The living room in the Peninsula Suite. Courtesy Peninsula Paris
I’m not planning to get in the habit of writing about things that are way out of reach for most people, however, we all need a little fantasy sometimes. I recently had the opportunity to view the Peninsula Paris’ three theme suites (priced between $16,000-$25,000 a night).
Courtesy Peninsula Paris
While Paris has no shortage of luxury hotels and suites, I think what’s unique about the Peninsula’s top tier rooms is the way they marry the grand Haussmannian architecture with more restrained, contemporary furnishings and cutting edge technology including LED touch screen wall panels for operating lights and temperature control and a digital bedside panel, developed by the Peninsula Group, that allows you to control the TV and communicate with valet.
The one-bedroom Peninsula Suite is the largest at 3,420 square feet and has a salon with a grand piano, a dining room, two dressing rooms and two bathrooms with Spanish and Italian marble. The layout and architecture is traditional Haussmann with high ceilings and large windows that flood the space with natural light, but the decor is a mix of contemporary and art deco with flourishes like a white high-backed settee, Tai Ping carpets, and Baccarat chandeliers.
The Peninsula Suite’s elegant bedroom. Courtesy Peninsula Paris
The Katara Suite is perched on the sixth floor, and is a Parisian couple’s fantasy penthouse. The 1,991 square foot suite features a more contemporary grey color scheme and modern artworks including a white blown glass chandelier over the dining room table.
The Katara Suite terrace.
Two spectacular outdoor spaces include a large rectangular terrace off the living room and a 1,990 square foot rooftop garden (nearly as big as the actual apartment) that offers one of Paris’ best views—you can see all of the city’s iconic landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
The dining room in the Katara Suite . Courtesy Peninsula Paris.
The two-bedroom Historic Suite would have been one of the original Presidential Suites when the hotel (then the Hotel Majestic) opened in 1908. It has been completely restored by French artisans using old photographs and also retains its original winter garden, a gazebo like dining room with a glass ceiling.
The winter garden in the Historic Suite.
The 2,335 square-foot apartment has 11-foot tall ceilings, gold leaf accented crown molding, and Murano glass art pieces. The suite’s bedrooms feature original marble fireplaces, and oval black and white marble bathrooms—one with a leaf-motif mosaic above the bathtub that dates back to the turn of the century.
A mosaic that dates back to the turn of the century adorns one of the bathrooms in the Historic Suite.
There are other much more affordable ways to soak up the Belle Epoque era grandeur offered by the Peninsula Paris. The oak-paneled Le Bar Kléber is an elegant place for a pre or post dinner drink. Glasses of wine start at about 10 euros each and cocktails 20 euros.
Excellent cocktails are poured at Le Bar Kléber.
And for a treat, make reservations for Afternoon Tea in the lobby where you can choose between Traditional Afternoon Tea with scones, jams and cucumber sandwiches or the Afternoon Tea, by Pastry Chef Julien Alvarez that includes treats from his childhood like fig roll biscuits and pain perdue as well as a finger sandwich with 36-month old compté cheese and ham.
How do these suites compare to others you may have seen/stayed in? Let me know in the comments below.
For more information about the suites call +331 58 12 27 77.
