Check in to these New Paris Hotels

When traveling to Paris, it’s often a question of where to stay. To save you the trouble, here are 12 recently opened 4-star and 5-star hotels, many with stellar views, and one that will make you feel like royalty. In case you’d like even more recommendations, I wrote all about the top new design hotels. And here’s my insider’s guide including dining and shopping. Wherever you choose to lay your head, enjoy your visit to the City of Light!

Cheval Blanc Paris is the first urban address to join the prestigious Cheval Blanc hotel family. Neighboring the newly renovated Samaritaine, this hotspot is located in the heart of the city overlooking the Seine. Read all about this 5-star hotel and dining spot in my features for Conde Nast Traveller UK and Conde Nast Traveler.

Set on a prestigious corner of the Triangle d’Or, the Bvlgari Hotel Paris features 76 rooms, a 25-meter pool, bar and restaurant, and a Parisian courtyard. Designed by Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio & Patricia Viel, it combines a classic Parisian Haussman-style with a more contemporary façade. And cuisine by superstar Italian chef Niko Romito.

Art Déco-inspired Kimpton St Honoré is the first Paris address for this boutique-hotel brand. Check into one of the 149 bedrooms and enjoy an indoor swimming pool, rooftop cocktail bar Sequoia, and Californian-inspired restaurant, Montecito. Famed designer Charles Zana is behind the 1930’s interiors.

Spend the night in a former 19th-century post office when sleeping at Hôtel Madame Rêve. The sleek space features 82 rooms including 19 suites with Eiffel Tower, Sacre-Coeur, and Notre Dame views. An expansive 1,000 sqm2 rooftop provides panoramic views, while two restaurants offer Mediterranean-style dining and Japanese-influenced cuisine.

5-star address La Demeure Montaigne combines the Parisian spirit and contemporary luxury within its 93 rooms and apartments. Set in an ancient courtyard, restaurant L’Envolée is helmed by Chef Grégory Réjou while the Thalgo spa features an indoor pool.

Sleep in the heart of Saint-Germain when you check in to 5-star Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain. Every one of the 47 rooms and suites is light and airy, some more modern than others. Dine at the restaurant Les Parisiens followed by the cocktail bar, or dip into the spa where there’s a small plunge pool and treatment rooms.

The first of the Chelly family’s collection of addresses called Les Petits Hôtels was inaugurated steps away from Bastille and Place des Vosges on Boulevard Beaumarchais. Le Petit Beaumarchais invites into 6 bright and contemporary floors featuring 37 rooms imagined by interior designer Charlotte Camus. The spa features a sauna and a double treatment room.

With 28 rooms and 7 spacious suites each offering a unique experience from spirituality to cinema and music, and some overlooking the rooftops of Paris, the refurbished Seven Hotel is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter. The Wellness Chapel offers treatments including sound healing, Gua Sha, Kobido, and body massage.

Discover the bohemian charm of Monsieur Aristide set in the hilly neighborhood of Montmartre. Each of the 25 rooms, some with large terraces and others with duplex suites, are decorated by Paris’s high-end flea markets. This 4-star address is the first eco-conscious hotel from the Monsieur hotel group.

At the heart of the bustling Châtelet/Les Halles district, the Dandy hotel invites into a bobo setting, where bourgeois-boheme décor sets the mood in each of the 36 eclectic rooms. The Parisian-style brasserie includes a terrace for people-watching.

Neighboring the historic flea market Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, cozy up in Philippe Starck-style at the MOB House. Enjoy minimal deco and maximum entertainment (including treasure hunting in the 14 flea markets). This hotel includes 100 rooms, office space, a 100% organic brasserie by Jérôme Banctel (a two-Michelin-starred chef), a gym, and an outdoor pool. As an added bonus, here are my flea market tips.

I thought I’d also share the hotel that trumps them all, especially if you’d like to play the role of royalty. Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle is set on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. Read all about this regal address in my feature for Conde Nast Traveller UK as well as Conde Nast Traveler. This was my suite!

Top Romantic Experiences in Paris

I recently shared an article about top romantic experiences in Paris, for Bonjour Paris. Here are my top choices. Read more of my articles about new hotels and restaurants, local fashion, and life in Paris in Bonjour Paris.

There exist an infinite number of reasons why Paris is considered the City of Love. With its centuries-old architecture reflecting the city’s storied past, intimate café terraces inviting for a café crème and a dose of people watching, and former mansions turned culturally-rich museums, how not to become smitten? A simple stroll along the Seine River, with a stop along one of the 37 bridges connecting the left and right banks to admire the sunset, is enough to feel a pull at your heartstrings. Add a romantic partner and there’s no more dreamy place on earth.

When it comes to intimate experiences in Paris, there are plenty, from perfume workshops to fashion tours to twilight photoshoots (by a couple no less). Each one draws on the city’s unique charm and regardless of the occasion, will be recalled like a living love letter. Here are a few of the most romantic activities to book during your next visit.

Check-in to one of 28 rooms or seven artfully themed suites at the newly refurbished Seven Hotel in the Latin Quarter and escape into the sensual glamour of the 1970s complete with a hot tub on the terrace. In some rooms, the poetic Japanese-inspired décor invites you into a haven of zen. There’s even a suite dedicated to music, outfitted with a piano and a record player. Add a custom couples’ massage in the subterranean Wellness Chapel or from the comfort of your room, and you may never check out. Teaming up with Holissence, indulgent treatments include a Kobido or Marma massage, Gua Sha facial, reiki, yoga and sound healing.

