VIP SERVICE
If our history makes us who we are, then it certainly explains the ever present character and charm of Le Meurice. Opened in the second half of the 18th century to host Lux Travellers of that time in a new hospitality style, the hotel moved in 1835 to its present site, overlooking the Tuileries Garden. Since the very beginning the hotel had a reputation for lavish entertainment, hosting nobles and artists. Favourite among the crowned heads since Queen Victoria Times, the Hotel received aristocracy from countries ranging from Austria to Zanzibar.
Hotel of kings, yes, but, as the fabric of society changes, Hotel of artists and thinkers. Already in 1918, it was chosen by Picasso to host his wedding dinner to the ballerina Olga Koklova; then Cocteau Apollinaire, Diaghilev and The Meurice aficionado par excellence, Salvador Dali. For more than thirty years, he and his pet cheetahs stayed for a month every year in what used to be the Alphonse XIII royal suite. With Dali, employees were quite busy; they could never know what was next: he could ask them to catch flies in the Tuileries garden or to bring a flock of sheep to his suite so he would shoot blanks. However, he would give them lithographs to show his gratitude towards the service received.
At Le Meurice, a guest wish is considered a command. In line with that, another unusual guest was the Franco-American billionaire Florence Gould. She started to organize some literary luncheons, which were gathering renowned writers from different backgrounds such as Arletty, François Mauriac, André Gide and Roger Nimier. Thanks to her, Le Meurice hosted one of the last Parisian literary salon.
Throughout centuries Le Meurice kept on forging intimate links with artists, something that keeps happening nowadays with the property being a veritable treasure trail of art; from “The Kiss” by Zoulikha Bouabdellah in the lobby, to the “Iberius Cubes” by Fausto Salvi.
For all its storied past Le Meurice never fell into the trap of becoming suffocated by it; a hotel is not a museum and has to appease today’s and tomorrow’s travellers, maintaining its relevance in a competition that is particularly fierce among Parisian Palace hotels.
This is when Franka Holtman enters the scene. General Manager since 2006, German by birth and French at heart, she quietly revitalized the hotel since the very beginning; first enlisting Philippe Stark to restore the flair of the public spaces and then creating the Meurice Prize for contemporary art, an annual patronage project that supports young artists.
The recent restoration of the rooms and suites by Charles Jouffre with Margaux Lally and Luc Berger of the Studio “Lally & Berger” is the latest attestation of the enthusiasm and desire to always raise the bar of excellence. While touring some of the rooms with the über chic Director of Communications Isabelle Maurin, I am left in a state of disbelief in front of the sublime beauty of the accommodation on offer. From the exquisitely appointed rooms to the romantic suite La Parisienne, located high up in the eaves and bathed in natural light, to the sprawling Belle Etoile Suite with its 620 square meters including a 300 sq mt terrace overlooking all Paris, there is something on offer for everyone, and all is sheer beauty.
Always pampered, Yours Truly stayed in a Prestige Suite (apartment 502) a sizeable, beautiful suite with breathtaking views of the Jardin des Tuileries; a symphony of heavenly muted pale colors and decorated with exquisite objects to give a true sense of place, an incredibly elevated Parisian apartment. This Suite is the ideal place to relax after a busy day sightseeing and taking in the beauty that the city has to offer, the perfect place to unwind and appreciate the views from outside the windows.
Service, the real backbone of any hotel, is a study in grace. Attentive, efficient and graceful like a classical music concert with no wrong notes and no apparent effort. From the door attendants to reception passing through housekeeping, spa beauticians and wizard-like concierge it will be indulgence and French hospitality at its very best.
Gourmet destination by excellence, Parisians and Lux Travellers keep flocking to both the Michelin starred Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse as well as the haute brasserie Le Dalí, both overseen by Ducasse himself. The talented Executive Chef Amaury Bouhours brought a wind of change to the restaurant while respecting and enhancing all the fundamentals of french haute cuisine alongside pastry chef superstar Cedric Grolet. Restaurant manager Olivier Biko and the always charming sommelier Gabriel Veissaire are in charge of the extraordinary wine cellar.
A powerful dream team, so much so that during a dinner at our beloved Le Dalí my sister and I both put aside the usual chitchat and gossip making the sublime food and wine pairing, delivered with the quintessential nonchalance of the greats, the main subject of our attention.
While the world keeps moving at an increasingly fast pace it is especially noteworthy the peculiar balance reached by this Grande Dame to be traditional and impeccably classic and yet so mindfully avant-garde and modern; delighting such a varied clientele. From fashion icons to artists, from hip hop moguls to Royals they all fell for its charm and that’s why Le Meurice keeps shining and standing firmly at the center of Paris gilded life.
Maybe not everyone knows that…
