Can a Hotel Be Your Next Office? This CEO Thinks So

Meet Antoine Alibert, CEO, or as he calls it, Chief Mushroom Officer, of French Mush: a wellness startup producing food supplements made from medicinal mushrooms. With a growing team of 15, French Mush has chosen Zoku Paris as their go-to base for coworking in Paris. Journalist and Founder of Etude Agency, Matt Parsons, sat down with Antoine as part of our Writer in Residence Program to chat flexible work, community and the perks of working from a hotel.

Why did you decide to base French Mush at Zoku Paris?

When my co-founder and I launched the company, we didn’t have much of a budget, but we already had a small team relying on us. So we found a hotel where we could work from for just €20 a day. It was simple, but there was something special about it: you felt welcome, things worked and someone brought you coffee when you asked for it. Zoku brings back that same feeling, but with a lot more thought put into the experience.

When we were ready to start looking for a more permanent work set-up, we actually started by looking for traditional offices, but quickly realized it wouldn’t make sense. We’d end up with a beautiful space that sat half-empty most of the week. Plus, with an office, you also inherit all the admin: coffee machines, electricity, cleaning. It’s small stuff, but it takes time. Time that could be better spent connecting with our team and coming up with new ideas.

So working from a hotel wasn’t a new idea for you?

Not at all. That early hotel experience actually proved it could work. So when we discovered Zoku, which had solved all the little challenges of working from a space not originally built for it, the decision came pretty naturally to us.

What does your team’s setup look like day-to-day?

Twice a week, we bring the full team of around 15 people to Zoku. The rest of the week is more flexible, usually five or six people in the space. Everyone does some remote work. Some of us are studying, others have families or live further out of the city, which is also why we opted for the convenient location near Porte de Clichy, so having a space that supports that kind of flexibility is essential.

Do you benefit from being around other Zoku guests and residents?

Absolutely. There’s real value in being surrounded by a mix of people: entrepreneurs, creatives, remote workers from all over. We’ve had spontaneous conversations turn into opportunities: a potential collaboration here, a helpful recommendation there. It adds a layer of serendipity to the workday that just doesn’t exist in a regular office setting. That kind of unexpected connection can be really energizing for a team like ours.

Besides the social vibe, what else makes this setup work for you?

The food is honestly a big win. The restaurant here serves healthy, balanced meals, so our team isn’t running out for overpriced, not-so-great sandwiches. We cover their lunch, too; it’s a small investment that shows we care about their well-being. Plus, it gives us the chance to slow down and connect as a team over a proper meal, not just across our laptops.

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