The most highly anticipated event of the summer: the opening of The Peninsula Paris on August 1, 2014

The Peninsula Paris

One of the city's most magnificent belle époque buildings is the main topic of Stephane's and my conversations whenever we drive down Avenue Kleber. And, it has been ever since we moved to Paris at the beginning of 2011. The sight of its creamy limestone facade, previously obscured by scaffolding, never ceased to spark speculation about when the former Hotel Majestic would re-open its doors, this time as The Peninsula Paris.

Teams of skilled craftsmen were observed entering the hotel and rumors circulated about the $580 million being spent on renovations. News that the Hotel Majestic's 400 rooms had been reduced to 200 and that the basement had been converted into a spa and parking garage with a paparazzi-free entrance only served to increase our anticipation. Located just steps away from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées, The Peninsula Paris is the first foray into the European market for the Hong Kong based luxury property group, The Peninsula Hotels. No expense has been spared to transform the formerly grand hotel, where George Gershwin composed "An American in Paris" in 1928, into a thoroughly contemporary one.

To ensure that the design of the hotel rooms would work in the real world, identical mock-ups of the Paris rooms were created in Hong Kong. From 2011-12, "guests" tested everything from the beds to the layout of the bathroom. When the team learned that daytime viewing of a hidden Mirror-TV was impossible, the design was replaced by a built-in television cabinet flanked by a hidden mini-bar and built-in espresso machine. The color scheme was modified and some of the furniture was changed when feedback revealed that the mock-up rooms didn't feel Parisian enough. Equipped with revolutionary in-room tablet technology that sets new standards for guest personalization, The Peninsula Paris boasts the most bespoke guest rooms in the world.

To learn more about the fascinating history of the building and the meticulous restoration project that required the ancestral savoir-faire of highly skilled craftsmen, here's a beautifully produced video that will give you a sneak peek inside The Peninsula Paris. They've done a remarkable job preserving the heritage, authenticity and spirit of the building, while setting spectacular new standards in design, luxury and comfort.


Now that we know the exact date that The Peninsula Paris will open, Stéphane and I are discussing whether our initial visit should include drinks on the rooftop terrace or the celebrated Peninsula Afternoon Tea.

If I seem over-the-top excited about the opening of Paris's newest luxury hotel, it's because I am. Our family has fond memories of The Peninsula Manila. It was our first "home" when we moved to the Philippines many years ago. And, I've never been able to forget their mango juice. It's the best in the world!

The Peninsula Paris - Opening August 1, 2014
19 Avenue Kléber
75116 Paris
01 58 12 28 88

The main entrance of The Peninsula Paris on Avenue Kleber

Comments

Post a Comment