Why and how it all began

In 1933, Le Berger was created as a solution for a club of friends who couldn't easily live their secret second life. They were big merchants, butchers, greengrocers,... and they wanted to find a comfortable place that could house them for an short moment, with their mistresses.

One of them, Mr. Gabriel Duhoux, was the entrepreneur who designed and build Le Berger. They wanted something a bit luxury for the time in order to be attractive for young ladies. It was designed as a place where they could drink Champagne and eat oysters and enjoy life as much as they could.  

Already in 1936, Mr Duhoux, pushed by the success of Le Berger, decided to expend and to create larger room with en suite bathrooms (now our superior rooms). Mr Duhoux was also the head cook of the restaurant which offered small alcoves in which you could eat and then go up to the rooms with the young women.

Discretion and circulation

Of course, at that time, people's mindsets weren't as flexible as they were after the war or by now. Any woman with a friend was considered as a whore back then. People's sex life were very secret and hidden but they still needed a place to express. Therefore the highest discretion was needed when you entered the place.

The whole circulation was made in a way that it was impossible to meet another customer inside the walls of the hotel. You came in by a door, take the first elevator and access to your room with the tenant. Afterwards, you get down by another elevator and exit by another door. Reminiscence of this circulation is still in place today as we kept both the elevators.

Prostitution

No, it was not a brothel. Le Berger's direction has always been clear about it: No prostitution was allowed in its walls. It was clearly written at the entrance of the hotel with this sign (below). People came to Le Berger to make love en to enjoy life, not to make money nor to consider women as an object.  

And now…?

It's important to note that Hotel Le Berger has now fully transitioned into a conventional hotel, and no longer operates under the time-limited restrictions of the past.

Since the refection of the hotel and its opening in 2012, Hotel Le Berger is a unique and captivating destination that combines modern comfort with a touch of the past. A modern day haven offers you a chance to step back in time and experience the glamour and elegance of a bygone era.

Our interior designer, Martina Nievergeld, has done a tremendous job in restoring the hotel to its former glory, using an art-deco style to decorate each room. The transformation took almost 2 years. The result is an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere that takes you back in time and transports you to a world of romance and luxury. Despite the challenges of renovating such an old building, we are proud to have preserved its history and kept a bit of its heritage alive for future generations to enjoy.

Although our rooms may be small, a bit dark, and lack wardrobes, this is all part of the charm of the hotel. We wanted to maintain the authentic atmosphere of the past, and we believe that this contributes to the unique character of Hotel Le Berger.

Unfortunately, soundproofing is not one of our strengths, and it may be possible to hear distant neighbors finding pleasure in our beds. However, some guests see this as part of the charm of staying in such an old building…