Why The Peninsula Paris should be your go-to hotel in the French capital

Paris is the most romantic city in the world, fact. From its gilded historic monuments to delicate pastries sold in cafes that sit on tree-lined streets, it lives up to its hype and then some.

Lean in to this sense of je ne sais quoi in the city of lights and stay at The Peninsula, a five-star hotel on Avenue Kleber, close to the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenues des Champs-Élysées, the city's most famous street.

Everything here oozes elegance; from the ornate front entrance, where doormen stand in fresh-pressed white uniforms, you can reach flagship Louis Vuitton, Dior and Chanel stores on foot, while high-end eateries such as Le Cinq and legendary shows at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Crazy Horse are also within walking distance. 

One problem: once you’re inside, you might not want to step back out until it’s time to go home. The marble-clad lobby is cavernous with a sweeping staircase and stunning crystal leaf ‘floating’ chandelier. This sleek period-meets-contemporary theme runs throughout the hotel. 

With the building taking up a whole city block it’s no surprise that it houses the longest swimming pool in the city and even standard double rooms are apartment-sized, a rarity in Paris.  

In our junior suite the bed is soft and enormous, there’s a dressing room and huge circular bathroom with white marble floors and double sink. The deep-soak bathtub has an integrated TV screen – pure Hollywood – while Toto electronic toilets come as standard. 

Need your shoes buffed before dinner? Pop them in a specially designated dumbwaiter and they’ll shoot downstairs and soon reappear gleaning. There’s a nail polish dryer, champagne stocked minibar and a daily-replenished fruit platter.

There’s plenty of opportunity to over-indulge here, but The Peninsula has just launched a new wellness programme called “Life Lived Best” which includes a 24-hour wellness concierge and in-app wellness portal. You can now request in-room gym equipment and nutritious menu options or take part in yoga sessions, guided meditations and a roster of well-being themed workshops (plant-based cooking, mindfulness etc.).

In the subterranean spa we found (the huge pool) a gym space, sauna and steam rooms, treatment rooms and personal trainers on standby. While I ignored the PTs, I’d highly recommend a customised facial. My therapist Sofia worked on my face, neck and shoulders for 90 minutes using Subtle Energies, an Australian skincare brand based on natural Ayurveda aromatherapy. The anti-aging serum infused with mogra and rose smelled divine and left my skin looking years younger.  

Keen joggers might be tempted to step outside for the “Culture Run,” a guided route under the Eiffel Tower, and all guests can borrow Peninsula-branded electric bikes. 

Holidays are, to me at least, all about balance, and so after all that exertion book a table at one of the hotel’s fabulous restaurants: L’Oiseau Blanc, on the top floor with panoramic views of Paris or LiLi, which has Hong Kong chef Ma Wing Tak at its helm serving gourmet Cantonese dishes. 

For a slice of Parisian cafe society, La Terrasse Kléber serves authentic French cuisine on a vast ground floor terrace. It's a dreamy spot we shared with a glam crowd enjoying birthday celebrations, romantic evenings and subdued family get-togethers. 

The food is outstanding and the service impeccable. As a carnivore in Paris, I ordered the roasted rib-eye steak from Normandy served rare with mashed potatoes, shallots and béarnaise sauce. For hungry seafood lovers the lobster Thermidor serves two and makes a delicious sharing option. 

Finish with a mature cheese selection or a sublime dessert such as the Peninsula in Pink, a praline “floating island” with vanilla custard or the melty fig pie with walnut biscuit and frozen cream. 

After three exquisite courses and wine pairings I can see why a jog around central Paris the next morning might be necessary, and in the city of lights, even a little romantic. 

peninsula.com