Hotel La Trémoille

Hôtel La Trémoille is the most luxurious historical monument you’ll ever visit.  Located just off the Champs-Elysée in the ‘golden triangle’ of the chic eighth arrondissement, this 93-room, four-star deluxe hotel/restaurant/bar/beauty salon is what happens when historical elegance meets modern grace.  No wonder bigwigs like Johnny Depp, Sean Connery, Duke Ellington, and Richard Gere are among La Trémoille’s roster of clients.  The building façade should give you a clue.  The hotel has been perfectly restored to its original Haussmannian style (and officially named a historical monument); the wrought-iron balconies of the past mixed with delicate contemporary brass detailing reflect the hotel’s theme of timeless sophistication.  Pull yourself away from the surrounding stores on Avenue Montaigne and let the black-clad doorman lead you into the lobby, where suit-sporting businessmen read newspapers in wide leather chairs while eager tourists pour over guidebooks with the multi-lingual concierge.  Breathe in, take a moment to absorb the marble columns, magnificent staircase, and the glass-on-glass relief piece at the check-in desk and you’ll find yourself staring directly at the textbook definition of a luxury hotel. 
 
Space, style, and detail are the key points of La Trémoille.  From the lighting to staff uniforms to the silverware, every feature, every tiny, seemingly insignificant aspect of the hotel has been carefully planned to accommodate any kind of traveler.  Each element has been so deliberately selected that it ceases to be just a room, just a decoration, just a staff member.  Instead it becomes a tiny reminder of how important your stay is at La Trémoille.  Here, guests don’t just check in.  Please!  These days, that’s soooo two-star.  Instead, visiting patrons are keyed into a computer database that’s linked to the room they’ll call home for the duration of their stay.  Upon entry to the room, guests turning on the TV will find a personalized welcome message.  Unlike your typical cookie-cutter lodge, the concierge doesn’t just provide reservations.  Instead, he can do everything from booking plane or train reservations to providing electrical adapters to finding a babysitter if you’re looking for a night out. 

If you’re truly knackered after your trip, send your luggage up with the bell boy and spend a moment perusing the English-language reading material in the lobby (updated copies of ParisWhere Magazine, USAToday, and Business Week are always on-hand) before making your way up to the room.  Once you’re well rested, pass the fresh orchids and gold-framed portraits that adorn the lobby and head for the central staircase.  Although the hotel comes, of course, with elevators, you won’t want to miss feeling like royalty as you ascend the blue carpet, framed by gold banisters, of the stairs. 

Rooms at Hôtel La Trémoille come in one of five varieties: standard, superior, deluxe, junior suite, and deluxe suite.  What all rooms have in common is that they’re enormous, they’re lavish, and they come stocked with any amenity you could ever need.  Following 31 different design themes, each room is creative, tasteful, and completely different than the one next door.  I entered my standard room, one of 23 available in the Hôtel, in complete darkness.  Unable to find the light switch, I took a moment to remember that nothing at La Trémoille is average.  Eventually finding the light button (which makes overhead lamps softly fade in to create the mood of your choice), I was immediately convinced that this room could not be the bottom of La Trémoille’s barrel. It looked more like a luxury studio than a single bedroom, and I was bowled over by the sheer size of the room.  A king-sized bed, loveseat, AND a desk?  This was bigger than my apartment! 

All rooms come with an entertainment center equipped with flat-screen TV (with cable, English-language stations BBC and CNN, four music-only channels, and eight channels of pay per view Video on Demand in case you’re in the mood for a movie after a long day at Dolce and Gabbana), a DVD/CD player, safe, and a minibar stocked with everything from half-bottles of wine to instant cameras.  Not one but two closets with satin clothes hangers await your new designer purchases, while the in-room trouser press (or hotel laundry service) can spiff up your old ones.  For the cyber-savvy, the high-speed internet can be accessed through the hotel’s Wifi connection, the laptop port in each room, or, for those without portable computers, through the TV using a wireless keyboard provided by the front desk.  Since rooms all have at least two phones (including one in the bathroom), you’ll never feel stranded or out of touch with home.  On a more tactile note, you can’t help but notice how very touchable the room is.  Fur bedspreads, down pillows, Nobilis silks, all in earthy browns and creams, make the room as soft as it is stylish.

