75001 Travel Guide
Paris Hotels
Le Meurice Gets All Dolled Up for UNICEF
November 4, 2008 at 9:08 AM | 1 Comment
When the arbiters of fashion, art and design descend upon Paris' Petit Palais later this month to gawk at the dolls for a UNICEF auction, the only edible entry will come from the Michelin three-starred kitchen of the Hotel Le Meurice.
The tasty doll prepared by Le Meurice's eponymous restaurant will be displayed as part of the "Frimousses de Createurs" collection, whose auction proceeds will go directly to funding a vaccination campaign in Darfur. You can see some of these dolls here.
Competing for high bids alongside fashion heavy-hitters like Christian Lacroix, Louis Vuitton and Dior Couture, the Le Meurice doll aims to up the ante for luxury edibles:
[Chef] Lesecq’s unique “Frimousse” entry is made of white chocolate, dusted with gold powder, and takes the shape of a fairy-tale magician walking two mini ‘Pistache’ dogs – the hotel’s famous mascot. Studio Harcourt, the renowned Paris photo studio, has created a signed portrait of the doll with its creator, to be auctioned off along with the doll.
Snapshot
Snapshot :: Philippe Starck on Display at Le Meurice
October 6, 2008 at 12:44 PM | 1 Comment
Last week we showed you le bike that Le Meurice in Paris keeps on hand for its guests (and maybe its employees too). Today, we show you the work of Philippe Starck from inside the hotel's lobby. Starck was in charge of renovating the swanky hotel and he gave the place an updated new look at the end of December 2007.
There's no old fugly carpeting here! Just unusual furniture done in the Starck way, which is something that we happen to like.
Paris Hotel Guide
Looking for a Budget Hotel Near the Louvre? Try The Hôtel Therèse
March 28, 2008 at 10:19 AM | 0 Comments
We know you weren't entirely convinced by our advice to stay out of the so-called 'centre' of Paris.....so if you can't resist looking for a hotel in sightseeing land, here's the soft option: the Hôtel Therèse.
It's in the first arrondissement of Paris - think the Louvre, Tuileries gardens, Opera and all that jazz. And it's one of the best of a rather pricey bunch of poor hotels in the area. Walking distance to most places in the first chapter of your guide book.
Killer View
Room With a Killer View: All the Way to the Louvre from Westin Paris
January 24, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 1 Comment
We are suckers for a room with a killer view. We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.
This week's killer view comes from one of the most beautiful cities to look our your window at: Paris. Tipster Notorious Meg added this glorious view from Room 3037 of the Westin Paris to our Flickr pool, overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries. See that pyramid at the end? That's the Louvre, so you're right where you want to be.
If you happen to get another room at the Westin Paris, don't despair, because it sports all kinds of different views. From one side you can see all the way to the Sacre Couer, which is an especially gorgeous view when it is illuminated at night.
One important note: the Westin Paris website states that the hotel is undergoing refurbishment, expected to finish in the summer of 2008. If you're planning your trip before then, ask some questions about what kind of disruptions you're likely to experience. Especially if there's a risk they might scaffold over your killer view.
[Photo: Notorious Meg]
New Hotels in Europe
New Europe Hotel: Luxury at the Lumen Paris Louvre
August 20, 2007 at 8:58 AM | 0 Comments
In the July/August issue of the European Travel Commission's newsletter, they highlighted several new and upcoming hotels in Europe. We'll be taking a closer look at some of these hotels this week but we're always interested in hearing your recommendations for hotels in Europe. So send 'em our way.
This September, a new luxury spot will open in Paris, in the form of the Hotel Lumen Paris Louvre. It's well-located (not far from the Louvre, as you'd expect) and it has its own Parisian-style brasserie, Le Passage Saint Roch Restaurant, which has connections to renowned cookbook writer Frédérick Grasser-Hermé. Actually, the Lumen sounds a bit like one of those hotels where any room's a good room:
Of the 33 guest rooms, choose from the St. Roch single rooms (with views of the stained glass windows of the beautiful St. Roch church), the Pyramides double or twin rooms, the Lumen rooms (with lots of light), and the beautiful, luminous suites on the 5th and 6th floors.
The room rates do reflect these great views, however: we looked at booking a Saturday night in late September and the cheapest double available was 424 Euros ($570) per night, quickly jumping up to rates like 760 Euros ($1,025) if you want a twin instead of a double. But it is in the heart of Paris.
[Photo: racingsquirrel]
Related Stories:
· Hotel Lumen Summer Opening [Informed Traveler]
· Paris Hotel Reviews [HotelChatter]
Hotel Deals
Hotel Regina's Deal for Paris in the Summer
March 9, 2007 at 12:34 PM | 0 Comments
We reported a few days ago that European hotel prices are looking ugly for this coming summer, so you might want to lock down a good deal when you see it if you're still heading that way.
