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Add: 19 Avenue Kléber, 75016, Paris
Tel: 01 58 12 28 88
Webiste: peninsula.com/paris
The Peninsula has always been one of my favorite hotel brands, so when I heard that it’s entering the European market with a hotel in Paris, I was very excited to see the property. For those of you who don’t know The Peninsula, it’s a hotel group dating back to 1866, and currently operates in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Chicago, Beverly Hills, Bangkok, and Manila. The Paris hotel will officially open on August 1st…but why wait? Here’s a sneak peek.
The hotel sits majestically on 19 Avenue Kléber, just steps away from the Arc de Triomphe. First opened as Hotel Majestic in 1908, this 19th century classic French building has been meticulously restored and discreetly modernized with 21st century convenience. The process – from design to finishing – employed some of France’s finest artisans and took 6 years to complete. From the building facade to the interior fine marble and gold leaf finishing, the restoration process is really very stunning, and you can see a video of this on their website.
For us, the introduction began at the garden-like Kléber Terrace.
Then, a presentation of the hotel in this gorgeous space, where we also met the executive committee of the hotel.
After the presentation, our tour began at LiLi, The Peninsula’s signature Cantonese restaurant. The setting is dramatic with midnight blue walls and chandeliers, sweeping lacquer-red curtains, enormous deep blue and green tassels, and a dome inspired by the sound stage of a hall in Shanghai. In charge of the kitchen is chef Tang Chi Keung from Hong Kong, who has worked with The Peninsula Hotels since 1986, opening the Chinese fine-dining restaurants in the Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai properties before relocating to Paris.
We were then led upstairs to L’Oiseau Blanc, the rooftop restaurant, bar, and terrace, where we met Executive Chef Jean-Edern Hurstel and had a taste of a lovely, lovely rose-infused chevres, especially created for The Peninsula Paris. When opened, L’Oiseau Blanc will showcase traditional French dishes reinterpreted by chef Sidney Redel, a former protégé of Pierre Gagnaire since 2005.
And if nothing so far has impressed you, this view might do the job. The L’Oiseau Blanc Terrace has just what we need on a balmy summer day – lush plants, comfortable furniture, and spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre and Notre Dame. I’d say yes to a few chic cocktails here.
It is also here where we met Julien Alvarez, Chef Patissier of The Peninsula Paris, who prepared a refreshingly delicious strawberry basil dessert for us.
Here are a few snapshots of some other beautiful spaces in the hotel.
The Bar, a place for malt whiskies, Cognacs and cocktails.
The Cigar Lounge, a private venue for cigar aficionados servig a range of cocktails and drinks.
The hotel also features an eclectic collection of French ad international art works, both contemporary and classic.
But of course, we all want to see the guest rooms. Each of the rooms at The Peninsula Paris is furnished with curated artwork, elegant furniture, ambient lighting and proprietary technology. There are a few details in the design that sets The Peninsula apart from other luxury hotels, such as the very considerate valet box and the nail polish drying apparatus.
Each room has a fully customized interactive digital bedside and desk tablet, preset in any one of 11 languages – everything is controlled and accessed at the touch of a button.
The spacious marble bathroom is equipped with separate rain showers, deep soaking bathrubs and double washbasins, inset television, and bathroom amenities by fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, conceived exclusively for The Peninsula Hotels.
The tour ended at one of the two Grand Entrances, and I absolutely fell in love with this handmade Lasvit crystal chandelier that crowns the space. Just gorgeous! Better yet, each of us received a little crystal leaf to take home with as souvenir…
On our way out, we saw The Peninsula Paris’ fleet of transportation, which includes an immaculately restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom, customized Peninsula Mercedes-Benz limousines and bespoke MINI Coopers. How very, very posh.
Like what you see? The Peninsula Paris, opening August 2014.