YES, PARIS IS THE CITY OF LOVE—but not just in the romantic sense. It also thrives on decadence and the freedom to shamelessly go all in. Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris, the first hotel from the famed French gourmet foods brand, fully embraces this ethos. It is located in a historic building on Place de la Madeleine, and its DNA is born out of epicurean delights and fanciful glam objects. With just 54 rooms (including 17 suites), it falls into the boutique category, but the bold decor—featuring velvety furnishings, black-stained herringbone-parquet floors and shades of vibrant Fauchon fuchsia and soft dusty rose—brings a sense of all-encompassing grandeur. Rooms are also equipped with a Dyson hair dryer in a chic pink case, Carita amenities and plush robes and slippers that come in two sizes.

The pièce de résistance? The custom-made (designed by Roche Bobois) over-1.5-metre-tall metallic-pink cabinet included in each room. It’s filled with gourmet food daily, according to your sweet or savoury tastes (you’re asked to divulge your predilections when you check in), and everything (think macarons, madeleines and even foie gras and champagne) is included in your room rate. Irresistible food options aren’t contained to the “mini” bar. The Grand Café Fauchon—with an outdoor terrace that is perfect for people-watching—serves different menus all day, and the in-room service has chefs complete and plate select dishes in your room.

In between delectables, head to the jewel-box-esque spa, also stocked with Carita products, for a customized treatment. For example, you can book a massage and choose from a variety of relaxing oils, some with notes of chocolate, coconut or peach. If you can tear yourself away from the lavishness, you can also book a jogging coach, who will take you running along the Champs-Élysées, or a private shopper, who will create a shopping excursion tailored to your style. You’ll leave a truly pampered Parisian.

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Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris

 

BY THE BOOK(ING)

Some things are great last-minute decisions: a late-night cocktail with friends, for example. Others, like locking in a hotel for Fashion Week, not so much. After I finally got my schedule in order, the options for a place to stay in Paris offered by our office travel agent were either so far out of the city I’d be spending more time commuting than couturing or hovered dangerously close to Birkin-bag-level costs. A Google search took me to Booking.com, where hotels that showed up as unavailable on other sites popped up with options—which I drilled down even further into those with the best proximity to the shows. (You can also use the site to book restaurants or car rentals.) I snagged a room at a luxe hotel, proving that procrastination sometimes has its perks.

This article first appeared in the May 2019 issue of ELLE Canada.