HotelChatter

A key to your private humidor will ensure your cigar collection (because of course you’d have one) is stored and preserved. Membership will come with a range of gifts in the first few months, from cognac and whiskies to accessories by ST Dupont, a French company known for its lighters and leather goods. A concierge service is at hand to assist with any request, and there are additional benefits of being a member when using the facilities of the hotel or staying overnight.

How does one become a member and what does it cost? We’d venture to say that it’s a case of if you have to ask, you don’t know the right people and can’t afford it, but we’ll see if some of our très soignée Parisian friends can tell us more.

While Le Royal Monceau had a rocky few years during the last decade, it seems the demolition party, multi-year overhaul by Philippe Starck, and arrival of Raffles have worked their magic for the hotel.

We’ve had a drink at The Long Bar and loved it; there are so many things to see in the overall design, the furniture, as well as stacks of interesting books to flip through. Paired with great music and a stylish crowd it felt ever so sophisticated, and with Starck’s whimsy in full force, a very different experience compared to traditional Parisian palace hotels like The Ritz or Hôtel de Crillon.

If you’re with a group of friends and are inclined to suggest the first round of drinks is on you, you may want to check out the menu, and its prices, first. Similarly, an overnight stay is not for the faint-hearted: a room-only rate starts around €850($1,115) and races up from there.

[Photos: Raffles Hotels & Resorts]