Blaire's 5 Best - Paris

I never really understood peoples' appeal with Paris... Sure, I had been once before while in college but found the majority of my time spent on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower eating pizza and drinking 2 euro wine. After visiting again in May, I realized that the reason I didn't understand the appeal is because I was doing it all wrong!

Going as an "adult", immersing myself in the culture, getting out of the touristy hustle & bustle, admiring some of the most exquisite architecture and touring the most BEAUTIFUL hotels made me fall hard for this city. And I seriously can't get enough!

As mentioned above, I had the incredible opportunity to tour/stay at five properties while in Paris. I wish I could have done more, but 5 was manageable for the short 48 hours I was there. I tried to pick a mixture of styles and locations but only visited Virtuoso properties where I know I can offer my clients exclusive amenities & VIP service due to BPK Travel's amazing partnerships! Here are my top 5 favorite things about each property...

Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris

Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris was the first stop on my two week Europe trip, and boy did it set the tone! I immediately felt like royalty when I pulled up to the gorgeous red awnings covering the historic building. Here are the things I loved most:

Its Décor. Parisian décor can be a little repetitive or not for everyone, but Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris did such a great job keeping the typical décor but making it fresh and updated.
Its Garden. The interior of the building had this amazing garden with greenery lining the walls of the hotel. When looking in, you felt like you were transported out of the city into some type of oasis. And you could even dine in their restaurant in the middle of the garden - so romantic!
Its Silver Booths. If you're looking for a show stopper... look no further. Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris is home to the 13th best restaurant in the world with the most gorgeous chandeliers and super funky chrome booths. This room is a real treat!
Its Location. Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris is well located between the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees. It's perfect for the chic site-seer or the fashionista who wishes to shop til she drops!
Its Breakfast. I know these 5 star properties have great breakfast services (especially when you book through BPK), but you felt like such a VIP at Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris dining in their ultra special restaurant with an abundance of pastries, fruit, eggs and coffee to choose from!

*The only thing I didn't love at Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris was that it was very quiet. No music playing in the common areas while I was there, and no one really "hanging out". It may have been an off day for me, but it didn't feel as buzzing as some other properties.

Le Meurice

I did not have the opportunity to stay at this beautiful property, but I was able to tour it. The amazing tour showed me why so many Brownell advisors LOVE Le Meurice and also reminded me of how great BPK Travel's relationship is with the Dorchester Collection - and the PERKS BPK can get for its clients ! Here are my 5 favorite things about Le Meurice:

Its Location. Le Meurice is perfectly centered to the hot spots in Paris, plus it's right across from the Jardin des Tuileries. This is like an escape in the middle of the bustling city!
Its Parisian Décor. Le Meurice definitely was the most "Parisian" of the hotels I toured. This property provides for a very authentic experience if you wish to fully immerse yourself into the culture!
Its Kids Program. This is extremely important for family travel. Le Meurice makes sure a child who visits Paris has an unforgettable experience much like his or her parents. These special touches which include a "passport", pressing your hand print on the ice wall and receiving a stuffed animal are unique and meaningful for a child.
Its quiet street. Because Le Meurice is across from a garden, there isn't too much street traffic outside. This is another nice way to remove yourself from the busy-ness of being in the center of the city.
Its social areas. Le Meurice has plenty of restaurants to choose from ranging in formality. Plus, Le Meurice is home to a famous pastry chef whose creations are world renown. I also fell in love with Le Meurice's bar. It was super chic and cozy!

*One small caveat is that Le Meurice's ultra Parisian décor is not for everyone. If you are looking for something a little trendy, Le Meurice is probably not for you. If you're looking for something super traditional, this is the right place.

Esprit Saint Germain

Esprit Saint Germain is the only Virtuoso hotel to be located on the Left Bank. The Left Bank's vibe is very different - it has tons of small restaurants and shops lining the street and is a little more relaxed compared to some areas on the Right Bank. Esprit Saint Germain is the premier luxury property on this side of the river! Here are the 5 things I loved most about my stay at Esprit Saint Germain:

Its Cool Neighborhood. I seriously LOVED Saint Germain. The feeling I got right off the bat was young, hip and cool. I was so excited to explore the area!
Its Color Scheme. Esprit Saint Germain is NOT the place to go to if you're looking for traditional Parisian décor. Case in point: it's leopard carpet! Esprit Saint Germain's color scheme is comprised of warm browns and tans. It makes for a very cozy environment!
Its Open Bar. Esprit Saint Germain is also NOT the place you want to stay if you wish to hang out in your room the entire time. The Left Bank's buildings are traditionally smaller than the Right Bank's which means the rooms at Esprit Saint Germain are smaller than its competitors on the other side of the river. But with that said, this property provides an open bar in its common area. This really promotes its guests to hang out, get to know each other and feel like they are at home.
Its Vibe. Esprit Saint Germain did not feel stuffy or too fancy for me. I really appreciated its lower price point compared to the other Virtuoso properties, but it didn't sacrifice service.
Its location. Though Esprit Saint Germain is on the "Left Bank", it's nearby Notre Dame and across the river from the Lourve. This neighborhood is very centrally located and is in a really cool, chic area.

