Max Carleton-Smith

Si vous voulez profiter des meilleurs hôtels de New York et d'un bain tourbillon dans votre chambre, c'est par ici. Quelques bulles peuvent faire des miracles, tout spécialement si vous avez passé une journée mouvementée dans les transports, vos membres et vos pieds souffrant de courbatures pour avoir trop marché et porté vos bagages. Heureusement, il se trouve que des hôtels haut de gamme ont bien saisi cette notion et proposent à leurs invités des commodités très relaxantes: le bain tourbillon. Et même si vous êtes simplement à la recherche d'un hôtel pour des vacances dans votre ville, jetez un œil à ces établissements qui font de l'ombre aux meilleurs spas et préparez-vous à une baignade agréable, que vous restiez dans l'intimité de votre suite ou que vous profitiez d'un bain sur les toits.  

Voici dix des meilleurs hôtels avec le bain tourbillon de Londres pour ceux d'entre vous dont l'idée du bonheur est un bain à remous, avec ou sans compagnon. Ces hôtels de Londres offrent des bulles de diverses manières – de l'élégance des salles de bains aux piscines d'hydrothérapie à la fine pointe de la technologie – et certains des les bains tourbillon présentés ici offrent même une vue. Un hôtel avec un spa bien aménagé est une voie rapide pour un séjour de détente, mais parfois, tout ce qu'il faut est une baignade dans un bain à remous d'eau bouillonnante, chauffée à une température convenable. Encore mieux, certains des meilleurs jacuzzis d'hôtels de Londres viennent également avec le frisson supplémentaire d'être en plein air. Vous avez envie d'une baignade saine ? Découvrez les meilleures piscines hôtelières de Londres.

Paris’s urban art movement started around the 1960s and since then it's gone from strength to strength. The Capital’s suburbs, outer arrondissements and center provide local and international artists with incredible spaces to design, paint and create contemporary street art. As one of the European hubs for innovative and colourful art, Time Out Paris has picked out just a handful of its favourites from an afternoon of pottering around the city.

When it comes to culture, the City of Light has two faces: one overrun by millions of people seeking out the many masterpieces Paris has to offer - and another, much calmer one, a hidden face neglected by the public. We’ve picked out the more intimate, lesser known museums, which are just as full of artistic gems.  Quietly flourishing in the shadow of their big brothers – the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre, the Palais de Tokyo – they’re not trying to rival these renowned Parisian institutions. All the same, they deserve an equal following – if not just for the ability to admire art without having your toes stepped on. So if you’ve already done Paris’ must-see museums and you’re craving a calmer cultural experience, here are fifteen unmissable alternatives. Fifteen addresses removed from the touristic buzz, allowing you to escape the crowds and blockbuster exhibitions in favour of these more laid-back museums.

St-Germian-des-Prés is another area that no longer quite lives up to its legend: these days, it's more sartorial than Sartrian. In the middle third of the 20th century the area was prime arts and intello territory, a place known as much for its high jinks as its lofty thinking: the haunt of Picasso, Giacometti, Camus, Prévert and, bien sûr, the Bonnie and Clyde of French philosophy, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir; the hotspot of the Paris jazz boom after World War II; and the heart of the Paris book trade. This is where the cliché of café terrace intellectualising was coined, but nowadays most of the local patrons of the Flore and the Deux Magots are in the fashion business, and couturiers have largely replaced publishers. Never mind: it's a smart and attractive part of the city to wander around in, and also has some very good restaurants. Looking for more options? Check out the best Paris Airbnbs

The famous fortress-cum-prison is long gone, but its role in the kick-off to the French revolution makes this patch of Paris one of the most historic pieces of soil in the whole country – and one of the most politically symbolic places in Europe. The spot is now a large roundabout (you can see a chunk of the foundations in the metro station underneath) that is usually choked either with traffic or with mass demonstrations. The streets immediately north and east are particularly strong on good yet affordable restaurants, smart private galleries, bobo boutiques and grungy record stores. Looking for more options? Check out the best Paris Airbnbs

To many first-time visitors – especially those from the States – the Latin Quarter can be a big disappointment. Countless books have led them to believe that the area is somehow the quintessence of Paris, and they come with their heads stuffed with expat writers – Orwell, Hemingway, Henry Miller – only to find a touristy jam of bad restaurants and uninspiring shops. Granted, many of the narrow, crooked streets (like the Marais, the Latin Quarter was another part of Paris largely untouched by Haussman) are charming, and there are some real architectural glories, especially ecclesiastical ones; but the crowds can make the experience of seeing them dispiriting. Looking for more options? Check out the best Paris Airbnbs

