Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme

France
Europe

The Experience

Just steps from the Place Vendôme, the Park Hyatt Vendôme dared to join the major leagues of grand hotel-dom when it opened four years ago. To the surprise of many Gallic skeptics, it has succeeded by blending a hip style with what may be the best service in Paris. Here, the confetti of small attentions just doesn't stop, and behind the most classical of all 19th-century French limestone facades, the louche lushness of the place—an edgy mix of New York lounge and Hong Kong exoticism—creates an atmosphere that may not be particularly French, but is appealingly otherworldly.

The Rooms

The Zen-deep and profoundly relaxing look is the work of American designer Ed Tuttle, who copped a hip but erudite atmosphere for the property with a nuanced East-meets-West feel that uses plush Thai silks and cottons to add a note of drama to visually quiet decors. Bathrooms blend into the bedrooms through the use of sliding mahogany “disappearing” doors, a clever way of making them seem more spacious (since standard doubles do feel tight, averaging 350 square feet). Bathrooms are made for lounging, with heated stone floors, deep soaking tubs and rain showers with sinks for in-shower shaving. To get a view, request sixth-floor rooms; most of those on the hotel's southern flank get a bird's-eye of the Place Vendôme and the Eiffel Tower, while those on the northern flank see the Opera Garnier and Sacré Coeur.

The Service

The supremely well-drilled team here spins circles around the staffs at the palace hotels, where a certain hauteur too often stands in for high performance. It also includes a refreshing sense of humor (which never strays beyond the boundaries of what's appropriate). That's not to say it's perfect. But though the breakfast staff can be maddeningly slow, service at the main restaurant is consistently top-notch.

The Highlights

Because it's so spacious, well-lit and well-equipped, it's easy to forget that the teak and tile fitness center, which includes sauna, steam and workout room, is in the basement. You may need it after feasting on a meal prepared on the Tuscan grill at Pur'Grill, which has attracted local gourmands (no small feat for an American hotel in Paris). The dining room has an open kitchen with a grill fired by vine trimmings and a large circular banquette upholstered in bronze silk brocade. Snag a table at the heart of the action and sample superb contemporary French dishes like steamed snails with red radish salad and horseradish sauce, lièvre à la royale (wild hare in a sauce of its own gizzards and blood, a regal French classic) or grilled scallops with a sauce of buttermilk and lovage.

 

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