75008 Travel Guide
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Plaza Athénée Paris Kicks Off Its Second Century With a Bang
Tomorrow, April 20, is a big day for Plaza Athénée Paris, when it will be one hundred years ago it first opened its doors on that same day in 1913. A major party is set to take place in the hotel’s courtyard, with over 600 guests expected, who among other things will be able to snack on a 10-meter anniversary cake.
Don’t be disappointed though if your invite got lost in the mail, as there are various ways throughout the year to join in on the fun, including a dedicated celebratory cocktail “Harcourt Baccarat”. Naturally, we had to venture over to the hotel and try this baby out.
Hotel Openings / Paris Hotels / Luxury Collection Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Starwood Hotels / → All Tags
Starwood Goes Art Deco With Parisian Palace Prince de Galles
As we recently mentioned, we had the opportunity to step inside the Prince de Galles hotel during our time in Paris and see what Starwood has been cooking up over the course of two long years of renovation and restoration.
Pierre-Yves Rochon oversaw the redesign of the hotel’s lobby and guest rooms & suites, while Bruno Borrione created the restaurant and the bar. Both were on hand to walk us through the various spaces and explain the thinking behind their work. Here are some of the impressions we walked away with.
Hotel Openings / Paris Hotels / Luxury Collection Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Starwood Hotels / → All Tags
Paris. Pierre-Yves Rochon. Prince de Galles. Pre-Opening. Preview.
Thankfully after the Biebs (and his Beliebers) had moved on to wreak havoc elsewhere, did we arrive in Paris earlier this week, where we had a chance to preview the soon-to-open Prince de Galles hotel.
Starwood’s entry into the highly competitive Parisian palace hotel market, the Prince de Galles is part of its Luxury Collection, and one of a number of their historic European hotels that's been on the receiving end of many a million for restoration and renovation the last few years.
Celebrity Scoop / David Beckhm / Paris Hotels / Sweet Suites / → All Tags
David Beckham Will Call Paris' Hotel Le Bristol Home
It's not so bad being the world's most famous soccer star/underwear model/husband- of-a-Spice Girl now, is it? You get to travel around the world wearing thousand-dollar suits, dine at gourmet restaurants, and stay at the top hotels. Well, this week, David Beckham made our lives seem even smaller and more insignificant when he checked into the Hotel Le Bristol Paris.
Not for a long weekend, not for a few weeks, but for five months.
Hello Magazine reports that during Becks' half-year contract with the Paris Saint- Germain football club, he'll be living it up at the hotel's Imperial Suite, which goes for, oh, around EUR 17,000 ($22,700) a night. NBD.
The suite's got it all, of course. A 12-seat dining room overlooking the garden, a living room with Taillardat furniture, a pink Aurora marble bathroom with floor-to-ceiling windows, and two bedrooms, each upholstered in Canovas fabrics and decorated with flower bouquets bigger than your car.
Celebrity Chefs / Hotel Restaurants / Raffles Hotels / Paris Hotels / France Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Philippe Starck / → All Tags
Guess Who Snagged Nobu Matsuhisa Until The End Of The Year?
Well, the illustrious Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his team of master sushi-makers have decided to winter in Paris, and what a home they’ve chosen: Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris located in the tony 8th arrondissement. The 149-room luxe hotel re-opened in October 2010 after a complete design reno orchestrated by Philippe Starck.
If you too, are wintering in Paris, now would be the time to check out why Nobu is famous around this great big globe of ours. His restaurants can be found in 16 cities, from Vegas to Hong Kong.
Each evening for the next two months, lucky diners at Raffles' La Cuisine restaurant will be able to try some of his inventive dishes that combine Japanese with South American influences. You can choose to eat à la carte or you can grab the chance to experience ‘Omakase’ -- the traditional Chef’s Choice tasting menu. Seven dishes are served for the whole table, including black cod with miso and yuzu, tuna sashimi salad, and a whisky cappuccino dessert, for €150 ($192) per person.
Hotel Closings / Videos / Hotel Renovations / Paris Hotels / Hotel News / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Au Revoir! The Ritz Paris Has Officially Closed
Yes, even the Hemingway Bar is closing at The Ritz.
The day has finally come--The Ritz Paris has closed its gilded doors. The legendary luxury hotel, which first opened in 1898, has closed for two years for a massive renovation project. Here's the letter the general manager sent out to guests (and anyone who's ever subscribed to their newsletter):
The legendary Ritz Paris has closed its doors to embark on a two-year restoration program.
Rooms, suites, restaurants and bars, the spa and the famous Ritz Escoffier cooking school will all be carefully restored and recreated under the direction of the internationally renowned interior designer Thierry W. Despont.
We will ensure that the charm and personality of the Ritz Paris is kept alive and that we continue to satisfy even the most discerning travelers.
We certainly hope that you will follow our progress on www.ritzparis.com or through our social media channels.
All of us at the Ritz Paris are looking forward with great anticipation to welcoming you back in 2014 for the reopening of your home in Paris.
