Poshly Perfect and Pleasurable: Paris’ Hôtel Plaza Athénée
There are few cities in the world delivering more culture, art, beauty, and romance than the City of Light. Whether one visits for two days or two weeks, if it’s your first visit or your 21st, being in Paris never disappoints. There are many world class hotels in Paris, but one rests at the very top of the list of those in the know. Coincidentally, it happens to also be my personal favorite: Hôtel Plaza Athénée.
In addition to its utterly enviable location, a stone’s throw from the Tour Eiffel, the Champs-Elysées, and perfectly positioned to enjoy both left and right bank attractions, guests will experience accommodations and a level of service second to none, all in a historic and architecturally significant building where interiors not only pay homage and respect to its genesis, but also fully reflects and welcomes its progeny as the hotel looks onward towards the future.
Public areas are grand and elegant, yet comforting without being stuffy while delivering a sense of intimacy. For those who appreciate art and period furnishings, at least once during your stay, take the elevator to the seventh floor and climb down – or walk up and get your steps in – to enjoy classical art and unique pieces on various landings. On the third floor where I stayed, the massive, working globe warmed my heart each time I passed by, reminding me of the many countries I’ve traversed.
The Bed
A two-room, classic Parisian Deluxe Suite, welcomed me with a light-filled living room complete with a crystal chandelier accenting the high ceilings and decorative marble fireplace. Gorgeous period furnishings couldn’t possibly be deemed stuffy as they had been reupholstered with gorgeous modern fabrics. In my suite, fabrics on period chairs had been reimagined with Barbie bubble gum pink-and-tan accented fabrics, corresponding pink lampshades and pink satin pillow on an exceedingly comfortable full-sized gray velour sofa. The latter was perfect for sipping Moët, delighting in raspberry and chocolate macaroons – no doubt one of France’s greatest patisserie contributions to humanity – and contemplating one’s good fortune while daydreaming towards the Juliette balcony overlooking the vine-covered garden courtyard.
The design pattern of the pink-and-gray carpet’s design mimicked the snail-shaped geography of central Paris. The gold-trimmed Louis the 14th-style writing desk, sculpted wainscoting, terrarium, and refreshment area with Nespresso machine, tea kettle, and stocked minibar completed a perfect living space.
The bedroom’s large king-sized bed with decadent Beltrami bedding designed for royal comfort, boasted a carved wood and upholstered headboard. A pink-trimmed gray comforter, pink satin hotel emblemed decorative satin pillow tied the entire design motif to perfection. A thoughtful add was the padded laptop pillow tray for those needing to stay connected while mostly horizontal and at the same time basking in Parisian bliss.
More reimagined period furnishings graced the bedroom, while marble-topped nightstands had USB ports, adaptor plugs, and unexpectedly wonderful: MagSafe chargers for both I-phones and Apple watches. His-and-hers spacious closets had plenty of room for everything and contained a clothes steamer and lint remover. If you couldn’t be bothered to make your way to the fitness center downstairs or needed to multi-task and carry on a private call while channeling your inner yogi, the third closet had a Christian Dior yoga mat and hand weights. It’s tough to argue with perfection that’s useful, pleasurable, and thoughtful.
The white-and-gold marble dual vanity bathroom likewise was thoughtfully designed. The large shower had European and rain shower heads, environmentally friendly Dorchester Collection mandarin amenities, a glorious deep soaking bathtub with a perfectly shaped neck pillow, and heated towel rack holding voluptuous towels. For my long tresses, Plaza Athénée had the latest model Dyson hair dryer.
The Meals
La Galerie, serves breakfast until noon; try the egg white spinach omelette and you’ll thank me later. It also serves lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, while offering the sensation of being in the delightful, welcoming living room of your favorite, well-positioned uncle, that is if your uncle also happened to have a musician to elegantly strum the harp.
Under a high, oval-shaped ceiling designed by Gustave Eiffel, in a dining room decorated with azure and emerald furnishings invoking Mediterranean hues, Executive Chef Baldassarre Mazzara brings his Sicilian heritage and extreme talented culinary magic into fused perfection at Restaurant Le V at Hôtel Vernet, a short stroll from the Champs-Élysées.
Eating house made warm bread dipped into the aromatic olive oil bearing Mazzara’s family name nearly caused me to belt out Brucia la Terra. Fortunately for nearby diners, I controlled myself. The chef’s evening ‘surprise’ entrée was a marvelously delicate grilled squid dish adorned with sun-dried tomatoes atop creamy puréed potatoes. Both my flank steak with grated beats and sprinkled pomegranates and my friend’s lollipop quail were divine. Coupled with perfectly paired wines and excellent service, Le V is an absolute must go to restaurant in Paris.
