Check in Paris

Shangri-La Hotel paris

Executive summary by darmansjah

If Mandarin Oriental has boldly created a Paris hotel aimed more at emerging overseas (most Asian) markets than such traditionally Francophile markets as Europe and North America, Shangri-La chose to kneel at the altar of time-honored Gallic elegance. Opened late last year, the 81-room hotel inhabits a grand limestone mansion that was originally the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, Napoleon’s grandnephew. But can a Hong Kong-based hotel group beat the French at their own game? Perhaps. Shangi-La spent a fortune renovating the place, which is perched on hillside in the sedate 16^th arrondissement with stunning views over the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. Public spaces are awash in ormolu and lavish moldings, the staff are all pomp and circumstances, and guest rooms are Franco Asian chic with lots of celadon, powder-blue, and taupe silks. Still, there’s a distinctive Eastern stamp on this pedigreed French mold, from the high quality of in-room amenities to the food served at two of the hotel’s three restaurants. La Bauhinia offers curry laksa alongside classic French specialities, while the Shang Palace, with its Cantonese chefs, has created nothing short of a sensation in Paris, a city with only middling Asian fare despite France’s colonial connection. 10 Ave. d’Iena; 33-1/5367-1998; Shangri-la.com; doubles from US$1,2210

Le Royal Monceau-Raffles Paris

While high occupancies are the bull’s eye any hotel manager aims for, the true measure of success for a new Paris property is when it becomes a part of lavie Parisenne. In these terms, this 149-room address is a runaway success. Since last year’s reopening of old Le Royal Monceau (built in 1928) under Raffles management, Parisians have been congregating for drinks in its lobby bar or dining in the dramatically designed La Cuisine or  Il Carpaccio restaurants, because this place is something that luxury hotels in Paris almost never are-fun. Credit for that goes to the building’s two-year overhaul by Philippe Starck, who puckishly  punctuated the original limestone façade with red-glass lanterns. The same cheeky wit informs the thoughtfully designed guest rooms, which are appointed with ivory-leather headboards, framed modern art and photographs, televisions hidden behind large mirrors, and, curiously, acoustic guitars-there, perhaps, to burnish the hotel’s hipster credentials. Though the Clarins spa is about as French as they come, the service at Le Royal Monceau is friendly and kid-gloved-a refreshing change from the hauteur that’s native to most high-end Paris lodgings. 37 Ave. Hoche; 33-1/4299-8800; leroyalmonceau.com; doubles from US$1,058