Parisian hotel transformed by Philippe Starck
On the avenue between the Arc de Triomphe and Parc Monceau, grand Royal Monceau was reborn after a Philippe Starck makeover as a self-proclaimed luxury art hotel. It all started with the desire to remodel the classic codes of luxury hotels and project them into a new dimension. But the project also derives from an affirmation of a slightly insane, infinitely poetic determination to break with custom, to steer clear of the apparently inevitable, to welcome the unusual, and to declare a tenderness for panache and impertinence, for fantasy and excess, while still cherishing rigour and perfection.
Style
The hotel is a combination of both decadence and modernity, with exposed brickwork, plush carpets and iron railings. It’s at its best downstairs in the public spaces, the lounge stretches endlessly mixing vistas and secluded corners, with illuminated Long Bar, and a cascade of chandeliers in the stairwell. The concept store, art gallery, bookshop and private cinema show how the hotel has branched out into an overall lifestyle concept.
Rooms
The 149 rooms and suites are far from designer minimalism, rather, a Starck-conceived artistic clutter of eclectic lamps and tables, mixing retro and contemporary touches, with a vast island bed, photos and artworks propped against the wall and a guitar for you to strum. There’s even a transportable recording studio if you wish. Bathrooms are lined with mirrors and crammed with Clarins miniatures.
Privé
Behind a discreet entrance on the chic avenue Hoche, next to Le Royal Monceau, is a collection of heavenly suites, including three spectacular 350sqm Presidential Suites. Each one is designed as an exclusive private residence, with levels of service worthy of a great private house. Set over five floors, these beautifully sophisticated, flexible suites offer their guests not only the services of the hotel, but also private and secure entry through 41 avenue Hoche, and direct access to the hotel’s idyllic spa. The largest suites also have a private hammam and gym, and a home cinema with next-generation technology.
Food & Drink
Cocktails and chic tapas at the Long Bar have become a hot Parisian destination, and there’s a members-only enclosed red Fumoir for cigar smokers. The two restaurants have each gained one Michelin star. It’s French cuisine from recent arrival Hans Zahner at La Cuisine with its mega lamps and painted ceiling, and Tuscan specialities from Roberto Rispoli at the shell-grotto style Il Carpaccio trattoria, with Sicilian baroque decor in a conservatory overlooking the garden.
Spa
The spa is home to the city’s biggest indoor pool, at 23m long, with mirrors covering one wall and a soothing shade of white everywhere else. The treatments are in Spa My Blend by Clarins, and offer a unique haven of peace and relaxation in the heart of Paris.
Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of authentic and uncommon luxury hotels. Rooted in the locations where they are found, the hotels embody the very essence of their destinations. Offering varied styles of architecture and design, and immersive cultural experiences delivered by passionate people, LHW’s collection is for the curious traveller looking for their next discovery. Established in 1928 by several influential and forward-thinking European hoteliers, Leading Hotels has an eight decade-long commitment to providing remarkable travel experiences.
