Hotel Ritz
The Ritz is Europe's greatest hotel, an enduring symbol of elegance on
one of Paris's most beautiful and historic squares. César Ritz, the "little
shepherd boy from Niederwald," converted the Hôtel de Lazun into a luxury hotel
in 1898. With the help of the culinary master Escoffier, he made the Ritz a
miracle of luxury. In 1979, the Ritz family sold the hotel to Mohammed al Fayed,
who refurbished it and added a cooking school. The hotel annexed two town
houses, joined by an arcade lined with display cases representing 125 of Paris's
leading boutiques. The public salons are furnished with museum-caliber antiques.
Guest rooms are uniquely decorated, most with Louis XIV or XV reproductions; all
have fine rugs, marble fireplaces, tapestries, brass beds, and more. The
spacious bathrooms are the city's most luxurious, with deluxe toiletries,
sumptuous tubs, scales, private phones, cords to summon maids and valets, robes,
full-length and make-up mirrors, and dual basins. Ever since Edward VII got
stuck in a too-narrow bathtub with his lover, the tubs at the Ritz have been
deep and big.
Hotel Ritz
15 place Vendôme
Phone 800/223-6800 in the U.S.
Web site: www.ritzparis.com
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
The Plaza Athénée, an 1889 Art Nouveau marvel, is a
landmark of discretion and style. About half the celebrities visiting Paris have
been pampered here; in the old days, Mata Hari used to frequent the place.
Superbly decorated subdivisions within the hotel include the Bar Montaigne,
whose audaciously designed countertops are crafted from crystal that's lit from
beneath. It's been described as an enormous iceberg that self-illuminates when
you touch it. The Salon Gobelins (with tapestries against rich paneling) and the
Salon Marie Antoinette, a richly paneled and grand room, are two public rooms
that add to the ambience of this lavish hotel. There's also a calm, quiet
interior courtyard draped with vines and dotted with geraniums. The quietest
guest rooms overlook a courtyard with awnings and parasol-shaded tables; they
have ample closet space, and their large tiled bathrooms contain double basins
and separate baths and showers. Some rooms overlooking avenue Montaigne have
views of the Eiffel Tower.
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
25 av. Montaigne
Phone 866/732-1106 in the U.S.
Web site: www.plaza-athenee-paris.com
Four Seasons Hotel George V
In its latest reincarnation, with all its glitz
and glamour, this hotel is one of the best in the world. And the George V's
history is as gilt-edged as they come. It opened in 1928 in honor of George V of
England, grandfather of Queen Elizabeth. During the liberation of Paris, it
housed Dwight D. Eisenhower. After its acquisition by Saudi Prince Al Waleed and
a 2-year renovation, it was reopened under the banner of Toronto-based Four
Seasons. The guest rooms are about as close as you'll come to residency in a
well-upholstered private home where teams of decorators have lavished vast
amounts of attention and money. The beds rival those at the Ritz and Meurice in
comfort. It's deluxe all the way. Each unit comes with a large bathroom with a
separate tub and shower. Security is tight -- a fact appreciated by
sometimes-notorious guests.
Four Seasons Hotel George
V 31 av. George-V
Phone 800/332-3442 in the U.S.
Web site: www.fourseasons.com
Le Meurice
The legendary Le Meurice is a luxury hotel in the heart of Paris
with a prestigious location between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre on the
fashionable rue de Rivoli, facing the Tuileries Gardens. The hotel is hip and
style conscious. It has welcomed the royal, the rich, and even the radical. The
mad genius Salvador Dalí made the Meurice his headquarters. It has beautiful
mosaic floors, plaster ceilings, hand-carved moldings, and Art Nouveau glass
roof atop the Winter Garden. Rooms are individually decorated with period
pieces, fine carpets, Italian and French fabrics, marble bathrooms, and modern
features like fax and Internet access. Beds are sumptuous, furnished in
luxurious fabrics; bathrooms are well maintained, with tub/shower combinations.
