The Victoria Palace Hotel

  On the quiet rue Blaise-Desgoffe in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the Victoria Palace hotel stands proud and grand. The perfectly clear doors slide open as I take my first step up the stairs of the hotel entrance. I am greeted by the lobby’s warmly glowing lamps and extravagant flower arrangement. In the sitting room to my left the gray-haired woman seated on the red plush chair who wears a black hat with the feather and the pearl earrings laughs as she sips her tea, flipping through a book. The room smells of crème caramel and vanilla–I feel as though I’ve stepped off a train. I look for my porter behind me, but alas he is not there and his absence reminds me that I arrived by the métro. I am greeted by the concierge, who has dusty gray hair and wears a green coat with tiny gold buttons, and the dapper owner, who wears a black suit with a yellow tie. I follow them to the elevator, abnormally large for Paris, which transports us up to a long hallway with high ceilings and walls wearing beautiful, rich fabric. I am shown a chambre luxe–a deluxe room for single or double occupancy–and am surprised by the size of the room, which is very generous, especially for the Left Bank. The marble bathroom is a comfortable size and is equipped with a super-powered hair dryer. The owner tells me that experimenting with the hair dryers caused his recent hair loss. I laugh. The junior suites are incredibly spacious and include a lounging area, while their bathrooms are distinctly larger than those in the chambre luxe. There is also an apartment available, which is basically a one-bedroom suite, and the hotel is currently building two duplexes. In a duplex the sitting room will be on one level and a staircase will lead up to a bedroom. In this bedroom there is hidden door that opens into the hallway, reminding me of Agatha Christie stories where the man in the tuxedo and the woman with the long fur coat and cigarette holder change rooms in secret. All of the rooms contain satellite television, a safe, mini-bar, bathrobes and slippers, liberal closet space (for the Americans who over pack) and two outgoing telephone lines–one of which can be used for internet access, although there is also a business center in the hotel that offers complimentary online access and printing. There is 24-hour concierge service, and all rooms are air-conditioned. The breakfast room serves a full buffet every day until 11 am and the Cardinal bar-lounge and Calico Parlour are open until 1 am. Room service is available serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a private garage and same-day laundry and dry-cleaning service. Connecting rooms and two-bedroom suites are available and the hotel contains two non-smoking floors. Located in the 6th arrondisement (métro- St-Placide), the hotel is in close proximity to many of the principal sites in Paris, including the Musée D’Orsay, the Bon Marché and the Luxembourg Gardens. I glance out of the windows on the third floor–it’s starting to drizzle and a woman in a tan trench coat without an umbrella ducks into the café across the street. I feel as though I should be standing there, looking out in a white cashmere turban and smoking a long cigarette, waiting for afternoon tea to be served as I strain to hear the sound of train whistles in the distance. Room prices: Deluxe Room, single or double occupancy: 285 eurosJunior Suite, single or double occupancy: 355 eurosOne-Bedroom Suite, single or double occupancy: 580 eurosRoll-Away Bed: 55 eurosBreakfast, per person: 16 eurosGarage: 23 euros http://www.victoriapalace.com/   —Kirsten joins Bonjour Paris from Los Angeles, California where she recently graduated from the University in Southern California with a BFA in Acting. Last year she co-wrote the book and lyrics to a new pop musical which expects to open in Los Angeles next spring. Two years ago, while studying at a conservatory in London, Kirsten fell in love with Paris and decided that she was destined to return for some time. She’s thrilled to experience this dream come true.