*One thing to note about this property is that the water pressure in the showers was especially hard. I'm not sure if it was just the room I was in, but if you are sensitive, this is something to watch out for.

Le Royal Monceau

In my opinion, Le Royal Monceau is the most unique 5 star, Virtuoso property in Paris. This Raffles property is funky, different and pushes the envelope on "Parisian Luxury". Here are the 5 things I liked most at this property:

Its Bathrooms. If you love a good mirror selfie, look no further! This bathroom is decked out in mirrors and has the BEST lighting. Calling all fashionistas, bloggers, fashion moguls & "it" girls!
Its Hallways. The striped patterns in the hallways were so fun! It added to the refreshing, vibrant décor at this unique Parisian property.
Its Stairwell. I know this is random, but the stairwell looked like a mixture of something out of Brooklyn and a Catholic church. It combined bricks with stained glass to create a beautiful way to get from the main common space to your room.
Its Scene. This hotel was the most "buzzing" of all the hotels. You could tell that many people came to this hotel for a coffee or a meeting or to grab lunch. It had a very lively vibe that made you feel like the common spaces were never too empty or too quiet.
Its Restaurants. Each restaurant at Le Royal Monceau was uniquely and gorgeously decorated, all having their own identity and cuisine. I loved the chandeliers in each restaurant, too. Just the little touches added to the overall experience.

*This hotel, in my opinion, is not for the first time Paris tourist who is wishing to immerse himself in the Parisian culture. This is a fun, unique hotel for a traveler wishing to have a different experience or escape to accommodations that make them feel like they're out of this city.

Ritz Paris

Ugh, where do I even begin!? I loved this property so much. The Ritz Paris just reopened on June 6, 2016 after a lengthy renovation... or as the Ritz Paris calls it, "restoration". During this restoration, each piece of furniture was removed, restored and placed in the same exact spot where it lived for years and years. The Ritz Paris did an amazing job of keeping the history. Plus, the amenities I am able to offer you when you book your stay here are seriously unmatched: guaranteed early check in/late check out, guaranteed upgrade at time of booking and an escort who meets you at the GATE of the airport, walks you through security and delivers you to your private transfer. Wow! It will be hard to narrow them down, but here are the top 5 things I loved about the Ritz Paris:

Its Smell. I know this is weird, especially as my number 1, but it is hard to explain it unless you experience it. The Ritz Paris has a very distinct scent that can be smelled throughout the entire property. During my site visit, I found out that the Ritz Paris pumps its special scent through the air conditioner! It is seriously so wonderful, I can't even describe it.
Its Décor. The restoration by the Ritz Paris was extremely well done. The second you walked onto the property, you felt very grand and as if you were in an extremely important, esteemed place. But don't get me wrong... the Ritz Paris is not stuffy at all. The hallways and common spaces are large and inviting. The furniture is plush. The colors are vibrant. Plus, the rooms are definitely Parisian but updated and don't feel too "old". It's truly a special place.
Its Outdoor Garden. The Ritz Paris has the largest garden in Paris. The greenery paired next to the dark gray trellises over the creamy building is beyond dreamy. Plus the cozy seating areas and dining options in the garden are places I could hang out at all day.
Its Chanel Spa. Did you know that Coco Chanel lived at the Ritz Paris for over 30 years?!! And as such, the Ritz Paris has the only Chanel Spa in the world. Once you walk into the spa, you truly feel like you're in the Chanel store.... maybe that's because there's a small room with an exclusive line of Chanel beauty supplies, some not found anywhere else.
Its Location. The Ritz Paris is located on a plaza and not on a street. That means, you don't have to fight through traffic or a crowded street when you're delivered at this Parisian oasis.

*I honestly didn't not like anything about the Ritz Paris. If anything, I could add more to the list! The Hemingway Bar... the dining spaces... the staff to guest room ratio of 5:1... The Ritz Paris is so incredibly perfect.