By Naomi Serviss
The French know how to run some fabulous hotels, and the Inter-Continental Paris proves that point in more ways than one.
If celebrity-seeking is what you’re after, this is the place. If the excitement of seeing diplomatic soirees gets your attention, there’s no better spot. And if exemplary service, beautifully appointed rooms and stunning grand salons and knock-out views are important, look no further. I know this sounds like a paid advertisement, but believe me, I receive bupkis for this review. In an era of total disclosure, however, I must admit I was hosted gratis. But I never let that throw my objectivity, regardless of experience.
And to be honest, this hotel provided one of the most relaxing environments I have had while staying in this charming metropolis. This hotel offered one of the most remarkable vantage points to be seen in the City of Light. Overlooking the Tuileries Gardens, the Hotel Inter-Continental is a few steps or Metro stops from the Place Vendome, Place de la Concorde, the Faubourg St. Honore and the Champs-Elysees.
Galleries, exquisite shops, museums and theaters are minutes away and this is the perfect location from which to plan some serious tourism. Let me begin by describing the grand salon, “Salon Concorde.” I think they named it that because it looks big enough to house a Concorde plane.
Topped by a glass pyramid, evoking the controversial Louvre Museum, this gorgeous room can accommodate up to 2,400 people. The restaurant, Brasserie du Café, offers (what else?) refined French food in a classic setting. The Salon Opera is one of the most famous ballrooms in all of Paris and a favorite venue for haute couture fashion shows, gala dinners, conferences and major events. You never know who you might find sitting in the lobby. And I’m sworn to secrecy, so don’t even bother to ask.
From fashion shows to coming-out parties, this site has provided lodging for royal gentry, celebrities du jour and the hoi polloi (like myself) for the last several centuries. The main entrance hall has been built on the site of a former refectory, so add religious linkage to its impressive history. The Salon Aiglon could very well be mistaken for a room in the Louvre, with its ceiling of intricate frescoes, gold leaf mouldings and golden sculptured angels. Candelabras, red ornate draperies and faux gold ornamentation throughout provide a stunning contrast to 21st century reality outside the main entrance.
After countless chapters in the tumultuous Parisian history tome and a $70 million renovation from 1995-1998, this site has managed to meld remnants of the distant and recent past, with a goal always to serve a clientele both demanding and grateful.
The Hotel has 479 guest rooms, including 80 suites and two restaurants, a bar and lobby lounge. An Oriental Wellness Center offers exotic massage treatments and Moroccan specialties, including a hamman (steam bath), gym, a whirlpool, two Finnish saunas and a spa worth checking out.
The individual rooms are comfortable, beautifully appointed and most importantly (to me, anyway!) the bathrooms have been perfectly remodeled with charming marble adornments and contemporary amenities.
I heartily recommend a visit to this wonderful hotel. And if you can’t afford an overnight, at least enjoy the restaurant!