Before stepping into the bathroom for the first time, take a moment to pop in your favorite CD.  The minute you step in, you’ll notice the intercom system pumping tunes directly to you.  With black marble counters, hand-woven baskets, and six kinds of bath and shower gel (all provided by UK beauty giant Molton Brown) make the bathroom as comfortable as the room.  All rooms have windows, and some even come with balconies and spectacular views of typical Paris rooftops and the Eiffel Tower.   Before you go out, don’t forget to leave your dress shoes in your personal silent butler.  “The Hatch” is a small closet with keyed hall access by hotel staff.  Designed to provide you with complete privacy, the hatch allows you to receive in-room meals, get your shoes shined, or receive laundry without being disturbed by hotel personnel. 

The 14 Deluxe rooms are larger and include a separate foyer between the bathroom and bedroom.  Unlike standard rooms, the deluxe bathrooms contain a bathtub and separate shower with a central showerhead as well as three mini showerheads for a rainforest effect.  Some rooms are furnished with a fireplace to make you feel that much more at home.  Suites at La Trémoille are like penthouse apartments, complete with a room for lounging, a room for bathing, a room for sleeping, and a separate toilet.  Suites come with a full sitting room equipped with coffee tables, entertainment center, full-sized sofa, fireplace, and dining table.  A second full entertainment center is found in the bedroom, which leads directly to both the bathroom (which is nearly the size of a standard room) and the half-bath.  Four towering windows lead out to a runway-like balcony where lucky guests get not only a stunning view of the 8th, but a look at the top of la tour Eiffel as well.  For families, rooms can come with a crib or extra bed as well.  If a suite isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, La Trémoille still has more to offer.  As opposed to being lined up in a hall, rooms are instead grouped into clusters of two or three and positioned in small enclaves.  For families and groups renting more than one, the rooms can be connected, making a suite-like set-up for during the day and separate, private quarters at night.  In addition, groups of two or three rooms are situated in enclaves that have their own hatch and door, making it possible to close the cluster off from the rest of the hotel.  Large groups will have all the benefits of private rooms, but the ability to mingle about with other members of their party.

When you go, make sure to treat yourself to at least one meal at the Senso Restaurant and Bar, located on the hotel’s ground floor.  Created in partnership with designer Terence Conran, Senso is actually a restaurant, bar, and lounge where house DJ Pascal Lamy spins every Wednesday through Sunday.  Chic lighting and minimalist furniture in sensual colors make the restaurant a hotspot for foodies and trend-setters alike.  Senso Restaurant specializes in classic French cuisine with a creative twist.  For starters, savor the sweet and tangy tones of tuna in lime, soy, and orange marmalade before moving on to scallops St. Jacques or the restaurant’s classic entrecôte with béarnaise.  To top it off, try a fruity millefeuille or pannacotta before the ending café. 

In addition to French wines, imports from Spain and California offer more options for the palate.  Menu items rotate depending on season and availability, but what you can always count on is freshness and quality.  If you’re not feeling up to a gourmet dinner, head to Bar Senso for tapas from 3-7PM, then stay to sip cocktails among Paris’ most trendy.   

To truly unwind, take advantage of La Trémoille’s extensive fitness facilities located in the hotel’s lower level.  Guests are free to use the cardio training center, sauna, and hydro-jet showers (think maximum pressure, maximum water), but you’ll want to splurge for any of the 11 massages the center offers.  Massages range from Desert Heat Massage (complete with hot oils) to Thai circulatory athlete’s massage to relaxation massages specially designed for mothers-to-be.  For a heavenly indulgence, treat yourself to a Caviar Lifting Treatment or Oriental Exfoliation either in one of the two treatment rooms or in your own room.  Visitors can opt for either individual treatments (ranging from basic manicures to jet lag recovery therapy) or simply take a half- or whole-day spa package.  Personal trainers are on hand should you want a fitness program tailored specifically for your body.  Eat, drink, sleep, live in complete and total luxury for your entire stay.  If you book a room here, you really have no choice. 

