Rates: from €170 per night
Added extras: afternoon tea, wifi, room service, minibar and balconies
Services: cocktail bar, breakfast, parking, babysitting and massages on demand
It may be housed in a classic 19th century Parisian building but Hotel le A is planted steadfastly in the present, with a contemporary, arty New York vibe. Set on a quiet street between the Champs-Elysées and rue Faubourg Saint Honoré, guests are greeted by a beautiful abstract watercolour painting, a slick open fire and an enormous wall of books, on everything from Bauhaus to ballet. Owned by Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, a company with hundreds of haut-gamme establishments all over the world (including Hotel Chavanel and Alain Ducasse’s many restaurants) – the sleek arrangement comes as no surprise. These guys know what they’re doing when it comes to hospitality.
The 26 rooms, ranging from 15 to 35m2, are designed minimally for the ultimate chic feel – with calming watercolours by Fabrice Hybert. Striped monochrome carpeting in the junior suite adds an edge and a grey, beige and pastel palette goes perfectly with the light pouring into all the rooms. Many have bay windows that open fully onto a classic view of Paris rooftops and the lucky ones get a balcony with chairs and a table. Bathrooms are sublime – dark stone with deep bathtubs, powerful UFO-like shower heads and L’Occitane body care products. And if that wasn’t enough, rooms come with flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and flattering dimmer switch lighting.
Take the (leather-upholstered) lift down to the ground floor to make the most of the cocktail bar, or better still, the afternoon tea (4-6pm) with Kusmi teas, mini-waffles, pancakes, macaroons and all manner of fresh fruit. The breakfast buffet is an added extra but worth it for the spread of breads (including gluten-free), eggs, cold cuts, Alain Milliat jams, fruit and cakes. With light pouring through the vaulted glass roof, there could be no better way to start the day. Far away from the area’s often brash glitz, the trendy, tranquil Hotel le A is an A grade stay.