Où est passé le glamour du voyage ? Files d’attente pour « embarquement prioritaire », sandwiches insipides et brigade anti-bagages de cabine... ce n’est pas en prenant l’avion que vous le retrouverez. Heureusement, les meilleurs hôtels design de Londres prennent le relais. À l’heure où l’on se lasse des chambres à l’emporte-pièce (souvent préfabriquées ça va de soi), plus aucun nouvel acteur sérieux n’ose ouvrir ses portes sans les services d’un designer ou deux pour conférer style et singularité à votre séjour. Il ne suffit plus de copier Le Corbusier ou de rajouter un ou deux murs en verre : pour un vrai design de choc, il faut se tourner vers de nouveaux bâtiments innovants, des bâtiments historiques restaurés, des événements artistiques ou des piaules dans des clubs privés. Le choc de la nouveauté est (dans la plupart des cas) dépassé, et c’est une interaction plus subtile avec le passé que l’on demande désormais aux designers – une tonalité agréable à la fois luxueuse et singulière. Notre liste des meilleurs hôtels design de Londres vous aidera à distinguer le bijou du bagou.

When? September 15-17 2017What? Vegan music festival with a strong emphasis on funWhere? The Parc de la Villette School beckons and the holiday period is coming to a close, but ‘vegan pop festival’ Smmmile à la Villette, from September 15-17, is here to rescue us from those back-to-work blues. Its description might seem off-putting, maybe even intimidating. But it’s not what you think – there’ll be no outraged anti-meat stands, no giant carrot cut-outs. Instead, the festival aims to promote vegan food through conventions, film showings, cooking workshops and food trucks. Who’s it for then? There’s something for everyone actually, especially music-lovers: the Smmmile line-up sounds amazing. Fun pop band Requin Chagrin, Icelandic electro-pop group FM Belfast, London-based DJ Throwing Shade, Piano player Bachar Mar-Khalife, DJ Moscoman and many more.  All concerts will be held in Trabendo, La Villette's signature red club with a ethereal garden. DJ sets will be outdoors at in Parc de La Villette. To the tofu! Book Online

Vous recherchez un hôtel à Londres qui accepte votre animal de compagnie ? Les chiens — et leurs maîtres dévoués — n'ont jamais été aussi gâtés. Un nombre croissant d’hôtels londoniens s'ouvrent au monde des animaux de compagnie, en reconnaissant qu’il y a du business à faire à soigner l'accueil de ces clients à quatre pattes. Gardez à l’esprit que la première règle quand on voyage avec un animal de compagnie est de discuter de vos besoins avec l’hôtel — ne supposez jamais rien, surtout si vous avez un grand chien ou un tout autre animal de compagnie (un chat ? un serpent ?). Quelles que soient les exigences de votre chien, utilisez notre sélection pour choisir le meilleur hôtel et transformer un voyage potentiellement stressant en un séjour agréable.

Les meilleurs hôtels quatre étoiles de Londres offrent un style, un confort et des emplacements pratiques sans trop basculer dans le luxe inabordable. De nombreux hôtels de charme appartiennent naturellement à cette catégorie, attirant ceux qui privilégient une touche personnelle et un design inhabituel sur les spas haut de gamme, les piscines, les petits déjeuners décadents et les chefs célèbres. Cela ne veut pas dire que vous ne trouverez pas certaines de ces caractéristiques dans les hôtels répertoriés ici — c’est juste que la plupart sont plus connus pour leur style et leur élégance que pour les équipements haut de gamme qui font partie de tous les établissements cinq étoiles internationaux.

Who knows whether Louis XIV enjoyed a cocktail or two – but if he did, he would have felt quite at home in the Versailles-esque bar at Champs-Élysées hotel Georges V. Plush, decadent and classy, complete with glossy wooden panels, high ceilings, parquet flooring, and a gorgeous chandelier, this is the height of Parisian luxe.  Sip on their delightful cocktails, either nestled in the plush, red armchairs or perched up at the elegant bar. ‘Dream Lover’ (€28) – the head barman’s speciality – is a beautifully refreshing tipple, combining Bombay gin, lemon grass, lime and Velvet Falernum. It is simple but perfectly balanced. ‘Soul To Squeeze’, (€28) with Grey Goose vodka, blackberry purée, fresh lime juice, Saint-Germain liquor and ginger beer was another hit: sweet – without being cloying or sugary – and dangerously drinkable.  But beware, prices are high at around €30 for a cocktail, so it’s best to restrain yourself from sampling the entire, mouth-watering menu. Unless you’re Louis XIV himself, in which case go wild and let your hair (or rather your wig) down.

