With the feel of a bourgeois Parisian home or private members club rather than a hotel, La Réserve is testament to the time during the 19th-century when Baron Haussmann was reinventing Paris one brick at a time. What appears discreet and unassuming on the outside though is exhilarating and unabashed on the inside. The interior has grand, airy spaces, each with their own style and décor but all with a warm and engaging atmosphere and a truly personalised service.
Suites and rooms are quintessentially chic – think silk hung walls, damascene brocade taffeta, velvet drapes, waffle weave fabrics, herringbone oak parquet, Carrara and Turquin blue marble bathrooms and unique pieces of antique furniture. Each suite has its own wine cellar along with a dedicated butler who ensures homelike comfort in a supremely discrete way but rest assured, whichever room you’re in, you’ll enjoy some seriously special treatment.
Although the hotel is centrally located on the 8th arrondissement and perfectly poised for strolling the streets of the City of Lights, exploring the hidden corners in order to stumble on secret treasures or cruising the Seine, forget the hustle and bustle of discovering the city for a while and take a dip in the 16m indoor pool (a rarity in Paris) or sign up for a session in one of the spa rooms clustered around it; the hotel is famous for its pioneering anti-ageing treatments.
In the evening, start by ordering a perfectly balanced cocktail from the creative list at Le Bar or sip your favourite vintage wines in the Library. Then enjoy the tasting menu at double-Michelin-starred Le Gabriel or take your taste buds on a culinary tour of the spice route at La Pagode de Cos – in a city with such an exciting dining scene, La Réserve rises to the challenge with two unforgettable gourmet experiences. Once you’ve had enough of fine dining, retire to the sultry, intimate bar after for a secret assignation. Oh là là!