Rates: from €400 per night
Added extras: the marble bathroom
Services: wifi and restaurant
The French know rue du Cirque well – it is home to President François Hollande, the same one on which he was snapped leaving on his scooter late at night with actress Julie Gayet. Needless to say, this is the ideal spot if you want a certain level of discretion. The Splendide Royal’s is easy to miss but once you’re in, the small lobby is the perfect escape from the busy streets.
Each of the six floors in this pocket-sized hotel is made up of two suites (of 45 and 65m2) with subtle charm – nuanced, refined, intimate and bourgeois. Comprising of a room and a lounge in mid-classical French style, with an Italian vibe – the milky tones are luxurious without being ostentatious. Beds are king-size so expect to sleep like royalty, but the bathrooms are the real highlight: marble, marble and more marble, with either a sensual Italian shower or a whopping bathtub to relax in.
The restaurant has not yet opened but the Michelin-starred chef Michelino Gioia will be handling the menu, no doubt mirroring the hotel’s vibe: simple, refined and effective.