Fashionable Parisian Hotels With A Story To Tell: Check In Here

Paris Fashion Week kicks off on Monday 24th February, and whilst we might not all have a golden ticket to get in, there are other ways of immersing yourself in Paris’ fashionable world.

Here we round up some of the hotels to check in to during the event, with designer décor and fashionable stories to tell.

Ritz Paris

The most famous guest of the Ritz Paris was of course Coco Chanel, who moved in to a suite at the hotel in 1937 (which she was allowed to decorate with her own favourite pieces of furniture), living there until her death in 1971. To honour the designer, the hotel has since named a Prestige Suite after her, which is furnished solely in black and white, her signature colours, and with art work from her own personal collection, giving guests a chance to see some of her possessions that most of us won’t ever get a chance to see. The hotel continues to have a strong link with the design house, and in December 2016, a few months after the Ritz reopened its doors to show off its lavish refurbishment, Karl Lagerfeld chose to host Chanel’s 2017 Métiers d’Art Collection at the hotel, which was inspired by 1920s and 20s Paris and a time when the likes of Chanel and other elegant ladies would meet at the iconic address. Gianni Versace was also a huge fan of the Ritz, and also held many of his own shows there.

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The Westin Paris Vendôme

Unbeknown to many guests, hidden in the Westin Paris Vendôme are two magnificent “secret” ballrooms, where high ceilings, gilded gold finishings and chandeliers invoke the feeling of being in a palace, right on the rue de Rivoli. It was in one of these ballrooms, the salon Impérial, where where Yves Saint Laurent held many défilés (catwalk shows) throughout his career, notably his Opéra Ballet Russe collection in 1976, and what was to be his last-ever Haute Couture collection on 12^th July 2001. The rooms can also be privatised for events such as weddings, but if you ask the concierge nicely they might let you take a quick peek if they’re free.

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Hôtel Plaza Athénée

© Julio Piatti

Ever since Dior opened his first boutique on the Avenue Montaigne in 1946, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée has had a strong relationship with the design house. The couturier was a regular visitor, and not only named two of his creations Plaza and Athénée in honour of the hotel, but his iconic Bar suit was inspired by the oh-so-chic ladies who visited the bar. These days the hotel has repaid the compliment, naming its luxury spa after the designer and dedicating the Haute Couture Suite to him, but if you really want to soak up the fashionable history, then head to the restaurant, Le Relais Plaza. It is here where Dior used to send his models for dinner, wearing his latest creations to show them off to the female diners. In fact, they would come here so often they even had their own menu. The restaurant was also a regular haunt of Yves Saint Laurent. However, Sex and the City fans will probably know the hotel better as the where the fashion-loving Carrie Bradshaw stayed during her ill-fated trip to Paris; ask for suite number 609 if you want to stay in the same room.

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Hôtel de Crillon

Fashion Week is sure to still be missing the genius of Karl Lagerfeld, but his style lives on not only in the DNA and history of Chanel, but also in a collection of Grand Appartements at the Hôtel de Crillon. Fans of the late designer will recognise his love of monochrome in the “Choupette” suite, named after his pampered cat and decorated in the chic shades of black and white which the designer favoured for his own wardrobe. In the Corcorde suite, Lagerfled indulged his love of 18^th century design with a Marie-Antoinette-style bed, chandeliers, bespoke furniture and a decadent marble bathroom, making this one of the most lavish hotels for a fashion week sejour.

Hôtel du Petit Moulin

The wonderfully tiny and historic Hôtel du Petit Moulin not only boasts a fashionable location in the heart of Le Marais, but it also has some fabulously decorated rooms thanks to French designer Christian Lacroix. As the story goes, when the hotel was originally purchased (by the previous owners), it was a very run down 1-star property; nothing like the 4-star you see now. At the time, Lacroix had his headquarters nearby, and the owners at the time would often see him on the street. One day, they decide to approach the designer, and ask him if he would like to help them renovate the hotel. It was a bold request which paid off: Lacroix agreed, adding his first-ever hotel to his design credentials, and creating one of the most unique addresses in Paris.