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In Paris, every day is an adventure. Whether you’re exploring Monet’s at Musée Marmottan, sipping hot chocolate at Angelina, seeking out the city’s latest hotspot for drinks or spending the day browsing through the shops and boutiques along the Champs Élyseés, it’s heavenly to turn down at a glamorous hotel in the middle of all the action.
Photos courtesy of Hotel Barriere Le Fouquet
Just steps from the Arc de Triomphe is Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet’s, a popular home-away-from-home for VIP Paris visitors. The property promises luxury and delivers with a relaxed atmosphere, spacious townhouse-style guestrooms that were updated in 2017 and 2018. The 81 guestrooms offer extreme wow-factor as you step into the marble coated bathroom with a television, jacuzzi tub and standing shower. The bedrooms are a delightful fusion of Parisian glamour and modern fixtures, including intricate molding on the walls, grand fireplaces and windows offering views of the courtyard, Champs Élyseés and/or Arc de Triomphe depending on the room category.
French designer Jacques Garcia was at the helm of the redesign, which focused on neutral color palettes and textures. During a stay on property, make your way around the red velvet interiors, which celebrate the hotels’ rich history as the host hotel for the Cesar Ceremony, the French equivalent of the Academy Awards. Along the property’s interiors are black and white photographs of the Hollywood celebrities who have visited the property during the award show including Bruce Willis, Jack Nicholson and Liza Minnelli. Before starting a leisurely day of French exploration, begin the morning at Le Joy, which is a perfect nook for coffee and morning pastries. The eatery has a quiet library which is perfect for curling up with an espresso and sitting among the butterflies and fresh blooms.
Continue your day of leisure and luxury with a visit to Spa Diane Barriere where you’re greeted by a luxurious lap and plunge pool, boasting Romanesque busts and a collection of golden mosaics. The pool is a soothing relief to those who need a break from the constant walking on French cobblestone. There’s a variety of treatments on the spa’s menu if you can stay awake during a 50-minute massage after a red-eye flight!
The true gem of the hotel is the property’s signature restaurant, Le Fouquets Brasserie. The eatery is celebrating 120 years this fall and it still lives up the hype. For anyone who has never dined in Paris and enjoyed traditional French cuisine, indulging on duck foie gras and Sole meuiere is the ultimate way to immerse yourself into the French lifestyle. Garcia also renovated the restaurant during the hotel’s revamp, adding modern touches to the historic brasserie.
An unexpected feature of Le Fouquet’s is the shift in style and vibe as you may your way into L’Escadrille in the late hours after dinner. Adorned with a shining zinc bar, the late-night hotspot boasts neon signage on the walls, a cleaver menu of elevated cocktails (including the Love Litchi, a combination of Bombay Sapphire, Saint Germain, grapefruit juice, soda and lychee puree). On a Saturday night the DJ and stylish crowd create an elevated vibe that flows well into the early morning hours. For guests looking for even more elevated service and luxury, opt for the elegant and attentive (and discrete) “à la française” butler service.
