This Renewed 5-star Lodge in Paris Has A number of the Finest 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 by means of its darkish wood-and-glass doorways. In spite of everything, the lodge, 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, for the reason that Nineteen Nineties. “The lodge close to Pierre Gagnaire” was how I used to be directed to it after 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 lodge.

Right now, the lodge is without doubt one of 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 lodge 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. Company are checked in by way of 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 lodge vibe with a contemporary twist all through the lodge, a characteristic that trickles all the way down to the digital keys wrapped in leather-based tassels meant to be left at reception whereas exploring town. In some way, the lodge has managed to drag off a pure magnificence that different Parisian motels have struggled with for years — there’s the unbelievable capacity to supply trendy know-how with out shedding the hyperlink to private contact.

The lodge has a wealthy historical past of internet hosting writers, artists, and poets — and the positioning was as soon as the house of French novelist Honoré de Balzac — and the property has reclaimed its storied magnificence by means of 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 Lodge 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. “Your 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 and marketing, instructed Journey + Leisure. “The tip of the Thirties was the top of Artwork Deco and Japanism, so to create a timeless, soothing ambiance 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 Lodge Balzac’s signature expertise of mixing high-end know-how with actually significant private touches — like personalized cocktails or framed marriage ceremony photos on anniversaries. Underneath its new possession and a brand new aesthetic, the Lodge Balzac is a celebration of the previous and but additionally a really refreshing instance of how genuine human interplay can profit modernity in an expensive, and sure, quintessentially Parisian method.

Learn on for my full evaluate of Paris’ new Lodge Balzac.

The Rooms

The lodge 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 lodge’s “quiet luxurious” ethos. Picket-handled Bodrum tea kettles and Sjösrand Nespresso espresso makers are commonplace and complimented by a rotating collection 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 deliver 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 ground 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 lodge, a secret door leads on to the restaurant, and the brand new lodge administration has an excellent 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.)

Lodge-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 every day breakfasts served reverse a grand hearth. Just some steps down from the lounge is the Balzac Bar, with its Parisian speakeasy vibes and moody lighting. The bar’s wine listing 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 lodge that prioritizes private interplay, it’s no shock that its concierge companies are second to none. Restaurant reservations and purchasing experiences are day by day asks, however even suggestions, like the place to search out the perfect croissants on the town, are a part of the coaching for the educated employees. The lodge operates a small however mighty health room, which incorporates weight machines, cardio tools, 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 remedies and naturopathy care below 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 lodge’s wellness choices.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The lodge provides three accessible rooms and a wheelchair carry.

Together with incorporating second-hand furnishings into the designs, the lodge made important 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 obtainable in bigger codecs to eradicate the necessity for single-use merchandise. The lodge limits the change of sheets and towels and established a complete system for sorting, recycling, and lowering waste all through the constructing.

Location

The Lodge Balzac advantages from its ideally suited location simply off the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, narrowly avoiding the overly touristic foot visitors from which motels immediately on the busy avenue endure. The sidewalks are walkable, and the streets are quiet across the lodge — with a celebrated French cinema sharing a reputation only a few ft away — whereas only a few blocks away, all of Paris’ busiest purchasing locations may be discovered. The closest Metro cease is George V, which connects vacationers to town by way of Metro line 1 and just about eliminates the necessity for a automotive. Moreover, quite a few bus routes go close to this common space, and it’s simple to stroll across the space, with the Arc de Triomphe only a brief eight-minute stroll from the lodge’s entrance door. Listed below are some extra native tips about organizing your journey to the Metropolis of Lights.

Tips on how to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Lodge 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. E book throughout the Paris low season (sometimes between December and February) to make the most of the 12 months’s lowest costs.