Immerse yourself along with your king or queen into France’s most regal chapter with a private tour of the Palace of Versailles. The opulence of Marie Antoinette’s former home can best be admired by walking through the château, from the dazzling Hall of Mirrors and the ornate State Apartments, while learning all about the palace’s history. The tour continues through the Royal Gardens with their perfectly manicured grounds and thrilling fountains, all the way to the Petit Trianon, the queen’s private residence.

There’s no lack of patisseries in the culinary capital, with scents of buttery croissants wafting through the morning air. All the more reason to learn this refined craft by taking a pastry class at the hands of a master baker. Whether it’s macarons, eclairs, or French tartes that tempt your sweet tooth, baking together and binging on your creations never tasted so good. An added bonus – views of the River Seine will prove the perfect Parisian backdrop.

Where better to learn how to draw or to improve your skills than with a talented artist surrounded by the world’s top collections of sculptures and paintings? Join artist Maja Wisniewska for a private drawing lesson at the Louvre or Rodin Museum where you’ll discover a new side to anatomy. Having studied at the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts followed by exhibitions of her work throughout Paris, Wisniewska is an expert when it comes to the human form.

Aspiring wine aficionados can determine exactly what blend of grapes whet their palates while discovering France’s 11 dominant wine regions, sip by sip. Your seasoned sommelier will introduce you to small wine producers while explaining the art of wine pairing. Every wine tasting experience is tailor-made to accommodate small groups and will leave you with a deeper understanding and appreciation for reds, whites, rosés, and bubbles.

Forever Love

On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, not that love needs an occasion, I’m sharing a few favorite images from a recent photoshoot by the talented photographer Anastasia Abramova-Guendel. While it may have been a rainy evening in Paris, these images very well depict so much that I love about my adopted home and my amore.

More images coming soon as we have much to celebrate, but for now, I wish you love in all its many forms.

The Holiday Spirit of Strasbourg

This year I finally made it to Strasbourg for a glimpse at this city that really knows how to dress up for the holidays. A stroll through Strasbourg’s Christmas markets (open from November 26th to December 26th) invites into the holiday spirit of the city. The oldest in France and one of the first in Europe, these markets date back to 1570. With over 300 merchants spread throughout the city center, stalls line the famous Strasbourg Cathedral where chiming bells mingle with Christmas tunes. The soundtrack alone sets a holiday mood.

Each of the thirteen markets – scattered along the river and filling city squares – reveals its own charm, with limitless arrays of gifts and goodies. Along with festive decorations that bring a touch of Strasbourg home, discover artisanal pottery and locally crafted jewelry, handmade toys and knitwear for children, and even scented candles and beauty products.

Whether simply inhaling the sights and sounds of Christmas in the Alsace or shopping for stocking stuffers, take a petite pause to taste all the delicacies that Strasbourg is best known for. Tarte flambée, anyone?

Read all about how best to experience Strasbourg all year round in my Insider’s Guide for Travel Curator.

Weekend in Saint-Tropez

Having only visited Saint-Tropez off-season during my year-long travels, I was eager to discover this scenic coastal town on the French Riviera before it shut down for the winter. I became further intrigued after writing a story about it for Fodor’s Travel, detailing exactly how Saint-Tropez became the hotspot it is today. This past September, we packed our bags, hopped on the train, and headed south.

Our first stop was a room with a view overlooking the Gulf of Saint-Tropez at Château de La Messardière. I share more about this dream property, here.

After lounging by the pool and indulging in the landscape’s natural beauty, with a stop at Château de La Messardière’s Jardin Tropézina beach club, we headed back down the hill. Next stop, the town of Saint-Tropez.

To dive into the history of Saint-Tropez, we stayed at Hotel Byblos dating back to 1967. Its nightclub Les Caves du Roy was the place to be. Notable figures including Grace Kelly, Prince Charles, Romy Schneider, Lauren Bacall, Paloma Picasso, Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mick Jagger have passed through the doors. Little has changed in recent years at this timeless hotel that even includes a Missoni suite.

Afternoons were spend wandering the historic town of Saint-Tropez, lost in the maze of streets while restaurants and galleries awaited evening patrons.

Our stay in the south coincided with Les Voiles des Saint-Tropez, a very extravagant Mediterranean regatta.

What a show of sailboats! And what a sunset… Thank you for the end-of-season memories, Saint-Tropez!

L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped

Today marks the last day of Christo and Jeanne-Claude‘s latest installation in Paris: L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. For those who didn’t have a chance to see this work in person, I’m sharing images to bring it more to life.

Personally, I found this work both poetic and symbolic. Walking around and through this wrapped Arc, the fabric billows in the wind, creating soft undulating waves. This silver fabric changed color throughout the day.

In an interview with Christo in 2018, he spoke about how as a young artist he lived in a small studio off of the Champs-Élysées, with the Arc as his view. How fitting to end his journey with this installation.

Read more about what Christo shared with me in this article I wrote for Hemispheres Magazine. At the time, I looked forward to our meeting in person. Unfortunately, that never happened due to his passing in 2020.

Walking beneath the Arc de Triomphe allows you to feel its immensity and the challenge of wrapping such a monumental building. A skilled team of mountain climbers worked non-stop over almost 12 weeks.

While this installation certainly proved controversial on the question of What is art? keep in mind that it was completely funded by Christo and Jeanne-Claude through the selling of their artwork. This was their way.

I will miss the presence of Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Paris, but I know their souls will remain in the city, the only place where they chose to present two works. From The Pont Neuf Wrapped to L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped.

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