Philippe Starck is one of the most prolific designers in the world, creating everything from staplers to wind turbines and from furniture to superyachts, such as Steve Jobs’ Venus and the breathtaking Motor Yacht A.
Fortunately for visitors to the French capital, the talented Frenchman also found time to undertake a few hotel restorations, including a two-year transformation of “palace hotel” Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, which resulted in a true work of art.
It’s not just dazzling to see, I discover. Boasting a very elegant facade, this property pampers and soothes with a stunning spa and lavish bedrooms – and offers top quality palates thanks to excellent restaurants.
Add to that impeccable service – no Parisian hubris here – and a winning location on Avenue Hoche near the Arc de Triomphe, and you have a hotel that can do virtually no wrong.
There is also a fascinating history behind the property.
Ted Thornhill checks into ‘palace-rated’ hotel Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris. Pictured above is the ‘ethereal’ pool
Philippe Starck oversaw a two-year transformation of Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris
After opening in 1928, it became a meeting place of choice for artists and intellectuals, with guests including singer and actor Maurice Chevalier and American novelist Ernest Hemingway.
After World War II, Ho Chi Minh stayed in the property for seven weeks during the Fontainebleau Conference, which would determine the future of Franco-Vietnamese relations. Then, in May 1948, David Ben Gourion and Golda Meir signed the birth certificate of the State of Israel on their property.
Prestigious guests came, returned and met: novelist Joseph Kessel, Walt Disney, the Maharajas of Indore and Kashmir, King Farouk of Egypt, the Aga Khan. Madonna, Robert de Niro, Lou Reed and Sofia Coppola would later follow in their footsteps.
One draw for Hollywood types is the chic of the hotel Cinema with 99 seatsdescribed as ‘the best private cinema in Europe’ by Gilles Jacob, former president of the Cannes Film Festival.
Ted will be staying in a £2,300-a-night junior suite of 64 square meters (689 square feet) (above)
Ted says the piece de resistance in his junior suite is the jewel-like bathroom, which is very similar to the one pictured above
After the hotel opened in 1928, it became a meeting place of choice for artists and intellectuals, with guests including singer and actor Maurice Chevalier and American novelist Ernest Hemingway.
In April 2023 me, my partner and our excited five-year-old daughter will follow in the footsteps of the rich and famous.
We are housed in a 64 square foot (689 square meter) junior suite at £2,300 per night, which I find somewhat astounding. It exudes luxurious glamor in a positive way.
At this point it would be traditional to point to the piece de resistance of the room. But the standout features spin in my head like items on a game show wheel — two giant 42-inch TVs hidden in mirrors…swivel, twist…a gorgeous king-sized bed with goose-down bedding and a wraparound headboard dotted with convenient electrical outlets. .. turn, turn… the eclectic furnishings, including a fashionable chaise longue and beautiful Art Deco lamp… the turn is slow… and unwinding at the top is the unparalleled bathroom, accessed through huge wooden sliding doors in the living room.
It is a dazzling jewel-like space with two mirrored walls suspended from huge mirrors with reflective frames. The free-standing racks are also fully reflective. (Thankfully, the floor remains opaque.)
A beautiful white freestanding bath and double rectangular white sinks dissipate the energy, while a rain shower at the end is pure joy. We also like the Clarins toiletries.
Pictured above is Matsuhisa Paris, by world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa. This is also the location for breakfast
Dreamscape: The underground spa is described by the hotel as a ‘white paradise’
Honestly, I could spend the rest of my days in this suite. Or maybe make it ‘this hotel’.
The ethereal dreamscape of a subterranean spa enchants in equal measure. Billed as a ‘white paradise’ (white is the unmistakable theme), the piece de resistance here is easier to locate – the 23-metre otherworldly pool, bathed in natural light thanks to multiple skylights, reserved on either side by white curtains, and featuring a huge mirrored wall (on the remote chance you missed your reflection in the bedroom bathroom).
There is also a 35C Turkish bath to laze in and luxurious (white) sofas to recline on the landward side.
Yum is the word: the Italian restaurant Il Carpaccio of Le Royal Monceau, awarded with a Michelin star
After World War II, Ho Chi Minh spent seven weeks in the property during the Fontainebleau Conference, which would determine the future of Franco-Vietnamese relations. Then, in May 1948, David Ben Gourion and Golda Meir signed the birth certificate of the State of Israel on their property
An attraction for Hollywood types is the posh 99-seat cinema (above), described as ‘the best private cinema in Europe’ by Gilles Jacob, former president of the Cannes Film Festival
Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris features a very well-stocked art bookshop next to the lobby
The hotel also shines on the ground floor.
Here is a very chic bar, the Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Il Carpaccio (closed during our visit) and Matsuhisa Paris, from world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, where we enjoy a seven-course sushi-themed extravaganza in a beautiful setting – a pillared room with huge metal lampshades hanging over the tables at the sides.
Breakfast is served in the same room and is very impressive, with a buffet stocked with exquisite croissants and pain au chocolat, and lively waiting staff bringing the morning papers to the table, a choice of salted and unsalted butter, perfect eggs with soldiers and great coffee served in mirrored coffee cups by Philippe Starck and porcelain maker Raynaud that are adorned with bright red lips.
A pleasant whimsical touch in a hotel that always appeals. Time to find out what Philippe Starck has done with the humble stapler…