Luxury Travel Advisor - June 2008 - (Page 14)

LE BAR 228 at Le Meurice had a makeover in December 2007 at the hands of Philippe Starck, who chose a dark palette and dramatic furnishings. loyal clientele, some guests granting decades of patronage. Head Concierge Eric Lemaire (concierge@hotel-lancaster.fr) can arrange the seemingly impossible. For example: When a loyal repeat American guest was looking to buy a chateau in the countryside where his family had originated, the Hotel Lancaster scouted the region and, after extensive research, located the ideal property. In examining a photo of the house, the Lancaster team noticed a marble plaque commemorating one of his ancestors, a missionary who had been canonized by the Pope, born in the house in 1809. The guest was delighted by the Lancaster’s sleuthwork, snatched up the property (not without help from the hotel about French property laws) and recently invited the entire Lancaster team to spend a weekend there. The devoted concierge team can also arrange private dinners in a French aristocrat’s house, helicopter tours of Paris, private Seine cruises aboard luxury boats and black-and-white portraits from the famous Harcourt photography studio. Luxury Travel Advisor also stopped by Le Meurice (www. lemeurice.com) to check out the new Philippe Starck redesign. Standing proud on rue de Rivoli opposite the Jardin des Tuileries, ideally situated between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, Le Meurice has long been the favorite of celebrities, royalty and society figures (hence its nickname, “the hotel of kings”). General Manager Franka Holtman commissioned the legendary designer to re-imagine the hotel’s public spaces, while celebrating its rich, glamorous history. The hotel’s new culinary concept, Le Dalí restaurant, is dramatic. The surrealist painter Salvador Dalí regularly stayed at Le Meurice. (He was known for his outrageous requests, among them asking the staff to capture flies for him in the garden and demanding that a herd of sheep be brought to his room, which he “shot” at with a blanksfilled pistol.) Starck infused his signature style into a Dalí-esque wonderland, where chairs have feet shaped like ladies’ shoes. The crowning achievement is the giant gold canvas suspended from the ceiling painted by Starck’s daughter Ara, who happens to be a talented contemporary artist. Here, guests can sample light fare at Le Dalí, but they can’t miss a meal at Restaurant le Meurice, awarded three Michelin stars in 2007 for Yannick Alléno’s culinary masterpieces. One of the superstars of French gastronomy, the head chef takes his inspiration from the Parisian “terroir” and utilizes ingredients from the surrounding region: Milly La Forêt mint and honey from the beehives nurtured on the roof of the Paris Opera. A meal here is also a feast for the eyes; the cuisine is presented on gorgeous tableware designed by the chef himself, and your clients can take in the view of the Tuileries gardens while surrounded by marble, gilded doors and magnificent frescoes. Also suggest a cocktail at Le Bar 228, reinterpreted by Starck in December 2007 with dark wood, leather and a ceiling handpainted to depict the evening sky, where your clients can sample one of 50 whiskeys. Recommend a specialty drink like the Champagne Starcky, made with champagne, fresh ginger and mint leaves, or the King Alfonso, named for Spain’s King Alfonso XIII, the bar’s first client. This posh pied-à-terre offers 160 soundproofed rooms decorated with period furnishings and opulent fabrics. The best room in the house (and the one favored by visiting celebrities) is the seventh-floor Belle Etoile Suite, boasting a 360-degree view of Paris from its terrace. Each floor of this sumptuous palace hotel has a different style: The high-ceilinged Presidential Suites are designed in the Louis XVI style; the second and third floors are less ornamental and preferred by business travelers; the fourth and fifth floors have floral motifs and décor conjuring the Petit Trianon in Versailles; the six floor resembles Parisian apartments with fabric-coated walls. Tip: The hotel offers signature bicycles for guests to explore Paris. After the resounding success of Vélib, the city’s citywide bicycle lending program, Le Meurice has introduced its very own stylish two-wheelers. 14 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | June 2008 http://www.lemeurice.com http://www.lemeurice.com

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Luxury Travel Advisor - June 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Paris Shanghai New York Takeover Hotels Townhouse Galleria Florida Spas BVI Bliss Athens, Greece Rainforest Excursions Nigel Page The Pulse Jetset Report Just Back On Location Sightings Agent Access Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - June 2008

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