Keppler Hotel, Paris, Preferred Hotels: the secret to a best-in-class guest experience – a personal experience with the worst-case scenario
“I’ve experienced firsthand what it means to be attacked by bedbugs. About 20 years ago, I traveled with my husband to Australia. We slept in a hotel in the desert, and we faced this problem. It was terrible, not least because we didn't know exactly what it was at the time. But it’s certainly an experience that every traveler wants to avoid. For this reason, when I heard about Valpas in 2019, I immediately joined the company.”
Rita Nouvel is the General Manager of the Keppler Hotel in Paris. A five-star hotelier with decades of experience, she understands the concerns of travelers on a deeply personal level. Her long-anticipated trip to Australia was overshadowed by a bed bug experience she never forgot, and one she was determined her guests would never have to face.
The Keppler Hotel, located in a nineteenth-century Haussmannian building near the Champs-Élysées, is a luxury boutique hotel renowned in the Paris hotel scene for its outstanding customer service and discreet elegance.
“For us, safety and cleanliness come first. Valpas is bigger now, but we believed in it so much that we joined when they only had around 15 member hotels. We don’t keep the statistics, but all our guests were immediately excited to discover that we use Valpas to guarantee their safety and impeccable hygiene. Valpas is indeed synonymous with luxury and exclusivity. It’s certainly a factor that helped increase our business and to reach even the most demanding customers,” she says.
Don’t wait for bed bugs to appear – safety was a priority from the start
Rita is clear-eyed about bed bug safety. For her, it was never about reacting to a problem, but about preventing a crisis before it happens.
“We’ve never had bedbugs. But I strongly believe in preventing a catastrophe before it's too late, avoiding financial losses, and increasing customer satisfaction. I’ve personally witnessed the consequences of a bedbug invasion,” Rita says. “I hate the idea of calling in pest control. Now, thanks to Valpas, we can permanently keep our guests safe from bedbugs.”
By becoming Valpas-certified bed bug-safe, the Keppler Hotel chose to make safety a permanent part of its guest promise, rather than something addressed only after an incident.
Mattress protectors protect only mattresses
Before joining Valpas, the hotel had recently renewed its mattresses. But Rita quickly realized that this alone could not address the broader reality of travel-related risk.
“There are special mattress covers, but bedbugs can be carried by luggage, migrate anywhere, and multiply quickly. By then, it's already too late. They become a difficult and expensive problem to solve,” Rita explains. “You can protect a mattress, but bedbugs will always find a way to travel and cause irreparable damage, such as the loss of a customer and bad reviews, resulting in financial consequences and loss of the hotel’s reputation.”
For Rita, certification offered something mattress covers never could: peace of mind for guests and long-term brand protection for the hotel.
Hygiene expectations after Covid-19
In the post-pandemic world, hygiene has taken on new importance.
There are millions of search results for “hotel bedbugs check”, and travelers continue to look for reassurance. Even as contactless services and digital keys have become commonplace, bed bug safety remains a top concern.
“People call and ask what systems we use to maintain impeccable hygiene, especially after the pandemic,” Rita says. “They particularly ask about air purification. Valpas is part of the answer. It’s a green solution and guarantees a hygienic environment without toxic pesticides. We also use an ionization system, which is useful for removing bacteria.”
For the Keppler Hotel, Valpas quickly demonstrated its value beyond reassurance. Guest satisfaction scores on Booking.com rose from 9.1 to 9.2 despite the disruption caused by Covid-19.
“We work directly with some smaller travel agencies, but also being part of Valpas where guests can book directly is a winning choice,” she adds.
A luxury boutique hotel with a family spirit
“This hotel was originally two stars and belongs to my husband's French family. I met him in London where we were both studying. I’m Finnish. I came to Paris to be close to him. I’ve had various jobs in the hotel business before working for the family business. I started working at the Hotel Keppler in 2007 when they bought it,” Rita explains.
While her husband’s family owns several boutique hotels in Paris, the Keppler is a special project.
“Our hotel makes you feel like a Parisian home away from home that features a living room with a glass ceiling overlooking a garden,” Rita says. “The attention to detail, along with a feeling of safety, is also part of Valpas’ philosophy.”
For the hotel’s renovation, Rita worked with French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, whose work blends seamlessly with the hotel’s elegant spaces and iconic views.
Sustainability without compromise
“Valpas ensures that all rooms don’t need pesticides produced from fossil fuels, which are normally used for pest control. This means that rooms are free of toxins and that fossil fuel use in the hotel is reduced. It also contributes to the health and cleanliness of the environment,” Rita explains.
For Rita, sustainability and luxury are not opposites.
“Valpas is a way of life. It’s something unique, something that can make a difference in such a fragile moment where safety has become even more important. Never before have guests needed to relax without thinking about problems like bedbugs,” she says.
Looking ahead
The Keppler Hotel currently offers thirty-four rooms and five suites and is expanding into a neighboring building with additional rooms and a spa.
“Valpas was an excellent choice, and we’re thinking of acquiring new business and corporate clients,” Rita says. “Valpas is the future, and we want to be the future too.”
Guests at the Keppler Hotel expect highly personalized service.
“Movie stars, Formula 1 drivers, models, and football players are among the regular clientele,” Rita notes. “Some even decide to propose marriage in the Deluxe Suite on the sixth floor with the view of the Eiffel Tower.”
Insider tips: experiencing Paris like a local
Rita and her team pride themselves on helping guests discover Paris beyond the obvious landmarks, from neighborhood bistros to hidden cultural gems.
Staying at the Keppler Hotel means more than just a luxurious room. It means feeling at home in Paris, with the reassurance that every detail of the stay has been thoughtfully considered, including the ones guests never want to think about.