This Renewed 5-star Resort in Paris Has A few of the Greatest Eiffel Tower Views within the Metropolis

Once I arrived at Hôtel Balzac for its opening day post-renovation and rebranding, it was not my first time getting into via its darkish wood-and-glass doorways. In any case, the resort, simply steps from the glitzy Avenue des Champs-Élysées, has occupied the precise location for many years, sharing its entryway with Pierre Gagnaire, the celebrated three Michelin-starred restaurant, because the Nineteen Nineties. “The resort close to Pierre Gagnaire” was how I used to be directed to it once I had arrived practically a decade prior. Again then, few had heard of the Hôtel Balzac, and the property struggled to face out amongst its glamorous Parisian neighbors, however that has all modified now that hospitality mastermind Olivier Bertrand took over and breathed new life into this historic resort.

At the moment, the resort is among the most desired boutique bookings within the Metropolis of Lights, and I all however sprinted to be one of many first to see the reimagined resort when it opened on June 3, 2024.

 I used to be instantly taken by the nice and cozy wooden ceilings and contrasting non-polished marbled flooring as I used to be ushered to the white sofas lining the foyer for a glass of water. The symmetry was evident, with silver trays on every white ottoman, as they introduced me a gently cooled welcome drink. Friends are checked in through iPads whereas they lounge on the living-room-style sofas or on the best way to their rooms for a straightforward and seamless check-in expertise. There’s an evident old-school resort vibe with a contemporary twist all through the resort, a function that trickles all the way down to the digital keys wrapped in leather-based tassels meant to be left at reception whereas exploring the town. In some way, the resort has managed to tug off a pure class that different Parisian inns have struggled with for years — there’s the unimaginable means to supply trendy expertise with out dropping the hyperlink to non-public contact.

The resort has a wealthy historical past of internet hosting writers, artists, and poets — and the location was as soon as the house of French novelist Honoré de Balzac — and the property has reclaimed its storied class via a considerate redesign from designers Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen. The duo is thought for the best way they reimagine interiors inside their very own context, and as an alternative of inserting their very own fashion into Resort Balzac’s redesign, they used the “soul of the constructing” itself as inspiration for reinventing the property’s Parisian id. The general public areas are understated but refined, beginning with the glass-roofed lounge that doubles because the breakfast room and results in a sunken speakeasy-esque bar with low lighting and excessive ceilings. “The complete property has been imagined as a tribute to the golden years of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées,” Nicolas Egloff, director of gross sales and advertising, advised Journey + Leisure. “The tip of the Thirties was the tip of Artwork Deco and Japanism, so to create a timeless, soothing environment is sort of a shelter from the Human Comedy [a reference to Balzac’s masterpiece].”

Impartial tones and minimalist strains play out within the public areas, however the corridors to the rooms are a bit extra playful with a gilded age motif and black doorways outlined in gold. The 58 visitor rooms return to the subdued aesthetic however, extra importantly, return to Resort Balzac’s signature expertise of mixing high-end expertise with actually significant private touches — like custom-made cocktails or framed wedding ceremony footage on anniversaries. Below its new possession and a brand new aesthetic, the Resort Balzac is a celebration of the previous and but additionally a really refreshing instance of how genuine human interplay can profit modernity in an opulent, and sure, quintessentially Parisian means.

Learn on for my full evaluation of Paris’ new Resort Balzac.

The Rooms

The resort has 58 rooms and suites, starting from a 215-square-foot “Boudoir” room to the 1,140-square-foot, two-room Ciel de Paris suite. Every brings its personal sense of Parisian aesthetic whereas remaining genuine to the resort’s “quiet luxurious” ethos. Wood-handled Bodrum tea kettles and Sjösrand Nespresso espresso makers are commonplace and complimented by a rotating choice of house-made liqueurs within the minibar with accompanying in-room cocktail books. Excessive ceilings give a way of grandeur, whereas {custom} velvet sofas and lounge chairs carry a textural sense of livable luxurious. Plush king beds are commonplace in all of the suites, with soaking tubs and French Diptyque tub merchandise in all classes of rooms. The highest flooring is split into two suites — the Terrace Suite and the Ciel de Paris Suite — every with non-public terraces and uninterrupted views of the Eiffel Tower.

Meals and Drink

Though Pierre Gagnaire’s celebrated restaurant is impartial of the resort, a secret door leads on to the restaurant, and the brand new resort administration has an incredible relationship with the famend chef. (The one distinction between Gagnaire’s restaurant and one that’s related is the power to cost the meal to the room.)

Resort-run eating features a glass-roofed foyer lounge that hosts gourmand snacks — i.e., truffled croque-monsieurs and the well-known chocolat chaud from Angelina — and each day breakfasts served reverse a grand fire. Only a few steps down from the lounge is the Balzac Bar, with its Parisian speakeasy vibes and moody lighting. The bar’s wine checklist is a who’s-who of French winemakers, with artistic cocktail names and upscale bar snacks, like Petrossian caviar and Bellota ham from Spain.

Actions and Experiences

As a resort that prioritizes private interplay, it’s no shock that its concierge companies are second to none. Restaurant reservations and procuring experiences are day-after-day asks, however even ideas, like the place to search out the most effective croissants on the town, are a part of the coaching for the educated workers. The resort operates a small however mighty health room, which incorporates weight machines, cardio gear, and a studio area that hosts common yoga lessons, however the crowning jewel of its wellness choices is its Ikoi Spa. The spa partnered with French model Omnisens to supply natural therapies and naturopathy care beneath the lens of Japanese methods, the place massages are held each on the desk or tatami mats. A dreamy plunge pool and heated sauna spherical out the resort’s wellness choices.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The resort presents three accessible rooms and a wheelchair carry.

Together with incorporating second-hand furnishings into the designs, the resort made vital upgrades to the property’s sustainability efforts, putting in strain reducers to preserve water and putting in presence detectors with LED lighting. All in-room merchandise are natural and made in France and are solely out there in bigger codecs to remove the necessity for single-use merchandise. The resort limits the change of sheets and towels and established a complete system for sorting, recycling, and decreasing waste all through the constructing.

Location

The Resort Balzac advantages from its ultimate location simply off the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, narrowly avoiding the overly touristic foot site visitors from which inns immediately on the busy avenue undergo. The sidewalks are walkable, and the streets are quiet across the resort — with a celebrated French cinema sharing a reputation only a few toes away — whereas only a few blocks away, all of Paris’ busiest procuring locations will be discovered. The closest Metro cease is George V, which connects vacationers to the town through Metro line 1 and just about eliminates the necessity for a automotive. Moreover, quite a few bus routes move close to this standard space, and it’s straightforward to stroll across the space, with the Arc de Triomphe only a brief eight-minute stroll from the resort’s entrance door. Listed here are some extra native recommendations on organizing your journey to the Metropolis of Lights.

Methods to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Resort Balzac is a Relais & Châteaux property, and members of the Relais & Châteaux Visitor Recognition Programme can obtain perks like curated reward bins with eating advantages and spa privileges, in addition to personalised service primarily based on particular person profiles and preferences. Guide in the course of the Paris low season (sometimes between December and February) to benefit from the yr’s lowest costs.