News from palatial hotels

Excellent restaurants, royal suites, dreamy spas, star-rated chefs, amazing wine-cellars, exquisite decors… The most sublime hotels in Paris pursue their goals for luxury to extremes, for an art of living which is truly "Palatial" !



From January 21st to February 12th, the ephemeral Belanka Bar will invite you to enjoy a drink on “transamacs” signed Belanka, a new brand of outdoor furniture. With a slight rocking effect, these designer novelties propose a playful new experience for the senses on the terrace and in the bar and lobby of the Hôtel Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe. 9 avenue de Wagram. Paris 17 (01 55 37 55 57).

The new winter terrace at the Park Hyatt Vendôme will be open from December 1st to the end of March. Designed as a high-altitude outdoor area, heated and ephemeral, it will propose delicious treats for gourmets. Wine, fragrant hot chocolate and homemade brioches will be served in a chic Alpine chalet ambiance, at the very heart of the capital. In this enchanting decor filled with brightly-lit fir-trees and little chalets, guests can also enjoy a unique view of Place Vendôme. 5 rue de la Paix, Paris 2 (01 58 71 10 60).

A prestigious château-hotel with 48 rooms and suites at the heart of Paris, Le Saint-James also plays host to the exclusive Saint-James Club reserved for its Parisian members. Those who join this club for gentlemen and businessmen benefit from an array of privileges such as access to the hotel’s exceptional amenities without actually staying there, taking advantage of the Guerlain spa on preferential terms, and benefitting from a team dedicated to the organization of private events. Furthermore, by means of a simple letter of introduction, club membership gives you access to almost 200 other private clubs from among the world’s most exclusive addresses. 43 avenue Bugeaud, Paris 16 (01 44 05 81 81). club@saintjamesclub.com

For year-end festivities, the Hôtel du Collectionneur - a sublime Art Deco building with 478 rooms and suites - proposes an enchanting experience by installing a “bubble” in the midst of its magnificent Patio Andalou. Inside this transparent setting, one finds a Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage champagne bar, a Fauchon tea-time area and lots of gourmet surprises dreamt up by star-rated chefs. 51-57, rue de Courcelles, Paris 8 (01 58 36 67 00).

Inaugurated in 1929, Molitor was the most popular pool club in Paris for six decades. This year, it rose from its ashes in the guise of a resort of extreme refinement. Parisians rub shoulders with travellers in this unusual club-hotel blending contemporary architecture with Art Deco features. They come for an hour or several nights, visiting the Spa by Clarins, the pools, gym, bar, the restaurant orchestrated by multi star-rated chef Yannick Alléno, the roof terrace, sometimes staying in one of the 104 rooms and 20 suites signed MGallery, a reference for esthetics in the hotel sector. 8 avenue de la Porte Molitor, Paris 16 (01 56 07 08 50).

Throughout the winter, Le Renaissance Arc de Triomphe proposes a cheese bar in its Makassar restaurant, paying tribute to flagships of French expertise in the field. The best cheeses (Brie, Beaufort, Comté...) can be sampled on the spot from a traditional cheese board or as an aperitif at the bar. 39 av de Wagram, Paris 17 (01 55 37 55 57).