Who's Going
Duke of Windsor, Cecilia Sarkozy, Salvador Dali
Reason to Stay
Gourmet Eatery, Upscale Design, Luxury Suites
Hotel Type
Luxury Hotel
On the right bank of the River Seine in the backdrop of Palais Royal and the Louvre, Le Meurice is one of Paris's gilded hotel palaces opposite the Tuileries Garden near Place Concorde. Its facade is unmistakable, but dating back to only the 19th Century from which time it's seen many owners and remodels. Grand, Decadent, Royal - such are the adjectives one thinks of when describing the dramatic lobby foyer with its octagonal polka-dot marble floors and ornate chandelier lamps that make a hand-carved plaster ceiling pop to life. The hotel oozes of historic stories so grand you question their truth, like Salvador Dali and his wife moving into the hotel with their pet panthers as well as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor calling the hotel home after his abdication.
Gold-leaf details and baroque furnishings are meticulously maintained that prevent the hotel from looking matronly or dated, extended into the grand 3-Star Michelin Restaurant Dali designed by Starck with its Dali-reference that include Dali-esque chairs with feet in the form of ladies shoes and mirrored walls reflecting a giant canvas painted by Starck's own daughter. Starck also reworked the Valmont Spa, with further Dali references as well as a terrace cafe that serves posh salads and detox macarons. At night guests and Paris celebs converge on Le Bar 228 with its reinterpreted Gentleman's Club glamour with cocktail and late-night nosh menu that lasts till 2am.
The Room
A stay at any Paris luxury hotel like the Crillion or Bristol and Le Meurice comes with hefty price tags and often disappointment by anyone who isn’t familiar with the design of these establish luxury hotels. Better than its competition, Le Meurice brings a modern touch to heavy tussled drapery and “redolent Louis XVI” decor with whimsical artwork and metallic upholstery on almost too-precious gilded chairs and settees with views that overlook surrounding busy street, Tuileries Garden and inner hotel courtyard. Junior Suites come with more spacious living spaces divided from the main sleeping area by double chairs or hefty drapery not intended to be closed. Bathrooms strip the most stunning slabs of marble from Italy for spacious rain showers and occasional clawfoot tubs. Specialty Suites, like our favorite Marco Polo in the buildings crown, features a wood-paneled bedroom with mahogany paneling and Juliet windows overlooking the city lights.
Preferred Room
Marco Polo Suite
Special Features
Hip Clientele, 3-Star Michelin Eatery, Historic Location
Amenities
Restaurant, Lounge, Spa, Fitness Room, Roof Terrace
