Of all the hotels in Paris, nay – the world – the Dorchester Collection-owned Plaza Athénée is surely among the most renowned? Its revolving doors have, since opening in 1913, seen a near-constant stream of superstars: Bob Dylan, Grace Kelly, Rudolph Valentino, and Jackie Kennedy among them. If you are not one of the lucky A-listers who has stayed at the hotel, the chances are you have lived vicariously though a number of on-screen residents, including Carrie Bradshaw, whose opulent suite in the final series of Sex and the City is none other than the Plaza’s ‘Suite 609’, Emily Cooper, who pops in to rescue a movie star in distress in the first series of Emily in Paris, or Kylie Jenner, who has posted more than one video of herself sauntering down the hotel’s very recognisable winding staircase, couture dress trailing behind.
Thanks to the hotel’s rather starry clientele, it has established itself as the place to be, or be seen: spotting a musician, model, artist or actor here during fashion week is a given. But having spent a night at the hotel, I now know that the potential for a celebrity run-in is almost the least exciting thing about it. It hits you the moment you walk through the doors: this is no normal lodging, and you are not in for a typical stay. Built between 1906 and 1911, the hotel officially opened in 1913. Its Haussmann-style architecture is typical of the city, with wrought iron-clad, curved balconies undulating across its façade. The brainchild of architect Charles le Fevre, the hotel occupies each of the building’s eight floors, across which are 54 suites and 154 rooms. As is often the case with hotels of this calibre, renovation works are near-constant, with the most recent two floors to receive a sensitive and considered update being the fifth and sixth.
The decoration is glamorous yet classical. Stone pillars draw the eye up to ornate plaster ceilings from which crystal chandeliers hang. There are nods to Louis XVI through the romantic curvature of the furniture, the gold guilding and the paned-glass doors which line the courtyard. Unexpected, therefore, is what greets you when you walk through into ‘Le Bar’. This couture-inspired space is decorated to evoke the glamor and opulence of a one-of-a-kind dress (the hotel has historic ties with Christian Dior, whose first atelier was opposite). Clad in wood, and with a hand-painted metallic ceiling which appears to have fabric-like pleats in it, the dimly lit space is one of the many things firmly rooting the hotel in the 21st century. When fashion week is in full swing, the room is full to the brim, with a line of people waiting to get in outside. That does not make it empty throughout the rest of the year, though. It is clearly a popular spot for those in search of an atmospheric, cosy place to enjoy a cocktail (mine’s a Kir Royale, which is done to perfection here) on a chilly Thursday night.
If it’s something more solid you’re looking to consume, there is no shortage of choice. Informal dining takes place in ‘La Galerie’, which doubles as a walkway between the entrance and the rest of the hotel, meaning its squishy sofas and cocooning armchairs provide a brilliant spot for people watching. The menu here is simple, though by no means basic. A ‘Croque Plaza’, for example, comes complete with black truffle and cravings for more, while the club sandwich captures exactly what this comforting chicken delight should be. During the summer months, many guests prefer to enjoy lunch in the hotel’s courtyard, which though on the receiving end of very little sunlight still offers a sense of summer relaxation. Like the terrace itself, the menu is seasonal, and has been curated by chef Jean Imbert. Think delicate vegetable dishes and excellent locally-sourced fish and meat options.
It’s the two other restaurants that really stand out though: Le Relais Plaza achieves that rare thing of being hotel-adjacent but feeling like an attraction in its own right. Attached to the side of the hotel with its own street entrance, expect to be greeted in the art-deco inspired eatery by a roaming band, which can impressively perform any song you request. They weave in and out plenty of happy, chatting patrons. The menu includes delights such as ‘beef fillet in brioche, foie gras and gratin dauphinois’ (it is as good as it sounds) and floating island (also otherworldly).
It is the michelin-starred Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée that really takes the cake – literally, since there is an impressive pastry kitchen which reveals itself to diners via a disappearing mirrored screen when it is time to indulge. It would be hard to believe that the food served in this palatial ballroom could possibly be more interesting than the decoration, which is plucked straight from the pages of the Versailles decorative handbook and includes a 14 meter long marble table running down the middle, but thanks to Imbert’s creative flare, both will have you equally thrilled. The ever-changing handful of dishes on offer adapts historic French recipes with 21st-century, gastronomic twists.
Yet more joy can be found in drifting, Île Flotant-style up to bed. Whether suite or bedroom, the spaces here marry traditional French decoration with all the mod-cons you would expect from a hotel of this renown. The most recently updated rooms’ designers, Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille, have incorporated luxurious fabrics, comfortable furniture and customisable lighting to each of the light, romantic spaces. Many, though not all of, the hotel’s rooms also boast impressive views of the Eiffel Tower. Don’t be downcast if you are staying on the hotel’s north side however: the vistas over Paris’ rooftops and up to the Sacré-Cœur which can be taken in from the former servants quarters-turned-cosy bedrooms are arguably just as charming.
A myriad activities are available right on your doorstep, with several landmarks in walking distance: we suggest a stroll up to the Arc de Triomphe, round to the Tuileries Gardens (incorporating a loop of the Musée de l'Orangerie or the Louvre), before heading back down the river to return to the hotel’s ‘Dior spa’ (which exclusively uses Dior products) for a most relaxing pre-dinner treatment.
Even with all of the amenities under the sun, the most impressive menus and the most luxuriously comfortable furniture, it can be difficult for a hotel to create an authentic sense of relaxation. That feeling of being completely comfortable in a space that you may never have been to before. Hotel Plaza Athénée does not seem to have that problem. A loyal clientele combined with upbeat and helpful staff comes together in this historic and magnificent place, worthy of its starry reputation.
Rooms from €1,590 for a double.
