Perfectly located on Avenue Hoche, one of the avenues leading from the
Arch the Triumph, the stylish and ultra-modern Le Royal Monceau has
everything a princess, or prince, can wish for, and so much more. Spoil
yourself with one of the rooms in this hotel, tastefully decorated by
world-known interior master Philippe Starck. Expensive, but then again
what do you expect if you have heated toilets automatically lifting up
the lid when you open the toilet door, and the city’s most delicious
kouglofs served at breakfast in the morning?
Photo from Leading Hotels of the World
But, let’s start from the beginning. As the main entrance was under construction, we entered through a side-door and was immediately greeted by a member of the reception staff who ensured that our check-in went smoothly and quickly (a small minus for the temporary and not so impressive entrance and reception area). We were shown up to our room, a grandiose and open-space suite, with a view on the beautiful Avenue Hoche, which quickly made me forget the not so chic reception area. When entering the room, in front of me from right to left there was a vast sitting area with a giant plasma TV hanging on the side wall. Next to this, there was the working area consisting of a large desk, perfect for business travellers, and next to this there was the very inviting and comfortable-looking king bed facing the other side wall which was adorned by yet another giant plasma TV. To my surprise, the overall style was not as Starck-ish as I had imagined. However, Stark definitely made up for this in the bathroom which was covered in mirrors, marble and lights. You must not be uncomfortable in looking yourself in the mirror to stay at this hotel, as the very truth is much at display wherever you go or whatever you do in the bathroom. Personally, I found this feature fun for the weekend but not more than that.
Photo from Leading Hotels of the World
As a big fan of Clarins products both for men and woman, I was very happy to discover that the hotel offers Clarins toiletries. This is perhaps not very surprising considering that the hotel spa is My Blend by Clarins. Anyway, I highly advise you to go down into the basement and enjoy a moment of relaxation and zen in this top class spa also “Made by STARCK”. Should you wish to make a treatment, I strongly recommend that you reserve this in advance as it is also a true hot-spot for Parisians. Personally, I pampered myself with a relaxing aromatherapy massage in one of the sparsely decorated white treatment rooms which are sprayed by one of the famous and very refreshing Clarins Eau Dynamisante. Following my treatment, I was offered a fruit tea and colourful and delicious Pierre Hermé macaroons. The only minus is the separated sauna and steam bath situated not inside the locker rooms but outside the locker rooms. Thus, if you are a sauna fan, you should not go there with your better half, but why not spend some quality time with a friend (of the same gender)?
Photo from Leading Hotels of the World
Not only the rooms and spa are of high quality, also the breakfast served oozes palace! I admit that I have a passion for croissants and I promise you that I can tell whether a croissant is good or not. At Royal Monceau, the croissants are perfectly buttered and crispy, and if you have a real sweet-tooth, I recommend that you try their Kouglof (a kind of soft cake filled with nuts and fruits).
To stay on the same subject, the hotel hosts two restaurants of French and Italian cuisines respectively (La Cuisine and Il Carpaccio) which both share the same magnificent terrace, Unfortunately, the beautiful terrace could not make up for the slow service and mini-portions served at La Cuisine. On the contrary, the very refined Italian cuisine served at Il Carpaccio is definitely a must if you are in town, preferably for a romantic dinner. Noteworthy, remember to reserve a table in advance as the restaurant only has about 20 seats! But why not surprise your loved one with a dinner for two to celebrate a special occasion!?
Photo from Leading Hotels of the World
In spite of some minor drawbacks, the Royal Monceau is definitely one of my favourite hotels in Paris. For me, it is a true Palace with the service AND (unfortunately) prices that come with the package.
For more info about the hotel, and to book a room, click here.
