Mandarin Oriental, Paris

BACKGROUND Mandarin Oriental’s only address in France was granted an o icial ‘Palace Distinction’ by French tourism agency Atout France just three years after opening its doors, acknowledging its role in portraying French standards of excellence. The hotel’s imaginative interior design blends French elegance with Oriental refinement in a nod to the group’s Asian heritage. Pre-MO days the site was a monastery, hippodrome, riding school and circus!

WHERE IS IT? At the heart of the city’s fashion district on Rue Saint-Honoré – a paradise for travellers who love to shop the world’s leading designer brands. It’s also just steps from Place Vendôme and within walking distance of Garnier Opera, Tuileries Gardens, the Orangerie, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and world-famous avenue, the Champs-Élysées.

Sophisticated but subtle, elegant but cosy

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The entrance is modest and discreet, tucked in between boutiques, but when you walk into the lobby, adorned in stone, lacquer and gold leaf, you become cossetted in an urban Oriental haven with Parisian charm and this warm and refined atmosphere defines your stay. During my visit there was a pop-up shop in the lobby retailing suits and leather goods, including some killer heels that I loved! Check-in was civilised – welcome drinks in the lobby lounge where a very friendly sta member conducted the formalities. The lobby’s signature MO touch? The 11-bladed fan.

ROOMS There are 96 rooms and suites that ooze haute couture style, some overlooking the indoor courtyard and others with Rue Saint-Honoré views. I stayed in a Duplex Suite (pictured) with an extra special view from my own personal garden terrace – the Ei el Tower. This double-storey suite was spacious and impressive with an upstairs lounge and o ice, downstairs seating area,

an elegant yet cosy king bedroom and a bathroom with stand-out facilities including diptyque products, a techno loo (think heated seat and more) and in a first, for me, hair straighteners. There are also Panoramic, Couture and Penthouse suites and the 430 sqm Haussmann-style Parisian Apartment, the largest and most spectacular suite, with four bedrooms and bathrooms, multiple living spaces and a terrace.

FOOD AND DRINK The F&B o ering is remarkable. Discerning foodies love the avant-garde gourmet experience at twoMichelin-star Sur Mesure by Thierry Marx – a haute couture-inspired restaurant hidden via an entrance in Bar 8, which is hangout for Parisian socialites and serves innovative drinks and street-food bites, best savoured in the outdoor courtyard. Chef Thierry Marx also excels with his Asian take on French cuisine at Camélia (pictured). Exquisite dishes I sampled included a beetroot with smoked oil, stracciatella and pomegranate entree, a Yuzu-flavoured grilled mackerel with daikon turnips and shiso main, and for dessert, ‘Kashan’ (pistachio and pumpkin seed crunch, praline and pistachio light mousse). There’s a cake shop too, plus the cocooning L’ Honoré lobby lounge and for the Gulf market, halal food is available.

BEST FOR Travellers who enjoy decadent shopping and spa experiences – a Gulf traveller favourite for sure!

D O N ’ T M I S S Evening drinks and snacks in the cosy Bar 8 courtyard

PRICE Deluxe Room (entry level) from US$956 per night; Duplex Suite from US$2,060

C O N T A C T 251, Rue SaintHonoré; tel +33 17098 7888; madarinoriental. com/paris

terrace and ground-floor courtyard are perfect for private events and cocktail parties. For VIP a airs, the Mandarin Penthouse Floor with the Mandarin Penthouse Suite and Two Panoramic Suites featuring stunning city views and spacious living, dining, kitchen and bar areas, is immensely popular and frequently ‘the’ venue of choice during Paris Fashion Week.

LEISURE The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Paris is one of the city’s largest hotel spas and features seven Spa Suites, an indoor swimming pool, plus a good-sized gym. Signature therapies are influenced by Chinese medicine and aromatherapy and use custom-blended essential oils.

VERDICT Sophisticated but subtle, elegant but cosy, with rooms and publics spaces that bring out the best of Parisian life, blended with Oriental sensory touches (from design and food to hospitality). A few public areas are in need of a refurb (some furnishings are tired) and the Wi-Fi isn’t free unless you sign up to Fans of MO (plus you have to keep re-connecting every 5 minutes), but these minor issues do not interfere with the overall experience, which was outstanding. Gemma Greenwood