Nearby Eats:
Though you may not want to leave Senso, check out Bath’s (11 Rue de la Trémoille) or Ginger (2 Rue de la Renaissance) for upscale bistro specialties.  For light meals, check out Le Petit Pinchon (12 Rue de la Trémoille) for a quick breakfast or Lina’s (7 rue de la Renaissance) for some of the best sandwiches Paris has to offer.  If you’re looking for Michelin stars, slip into something suit and tie and savor the French/Japanese delicacies at Shozan (11 Rue de la Trémoille) or head directly to the Michelin mother ship at Hôtel Plaza Athénée (25 Avenue Montaigne), owned by world renowned chef Alain Ducasse.  If black tie isn’t your speed, Spoon, the hipper, cheaper, and more laid-back sister of the Athénée is just around the corner (14 Rue Marignan).  Here guests customize their own menus by choosing ingredients from a variety of cultures and regions.  Tired of heavy creams and butter?  No problem!  Tanjia (23 Rue de Ponthieu) and El Mansour (7 Rue de la Trémoille) serve up Moroccan fare, and nearby Sushi Cho (24 Rue Marbeuf) offers, well, sushi.  Other memorable evenings out include dining under the open sky at Lasserre (17 Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt, suit and tie dress required), hobnobbing with the rich and famous at Fouquet’s (99 Champs-Elysée), and getting one of the best views of the City of Light at Maison Blanche (15 Avenue Montaigne).  For martini glasses and swizzle sticks, Barfly (49 Avenue George V), Le Paris (93 Champs-Elysée), and Impala Lounge (2 Rue de Berri) serve cocktails until the wee hours of the morning, while wine bars such as L’Ecluse (64 Rue Francois) offer a more toned-down evening out. 

Nearby Entertainment
Wild nights can be spent at Pau Caraibes (20 Rue Quentin Bauchart), where live Caribbean music and dancers abound or at the underground Latina Café (114 Champs-Elysée).  For all things jazz, hit up happy hour at Man Ray (34 Rue Marbeuf).  If you’re looking for the best sound system in Paris, check out Le Queen’s (102 Champs-Elysée) 10,000 gigawatt amps and rub shoulders with both movie stars and drag queens.  For a low-key Paris experience, peruse the shops of the Champs-Elysée until midnight or take in a show at Théatre des Champs-Elysée. 

Nearby Shopping
If Prada, Gucci, and Dior mean anything to you, you’ve come to the right place.  Avenue Montaigne has every major brand you can imagine packed into one luxury strip.  Highlights include Valentino (19), Chanel (#42), Christian Dior (#30), Melo (#12), Nina Ricci (#39), and Emanuel Ungaro (#2).  Also in the neighborhood, Berteil (upscale men’s fashion, 15 Rue Clemont Marot), Basile and Boniface (baby clothing and furniture, 9 Rue de la Trémoille), and Soniafares (upscale women’s fashion, 5 Rue du Boccador) won’t disappoint. 

Hôtel La Trémoille is located on 14 Rue de la Trémoille just off the Champs- Elysée.  Métro: George V (line 1) or Alma Marceau (line 9). 
Reservations should be made as early as possible and can be booked via e-mail at reservation@Hôtel-Trémoille.com, via telephone at +33.01.56.52.14.00, or via fax at 011-33.01.40.70.01.08. 

Prices are as follows:

Standard Rooms – 410 euro/night
Superior Rooms – 490 euro/night
Deluxe Rooms – 570 euro/night
Junior Suites – 620 euro/night
Deluxe Suites – 1000 euro/night
Continental breakfast – 22 euro/person
Buffet breakfast – 26 euro/person

Senso Restaurant is open for breakfast (19 euro), lunch (28 and 35 euro menus), and dinner (expect 40-50 euro) until 11PM.  Senso Bar offers a rapid lunch (20 euro) as well as tapas from 3PM until 7PM.  Cocktails can be sipped until closing at 1AM.  Meeting rooms and catering are available for corporate seminars.