Thanks to a frontage dripping with thousands of red geraniums, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is one of Paris’s most instantly recognisable hotels. You’ve seen it in fashion lookbooks, celebrity shoots and Sex and the City (it’s where Carrie stays in the final season of the iconic show, naturally), and in real life it’s just as impressive. Eiffel Tower views aren’t guaranteed with every room – and there’s a premium on those that are – but it’s still a highly haute destination, and has been ever since it opened in 1913.
With 154 rooms and 54 suites, there’s a gentle art deco energy to the place, especially in its thrilling 1930s-built restaurant, Le Relais Plaza – which is much more vibey than their Michelin-star spot, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée. A glistening cruise ship-style glamourpuss of an eatery, in Le Relais clever French cookery is matched in swankiness by a wall of fame studded with shots of old-school Hollywood visitors, from Sophia Loren to Lauren Bacall. Breakfast is a grand affair, with diners seated down a long central table in a grand, gilded room and lavished with huge platters of pastries under giant flower displays (80 florists make up part of the hotel’s 550-strong staff). There’s also a lush garden courtyard best enjoyed in the summer season.
Neighbourhood
Situated on Ave Montaigne, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is sandwiched between a host of designer boutiques – Chanel, Prada, Valentino, Loewe, Versace etc – and as such makes an ideal base for some serious high-end shopping and splashing of cash.
Nearby
- Le Relais de l’Entrecôte: For a sublime and simple set menu of walnut salad and sirloin steak slathered in secret sauce.
- La Galerie Dior: For a terribly chic look at haute couture across a 13-room museum dedicated to the House of Dior.
- Crazy Horse: For ritzy, glitzy topless cabaret. It’s more than a touch racier than the Moulin Rouge but as such, not for everyone.
Time Out tip
Breathe. You’ll smell the hotel’s immaculate signature scent in the hallways and lobby – a fruity, classy amber – and you can buy a candle to take its perfect pong home with you.