Sincerely,
Christian A. Boyens, General Manager
Frank J. Klein, President
Paris Hotels / Affordable Paris Hotels / HotelChatter Reviews / → All Tags
A Nice Inexpensive Paris Hotel? Sacre Bleu! Inside the Hotel Beauchamps
Paris hotels are notoriously expensive, especially in the summertime, and especially when there’s a Summer Olympics in London. But HotelChatter Special Contributor Eric Rosen recently made a trip to the City of Lights and found a few places to stay that won’t throw the Eurozone into further chaos. Here is one of them.
You know hotel prices are getting high when even a Saudi princess tries to skip out on her bill—and it’s true, Paris has seen mostly super-fancy hotel openings lately what with the Shangri-La the Mandarin Oriental and Le Royal Monceau. However, we’re firm believers in the magic of the City of Lights and that you can still find a decently priced hotel room even during the summer high season.
Paris Hotels / Hotel Sweets / Raffles Hotels / Hotel Services / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
How To Make Your Own Millefeuilles at Le Royal Monceau in Paris
HotelChatter Special Contributor Eric Rosen takes us behind the pastry counter at Le Royal Monceau in Paris as he demonstrates the make-your-own millefeuille option diners have for dessert.
Located in an airy private dining room off the lobby lounge area, La Cuisine is the hotel’s main restaurant, which, in addition to the rest of the hotel’s dining outlets including the upscale Italian Il Carpaccio, is overseen by Executive Chef Laurent André who worked with Alain Ducasse for 14 years before joining Raffles. The pastries (which we’ll get to in a moment) are the domain of renowned French patissier, Pierre Hermé.
Paris Hotels / Hotel Concierges / Luxury Hotels / Raffles Hotels / → All Tags
Discover the Art of Paris with the Art Concierge at Le Royal Monceau
We love specialty concierges here at HotelChatter so when we learned that the Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris has an art concierge on staff, we had to know more.
Domoina De Brantes holds a Masters Degree from the Sorbonne in Conception and Production of Cultural Projects and will take hotel guests anywhere in the city to learn about the art scene.
Favor the urban vibe and grit of graffiti? View street art and meet the artists. Want to know more about the treasures of the Louvre? Bien sûr, she will accompany you providing illumination and insight. Her complementary guest service is becoming known, so make arrangements with her at the time you book your room.
Ms. De Brantes is part of the fulfillment of Le Monceau's wish to be known as a Parisian domicile infused with an artistic soul. The hotel, a recent Philippe Starck remake in elegant detail includes an art collection, private state-of-the-art cinema and an art gallery that is open to the public. The Arts District Gallery, 90 square meters of space within the hotel is currently showing “HYPERPHOTO,” Jean-François Rauzier's art photography. It is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm, and Sunday 11.30am to 7pm (free entrance).
Celebrity Scoop / Mariah Carey / Paris Hotels / Plaza Athenee Hotels / Celebrity Hotels / Romantic Hotels / PDA Hotels / Killer View / → All Tags
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Overdo It At The Plaza Athenee
For a woman who's known for singing about butterflies and rainbows and daydreams, it's no surprise that for her fourth annual wedding vow renewal ceremony, Mariah Carey towed husband Nick Cannon all the way to Paris for a cutesy—and very public—display of affection at The Plaza Athenee.
Dressed in matching white outfits, the super-famous couple got down with some major PDA at the PAP.
The Daily Mail points out that while the actual ceremony took place on top of the Eiffel Tower, the couple invited photographers to the hotel afterwards so they could get a slice of the action. Yes, the tip of the tower peeking through in the distance is like something out of a fairytale, though we'd honestly be just as happy enjoying the same view from one of the hotel's award-winning bathtubs. We're easy to please.
Josh Flagg / Four Seasons Hotels / Paris Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Josh Flagg Updates Us on the Status of the Four Seasons George V (Sorta)
Once again, our favorite celebrity hotel hopper, Josh Flagg is back from yet another whirlwind of hotel adventures. First up, he reports on the renovations happening at Four Seasons George V in Paris. Except, he actually stayed in a far nicer room.
I must say, I was extremely delighted when I stayed at the George V this Christmas. The hotel has started the floor by floor renovation of its guestrooms and suites and they are even better than the last renovation in 2000. The rooms have got a new fluff with brand new modern amenities and have maintained all that was already so great about these rooms.
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We Can't Imagine Having Trouble Sleeping at The Plaza Athenee But If You Do...
For the most troubled sleepers, not even the finest sheets in one of the best luxury hotels in the world can help you catch some much-needed Zs. But now at the swank Plaza Athenee Hotel in Paris, there's a scientific solution to insomnia and jetlag symptons with the NightCove Sleep Solution that's been installed bedside in the hotel's Art Deco Suites.
Developed by the Sleep Clinic at Hotel-Dieu hospital in Paris, this device is a unique bedside lamp that helps improve the quality of sleep by bathing guests in selected light wavelengths and sound frequencies that are specially adapted for the physiological needs of sleep. Click on "Sleep/Anti-jetlag/Nap" to stimulate melatonin with a red glow and the hush of waves, then greet the day with a "Wakening" of soft music and blue light similar to early daylight.
Like we said, we can't imagine having trouble sleeping at the Plaza Athenee which is one of the most sublime forms of hotel heaven but if you do, at least you know the hotel can help you out.