Surrounded by Parisian cafes, the romantic Tuileries Garden, trendy
boutiques, from Maria Luisa to Colette, Hermes to Chanel, Goyard to John
Galliano, Cartier and all the jewelers of Place Vendôme, Le Meurice reflects
the lively rhythm and elegant ambience of the chic 1st arrondissement in the
heart of Paris.
Le Meurice
228 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris, France
Phone 01-44-58-10-10
Web
site: www.meuricehotel.com
Hotel De Crillon
Designated a unique historical monument, the Hotel De Crillon is an elegant 18th century Palace situated on the world famous Place De
La Concorde in the heart of Paris. Only a few steps away from the
Champs-Elysees, the Faubourg Saint Honore shopping area and all major museums,
the Hotel De Crillon is the place to stay in Paris. As the last French-owned
Palace Hotel in Paris, owned by the Taittinger family, the Hotel De Crillon is
rich in history and culture. Decorated in the eighteenth century style of Louis
XV and recently redesigned, the hotel's guest rooms and suites include
Presidential apartments and the exceptional Louis XV and Leonard Bernstein
suites. Suites offer magnificent views of Paris, the Eiffel Tower proudly
visible from a luxurious bubble-bath.
Les Ambassadeurs' fine and delicate cuisine is prepared by one of the
greatest chefs of France in a palatial setting. Guests can also try the
L'Obelisque Restaurant with its Parisian atmosphere and regional French cooking.
Le Piano Bar is ideal for meeting over a glass of champagne and the Jardin
D'Hiver ideal for afternoon tea served to the sounds of a harp.
Hotel de Crillon
10 Place de la Concorde
75008 Paris, France
+33(0)144711500
http://www.crillon.com/crillon.html
Le Cing
Established in 1928 in honor of the king of England, there has always
been a world-class dining venue associated with the Hotel George V. The Four
Season group poured time, money, talent, and taste into a high-ceilinged room
whose majestic decor evokes the Grand Trianon at Versailles. Within a gray and
very pale pink dining room that shimmers with gold inlays, your dining needs
will be supervised by a sophisticated staff that intuitively understands the
needs and priorities of the hotel's widely divergent international clientele.
The menu changes frequently, but enduring favorites usually include a tarte of
artichokes and black Périgord truffles; a fricassée of Breton crayfish with
coriander and lime sauce; North Atlantic lobster with chestnuts; a succulent
version of roasted suckling veal with capers; and a classic that has been on the
menu since the days of Mistinguette and Piaf, Bresse chicken "in the style of
the George V," stuffed with crayfish and herbs. Hungry yet? Desserts are artful
and ornate; The best examples include hazelnut meringue with hazelnut mousse and
mandarin oranges; and a high-caloric collection, compiled onto a single
hyperindulgent platter, of all-chocolate desserts, exclusivement tout chocolat.
Le Cing
31 av. George V
8e Phone 01-49-52-70-00
Taillevent
This is the Parisian ne plus ultra of gastronomy. Taillevent opened in 1946 and today it ranks as Paris's outstanding all-around restaurant
It's in a grand 19th-century town house off the Champs-Elysées, with paneled
rooms and crystal chandeliers. The place is small, which permits the owner to
give personal attention to every facet of the operation and maintain a discreet
atmosphere. You might begin with boudin (sausage) of Breton lobster à la Nage,
cream of watercress soup with Sevruga caviar, or duck liver with spice bread and
ginger. Main courses include red snapper with black olives, Scottish salmon
cooked in sea salt with a sauce of olive oil and lemons, and cassolette of
crayfish. Dessert might be nougatine glacé with pears. The wine list is among
the best in Paris.
Taillevent
15 rue Lamennais
8e 01-44-95-15-01
Favorite Bars: Barrio Latino, Buddha Bar, Kong, Le Cabaret, Mandala Ray
Touring: Centre Pompidou, Arc de Triomphe, Invalides, Musee d'Orsay, Louvre,
Notre Dame, Sacre-Coeur, Tour Eiffel, Versailles Shopping: Christian Louboutin,
Emporio Armani, Galeries Lafayette, Hermes, Le Printemps, Louis Vuitton
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