We wouldn't normally call a $300 a night hotel room a great bargain, but these days, in Paris, it is. At Hotel Regina, they're offering a weekend in Paris package that's two nights, buffet breakfast, and a fruit basket in your room for 479 euros. By our calculations that comes to $627, but National Geographic Traveler's deal alert says $575, so maybe they're giving the yanks with downtrodden dollars a break. Supposedly the breakfast is normally 30 euros, so having that thrown in is no small thing.
You can't book it for this price in June, but it's good all of July and August. Hotel Regina is in a prime location, across the road from the Louvre, just off the Champs Elysees, and near Notre Dame. Past guests note that rooms are a good size, especially by European standards, and some even have a distant view of the Eiffel Tower. If you're a light sleeper though, bring some earplugs. Rooms facing the street can be noisy (the case with many historic city hotels of course.)
[Photo: Djof]
Related Stories:
· A-List Deals [Nat'l Geographic Traveler]
· Hotel Regina reviews [TripAdvisor]
Celebrity Scoop
Kylie Crashes In a Fashion Heap at the Hotel Costes
March 8, 2007 at 11:09 AM | 0 Comments
Her French boyfriend might be out of the picture, but Kylie Minogue still loves France. She's been hanging out in the fashion capital this week, doing, well, fashion things, and shacking up at the Hotel Costes. The problem is, although she's been cramming in attendances at all the fashion events she can find, there are some that think she hasn't been taking notes.
Said this celeb blog of Kylie's velvety blue dress topped with a bow on her head:
Minnie Mousie is not someone anyone should ever take fashion inspiration from. Ever.
Perhaps it's a bit of momentary break-up insanity, and a bit more time spent with self-pampering at the Costes might fix it all.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Costes Paris reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Pay to be Insulted at Parisian Hotel Bar [HotelChatter]
· Kylie in Paris [Opodo]
Holiday Hotels
Designer Christmas Tree War in Paris
December 22, 2006 at 3:58 PM | 0 Comments
We hear Le Meurice in Paris has Christmas tree wars in its lobby this time of year. Designer pines from Dior and others compete for the attention of holiday guests. Want more? Meurice was the German military headquarters during their occupation of Paris during World War II. If we were on VH1, now is the point in the conversation where we would look straight into the camera and make a ironic joke about France losing multiple wars, Louis Vuitton, and what the holidays would be like if the Nazis won the war. However, since we are not on VH1, we will let you construct your own joke, while we ask you for holiday hotel photos.
If you happen to be staying at Hotel Meurice, or any other hotel in the world with a visually pleasing holiday scene, go ahead and send the pics our way, or just post 'em in the HotelChatter/Flickr pool, everyone likes to look.
Happy Holidays.
Related Stories:
· More Meurice Reviews [TripAdivsor]
Celebrity Scoop
Katie Holmes and Posh Spice are BFFs in Paris
October 6, 2006 at 2:10 PM | 1 Comment
Although we are sure her Scientology minder is not far behind, Katie Holmes was able to escape Tom Cruise and her prison in Beverly Hills for the fashion shows in Paris.
While she's staying at the Ritz Paris, Katie has been escorted all over town by fembot Posh Spice. Here the two are in all their robotic scariness.
Guess Katie doesn't mind being a kept woman or paying $13 for a canette of Coke.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Minibars Hijack Your Hunger Cravings at Ridiculous Prices [HotelChatter]
· Ritz Paris reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Posh and Katie in Paris [D-Listed]
Paris Hotel Reviews
'Pay to Be Insulted' at Parisian Hotel Bar
August 2, 2006 at 3:56 PM | 0 Comments
If there were an award for least informative hotel website, Hotel Costes would win. We're talking bare bones here--just the name and the address and audio of people chatting.
So it really should come as no surprise that the hotel's bar suffers from a little bit of too-cool syndrome
Located ideally on rue St. Honore in Paris, the location is superb and just a street off the noise of rue de Rivoli. Staying here puts you mere steps away from every haute couture store you could want and give you easy access to hot clubs and bars.
The hotel has become famous for electro-jazz fans of the Stephane Pompougnac, a famous Parisian DJ who spins at the oh-so-snooty hotel bar. The thing is, this hotel has gotten out of control in their efforts to appear cool. According to a recent guest:
The Hotel Costes is a hotel that pays more attention to being stylish and chic than being a hotel. Personally, I think it takes itself just a bit too seriously. The rooms look like turn of the century boudoirs (comfortable and large bed) and the staff dresses like salespeople at Gucci.
Past guests have figured out this attitude from the second they stepped in, the model-fest in the hotel and desperation to become famous is the true theme here. As one reviewer stated "If you like paying to be insulted...".
Image via Mysticonnie/Flickr
Related Stories:
· Hotel Costes Reviews [TripAdvisor]
