75001 Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Breakfasts / Paris Hotels / Hotel Chocolate / → All Tags
Le Meurice Has The Ultimate Chocaholic Breakfast
What's a sure way to get us interested in a hotel promotion? It's pretty easy, especially on a Friday – just include some kind of chocolate in the deal. That's exactly what the fine Le Meurice in Paris has done, by letting us know about the Choc'Alléno special breakfast they've got going at the moment.
Put together by the hotel restaurant's head chef Yannick Alléno, the breakfast special includes original Choc'Alléno pain au chocolat and croissants, as well as a chocolate baguette, chocolate chip butter, jam and honey, fruit juice and a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. It already sounds good, but listen to how those special pastries get made:
Tags: Sweet Suites / Snapshot / → All Tags
Le Meurice Looks Le Pretty With Its New Rooms
Behold the brand news rooms at The Le Meurice Hotel in Paris. The hotel recently unveiled the handiwork of French designer Charles Jouffre who worked to infuse chic French history with modernized elegance and glamour" into the guest rooms. In other words, the place still has that French look you love but now, with flat-screen TVs.
Jouffre set out to reinterpret the very spirit of Le Meurice to create a “Home Sweet Home” à la française – a style envied the world over. The inspiration for his work lies in the 18th century, with re-imagined classic furniture, a palette of light colors subtly lifted with bright accent tones, noble and truly traditional materials, and a contemporary, couture approach. Result? A soothing environment intended as an invitation to travel.
Yes, please. We have always had a thing for the Le Meurice, although we've never been fortunate enough to afford a night there. Rates for the guestrooms begin at $975.
Another picture of a guest room is after the jump.
Tags: Snapshot / Paris Hotels / Hotels Near the Louvre / → All Tags
The Closest Hotel to The Louvre
Anyone who's ever attempted to tour the Louvre Musuem in Paris will tell you that there is no way to see the entire museum in a day. In fact, it might take you an entire week or two, especially if you are one of those people who stop and read everything. Or if you like those audio tours.
So if the Louvre is high on your To Do list for Paris, you can get no closer than the Hotel Regina which is located on Rue di Rivoli directly across from The Louvre. Most rooms even have views of the museum and the Tuileries.
Most of the TripAdvisor reviews on the hotel are positive with, of course, the hotel's excellent location getting top billing.
What we liked actually can be found on the hotel's own website. On the homepage is a video so you can see what the hotel is really like from the moment you enter the lobby to inside your room. You get to see staffers hard at work to service you and you can see the interiors of the hotel. And it's not just freeze frames either. You can really get a good look inside the hotel. This is a good and a bad thing. We like the video but we are a little concerned about those thin pink blankets on the bed. Still, we give this hotel an "A" for embracing technology on their website.
Room rates start around 375 Euros a night.
Tags: Christmas Hotels / Paris Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Fashion Hotels Concorde Hotels / → All Tags
Hotel Du Louvre Serves Up Traditional French Holiday Fare
Paris is blessed with many things to make the holiday season truly unforgettable: architecture that looks even better under a few inches of snow, amazing seasonal food, sales at some of the best stores in the world, and enough cultural distractions to break up any family time. Combining all of these benefits because of its bulls-eye location is the Hotel du Louvre. Sitting dead next to the Louvre, down the street from the Galeries Lafayette and the boutiques of the Rue St Honoré, and only a short taxi away from the Champs-Élysées, the hotel will serve as a nexus for tourists during the holiday season.
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Beyonce / Paris Hotel Scene / Hotel News / → All Tags
Beyonce and Her Freakum Dress Prefer Le Meurice
The divalicious Beyonce, whose every move is worshiped by some of us here at HotelChatter HQ, was in Paris last night. She was spotted emerging from Hotel Le Meurice looking fly, naturally, in a blue Freakum Dress (note: if you've yet to convert to the church of Knowles, she has a song called "Freakum Dress" about a super fly dress much like this one).
Gossip Girls reminds us that she may have been on her way out to celebrate her Golden Globe nomination, which was announced yesterday — Knowles received a nod for Best Original Song for "Once in a Lifetime," a jam she co-wrote for the Cadillac Records soundtrack.
And just so we're clear: when we picture Beyonce in her posh suite at the ultra-expensive Le Meurice (single rooms start around $695 USD tonight), we like to think she's singing her song "Upgrade U", with its lyrics that mention things like purple labels, diamond cream facials, VVS cuff links and 6-star pent suites.
[Photo: Bauer Griffin via Gossip Girls]
Tags: Paris Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Restaurants / Dorchester Collection / → All Tags
Le Meurice Gets All Dolled Up for UNICEF
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.
Tags: Snapshot / Philippe Starck / Paris Hotel Scene / Paris Hotels / → All Tags
Snapshot :: Philippe Starck on Display at Le Meurice
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.
Tags: Paris Hotel Guide / Budget Hotels / Hotels Near the Louvre / Monica Guy / → All Tags
Looking for a Budget Hotel Near the Louvre? Try The Hôtel Therèse
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.
Tags: Killer View / Paris Hotels / Westin Hotels / → All Tags
Room With a Killer View: All the Way to the Louvre from Westin Paris
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]
Tags: New Hotels in Europe / Paris Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
New Europe Hotel: Luxury at the Lumen Paris Louvre
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]
Tags: Hotel Deals / Paris Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Hotel Regina's Deal for Paris in the Summer
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]
Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Paris Hotels / → All Tags
Kylie Crashes In a Fashion Heap at the Hotel Costes
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]
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