In an utterly breathtaking setting amid abundant floral arrangements with a massive communal table in the restaurant’s center running its length – unusual for this type of feast – Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée shows off the might which has made chef Imbert famous in this Michelin-starred restaurant. If you order only one dish, which naturally is impossible, it must be the Brioche Marie-Antoinette, a caviar-laden love affair housing more caviar inside and an egg that will have you seriously contemplate her cake eating wisdom. The beef Rossini with foie gras and truffles was tender and succulent , while the Great Dessert ending with a petit-four laden tree of life is a creative marriage of art and French gastronomy.
For a Parisian brasserie experience in a chic, art deco atmosphere, Le Relais Plaza is a great choice. The veal barely needed a knife, the mushroom stuffed rigatoni was marvelous, and the modern take on Îles flottante, were all delivered with top-notch service.
The Finds
Many Parisians are not even aware of The Dior Gallery, just a few minutes walk from the Plaza Athénée. In fact, I was on my way to the Rodin Museum – a place I love so much I go every time I’m in Paris – but decided to stop at Dior en route. It must have been divine intervention as it turned out to be the highlight of this Parisian interlude. Though I’m hardly a fashion expert, the exhibitions were some of the most dramatic and best I’d ever seen. One can never argue against the transformative impact Christian Dior had on the world of fashion.
His love of flowers resulted from his Normandy childhood, and The Enchanted Gardens display pays respect to that adoration. As Dior dressed the world’s most beautiful women, he also considered himself a bit of a fleeting builder, made clear by his statement, “I think of my work as ephemeral architecture, dedicated to the beauty of the female body.” Hollywood of course noticed and gave him well-deserved praise. Indeed, as Marlene Dietrich once famously declared in 1949 to Alfred Hitchcock, “No Dior, no Dietrich,” as she demanded a Dior wardrobe for her role in Stage Fright, Hitchcock’s 1950 film fusing British and American sensibilities.
Several of these Dior exhibits are literally breathtaking. Especially the three-tiered display of evening gowns, the multi-level staircase with hanging accessories of every possible hue of the rainbow, and dramatic photographs by the legendary Peter Lindbergh. For those desiring a trip down memory lane, another display has several classic movie clips starring silver screen royalty, adorned of course, in Dior.
Although one can certainly get sufficient exercise walking around Paris to and from the multitude of museums and other sights, Plaza Athénée’s state-of-the-art fitness center is a great way to start to the day. There are TechnoGym treadmills, elliptical, and rowing machines for cardio, as well as free weights, kettle balls, bands, and yoga mats for a solid workout. This had the added benefit personally of instilling guilt-free dining while enjoying the many marvels of French and international cuisine Paris offers.
As I had already been traveling for several days and needed a regenerative experience, I headed to the Dior Spa located on Plaza Athénée’s lower level. In an elegantly modern, though warm setting, the moment one enters, the outside world and any stresses it contains magically disappear from one’s consciousness.
Fresh flower arrangements adorn a waiting area with deliriously comfortable loungers and daybeds, coffee table books featuring Dior’s design genius, and a marble Zen-inducing water fountain feature as its calm-inspiring focal point. The changing room had both a sauna and steam room.
In a treatment room possessing the best massage table and face pillow rest ever experienced in any spa or hotel anywhere, I had a skilled deep tissue massage removing all transatlantic and other stresses that induced such relaxation, remembering my name became challenging. The treatment ended with the placement of a weighted blanked – something I normally dislike being prone to claustrophobia in tight places – but this experience was akin to being enveloped in the sweetest, softest, most comforting, fluffy marshmallow, all while basking in the blessed elixir of utter rejuvenated contentment.
Modern history buffs interested in France’s tenets of separation of church and state, its legal system, and the struggle for justice, will want to visit the exhibition ‘Alfred Dreyfus, Truth and Justice’ at the MahJ in the left bank’s Marais quarter, available until August 31, 2025. There are films, photographs, archival documents, and works by dozens of Dreyfus’ contemporaries that together shine light on this pivotal moment 130 years ago when the Dreyus Affair altered France’s legal trajectory.
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If you’re traveling to Paris for the first time or revisiting and want to see several attractions without waiting in lines, you may wish to consider a GoCity Pass making it easier to engage in several activities in a short time. Whatever brings you to Paris, whether for business or pleasure, if the first time or the hundredth, you’ll want to hang your proverbial beret, hat, or fedora at Hôtel Plaza Athénée. It’s that simple and that wonderful. Happy travels!
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in several major publications around the world, including The L.A. Times, The S.F. Examiner, The Asia Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and The Daily Journal, among many, many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com