Located on the prestigious Rue Saint-Honoré, the Mandarin Oriental’s Bar 8 is the pinnacle of understated glitz and glamour. Gem-encrusted walls glimmer in the soft light, perfectly offset by classic black leather sofas and armchairs around glass tables. Waiting at the chic marble bar in the centre, it would no surprise to spot James Bond ordering his usual. No shaken martinis for us tonight though – not with such a temptingly exotic, original choice of cocktails on offer. The Jay Brown (€27) is a stunning success, a delicate combination of Belvedere vodka, Chartreuse, lime, fresh mint, cucumber and sugar, garnished with perfectly tart redcurrants. The Smoking Smith (€27) lives up to its seductive name – a smoky concoction of Mezcal, Maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, homemade sage syrup, green apple, ginger beer and bitter. Like a trip to Mexico in a glass. And, whatever the weather, make sure to venture out to the garden too. In among the lush flora are elegant cream sofas and wicker armchairs; it’s a classy, upmarket jungle, equipped with powerful – yet stylish – overhead heaters: ideal for alfresco boozing all year round.  

With a name like Pershing Hall, we were half-expecting this Champs-Élysées hotel bar to resemble something out of Downton Abbey: imposing, fusty, out-dated… But we could not have been more wrong. Wander through the hotel’s enchanting restaurant (you can’t miss the stunning, foliage-covered wall) to access ‘le lounge bar’ – a study in modern day luxe complete with a high ceiling, funky, textured walls and low-hanging chandeliers, all bathed in an electrifying red light. The cocktail menu is just as intriguing, featuring playful names like ‘PassionBerry’, ‘PinkPool’ and ‘SexyStar’. The ‘SpicyMango’ (€19) creation is pleasant, if a little on the safe side – a warming concoction of Russian Standard vodka, mango, lime, spicy syrup and Espelette chilli pepper. If only it had more of a kick to match the drama of the bar’s grand backdrop. The ‘SparklingLalique’ (€34) was very drinkable too, a refreshing, delicate blend of Hendrick’s gin, thyme, sugar, lime and Krug champagne: truly lovely but, again, not quite a game-changer. Expect a well-heeled, international clientele, and a DJ on the weekends if you’re in the mood to bop along as you sip on your ‘SexyStar’. Cocktail prices range from €19 to €34 though so don’t get too carried away, or you may wake up in the red the morning after. 

We’ve all been there – you’ve spent three hours on your feet trawling the racks of the department store, guilt-ridden and weighed down by shopping bags. At this moment, you want nothing more than to collapse and never see another turtleneck again. Belgian ‘chocolatier’ Pierre Marcolini has the perfect solution: a pop-up chocolate bar, located bang in the middle of Paris’s famed department store Printemps (Haussmann). Macaroons, truffles and financiers galore – all beautifully presented, all available either to take away or to enjoy at the ‘bar’ itself. Marcolini even offers ‘Before & After Shopping’ set menus at €15, including a non-alcoholic drink of your choice, two macaroons or two financiers (depending on whether you plump for the ‘before’ or ‘after’ option) and a selection of their excellent chocolates. And for those particularly trying shopping experiences – nothing fits, everything’s the wrong colour, the one piece of clothing you like would empty your bank account – treat yourself to their Spritz: an infusion of cocoa beans, Aperol and Prosecco. At Printemps until May 6 2017.

This review refers to Marcel's brunch menu only Parisians love ‘le brunch’. Wander around the city streets on a Sunday morning and witness the queues pouring out of the capital’s many brunch spots, stomachs grumbling impatiently at the prospect of a perfectly runny eggs benedict or a glorious pile of golden-brown, syrup-covered pancakes. Marcel, now with three branches across the city, is a prime example of the Paris brunch phenomenon - with its eager devotees prepared to queue right into the afternoon for a piece of the eggy action. A chic, industrial setting with low-hanging exposed light bulbs and steel-grey walls – the decor is cool, if a little unfriendly, a massive contrast with the warm, friendly service and even more so with their wonderfully inviting, Instagram-ready menu. Their stylish English breakfast (€14) is a slice of brunch heaven, featuring perfectly fried eggs (rare in Paris), beautifully crispy bacon, high-quality sausages, a surprising addition of roast potatoes and plump roasted tomatoes.  And come dessert-time – yes, we still had room – we fell in love with their waffles, perfectly accompanied by ripe strawberries, a little jug of syrup and cute dipping pots of cream and chocolate spread. So grit your teeth and bear the queues – it’s worth the wait.