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Plaza Athénée
Plaza Athénée
Plaza Athénée

41

Plaza Athénée

Paris

Fashion-savvy palace

It rings a bell... That's because since opening in 1913, Plaza Athénée has been the bolthole of choice for every stripe of A-lister. Jackie Kennedy had a favourite table, Elizabeth Taylor spent six months here with her entourage and wayward husband and Taylor Swift namedrops the Palace (that's an official French accolade for the very swish-est of hotels) in her album The Life of a Showgirl. The word iconic gets bandied about a lot, but if any stay deserves the adjective, it's this Avenue Montaigne address with its Carrie Bradshaw-approved Eiffel Tower views.

What's the vibe? Quiet luxury this isn't. Plaza Athénée's illustrious history and prime position in Paris's Golden Triangle ensures a steady stream of fashion royalty struts through its revolving Art Deco door. The hotel has fully embraced its see-and-be-seen reputation: avenue-facing Terrasse Montaigne has strategically positioned banquettes from which to scrutinise the well-heeled passersby, while informal dining spot La Galerie doubles as a catwalk for celebs heading to their suites. Thankfully, the hotel has held on to the playful, generous spirit that made its name in the Roaring Twenties, with just the right amount of glitz (gilding, marble, opulent chandeliers) to keep punters happy.

Fashion credentials: Plaza Athénée shares a long history with Christian Dior, who set up his atelier right across the street to attract its well-heeled clientele. The couturier's paradigm-shifting New Look collection debuted here with the hourglass Bar Suit inspired by the hotel's Art Deco cocktail den. Today, Le Bar is no less striking, with a billowing storm of Klein Blue fabric hanging over an opalescent resin bar designed by architects Jouin Manku. There's no pool, but Dior's legacy continues downstairs in the ivory spa, where seasonal Dior Skin Atelier facials and a light therapy suite offer relief to the jetlagged.

Eating and drinking There's an echo of Versailles at restaurant Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée, where the eponymous chef gathers diners around a 12-metre, Breccia marble-and-gilt rococo table d'hôte. His menu kickstarted the renaissance of maximalist French cuisine paying tribute to Carême, Escoffier and Goffe: expect whole turbot, lobster vol-au-vent and a theatrical reveal of cakes and pâtisseries. The more casual Le Relais Plaza is no less buzzy, dishing out pitch-perfect takes on brasserie classics – eggs mayo with caviar, say, or the sea bream gratin created by the chef's grandmother in 1962.

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