan new experiences – all on a budget.

Circular Bar & Beer Wall. A street-level entrance leads straight to the restaurant and bar, relaxed lounge, open-mic stage, reception, coworking, and enchanting garden await.


PENSON wanted people to naturally gather so the space is free-flowing and adaptable. The furniture in the restaurant is designed to be movable, with pieces on wheels, and tables that can be hoisted to the ceiling if the open mic crowd wants to dance. The bar is entirely circular and accessible all the way around. Not only does this allow for flow and movement in the space but it’s an unmissable feature right in the middle of the ground floor. It also makes lining up drinks and shots an impressive sight! To add something fun, PENSON installed a self-service beer wall. This, like everywhere else at JO&JOE uses a cashless card system to purchase. The card has multiway access to the lifts, your room, food and drink, and access to other guest areas of the hotel. Other social areas, namely ‘Happy House’ and the kitchen are reserved for booking guests and are located on the top floors of the hotel, in order to deflect any noise away from the bedrooms below.



Accomodation. For PENSON, budget accommodation should definitely not equally boring. PENSON took JO&JOE as an opportunity to go wild and design something unexpected. Sleeping at JO&JOE comes in all shapes and sizes, with private and shared rooms emphasising the hybridity between the hotel and hostel-style accommodation. The corridors to rooms start the unexpected journey for guests with large murals, neon lighting, and an optical illusion floor. ‘Together’ rooms are dorm-like areas that sleep up to twelve people and cater to large groups wanting to share. These rooms feature ‘room-within-a-room’ bespoke modular beds designed by PENSON to give guests privacy.


High wooden partitions and blackout blinds give the modular beds a personal ‘pod’ feel. ‘Yours’ rooms are private hotel-style guestrooms for two to six people with ensuite – to cater to smaller private groups, including families. ‘Cabins’ are cool spaces offering private individual lockable cabins within larger rooms and have access to the communal washrooms. The dream-world of the ‘OOO’ (Out of Ordinary) rooms is surreal because of the variety of art covering the walls and ceilings. These are private hotel rooms with far-reaching views of the city, complete with private ensuite. Each bed has everything a traveller needs – USB charging ports, reading lamp, high-quality linen, and an oversized bed for stretching out in. All bedrooms have access to the Happy House on the top floor and all bathrooms include toiletries as standard.

Street Art Concept. PENSON sourced and selected the work of nine local and international artists to portray JO&JOE Paris Gentilly’s unique character and eclectic atmosphere. The artist’s brief was to use their artistic license to the max, go a bit crazy and cover practically every surface with their creations. The result is a whacky, crazy, colour-filled interior experience. PENSON even turned artist and created some of the artwork too – keep an eye out for the PENSON team who secretly feature on a few of the private bathroom walls! Artwork at JO&JOE Paris Gentilly is inherently part of its unique design story and not only harmonises the brand as a clear disrupter but reflects the life and style of its guests. Some artwork changes with different light settings, helping to transform the spaces from day tonight.

Project Gallery