Le Meurice

Le Meurice Review

Located between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre on the Rue de Rivoli this fashionable hotel has hosted numerous luminaries. Guestrooms are decorated in the Louis XVI style and are soundproofed. A fax machine is available upon request. There's a spa, fitness center, two restaurants and bar on site. Philippe Starck, taking inspiration from Dali's works and the hotel's historic past, designed the common areas.

We checked in to a junior suite with a view of the street. Opening the doors to the Juliet balconies afforded an indirect view of the Eiffel Tower. The room was very pink and Parisian, with striped wallpaper and Louis XVI chairs. The grand marble bathroom had a sunken whirlpool bathtub and a separate shower, naturally with fluffy robes and slippers provided. We were grateful for the large closet with shelves and a safe.

More recently renovated guest rooms have a neutral palette of grey and white highlighted with silver; the effect is quite old-school glamorous.

The Belle Etoile Suite takes up the entire top floor of the hotel and affords amazing panoramic views of Paris. Lounging on the large L-shaped terrace, you can gaze upon the Eiffel Tower. Even enjoying a soak in the large bathtub, you can flip a switch and turn the picture window from opaque to transparent for a memorable Tower view.

Breakfast was a highlight here, in large part because of the sumptuous surroundings. The ornate dining room was bright with huge chandeliers, paintings, marble walls and even an ice sculpture. As I settled into what they called the "queen chair" an attendant hurried out with a tiny table for my purse to rest on. Service was excellent, and everyone was patient and so polite as we practiced our broken French. We are trying, we explained apologetically. Don't worry, said the manager with a smile, motioning to our waiter, so is he.

Bar 228 is cozy and dark, with a nightly jazz trio and comfy leather chairs. The lobby is dominated by the "casual" restaurant, Le Dali. Look around for surreal Dali-inspired touches here, in the lobby and in the bar. The food at Dali was excellent, if pricey; with the exchange rate, a bowl of gazpacho set us back $35, and the sommelier suggested wine that was $40 per glass.

The stunning entrance, manned by doormen donning top hats, lies just across the street from the Tulleries, where a summer fair was set up. The Louvre is just down the street. The street outside is heavily trafficked by both cars and pedestrians and lined with upscale shops, souvenir stores and sidewalk cafes ideal for people watching. We were impressed with L'Imperial (240 rue de Rivoli), where we shared a bottle of wine and affordably feasted on salmon tartare, mussels au gratin and French onion soup. (Reviewed 10/28/2009:00)

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Le Meurice is located: overlooking the Tuileries Gardens
228 Rue de Rivoli, Paris, 75001 France
Phone: 33 1 44581010;
Email: reservations@lemeurice.com
Web site: Le Meurice

^{As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.}