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 Once
upon a time Paris wasn’t so romantic, but as we revert back to the
city changes that made it so, it’s no surprise that the Hyatt Regency
Paris Madeleine is an architectural icon of this elegant, romanticized
city.
A short lesson in
French history – Paris circa 1850 had its fair share of dangerous and
destitute neighborhoods. Overpopulation and underemployment equaled, as
it does today, crime, disease, and even vampirism, to such an extent
that a neighborhood of narrow streets and downtrodden buildings north of
the Louvre nagged at the psyche of the city’s top bureaucrats. How to
flush out the unseemly and vile of Paris? Baron Georges Haussman, the
city’s top planner, forged ahead with a plan that would meet with far
less approval today. To get rid of the bad apples, he got rid of their
neighborhood. Tenements were replaced by “Haussman-era”
architectural marvels, the perimeters of downtown Paris were restored to
posh grandness, and today, it is this decisive decision by the famed
urban planner that was the conception of Paris’ internationally
renowned charm and grace.
One
such edifice contributing to the mystique of Paris is the Hyatt Regency,
located just two blocks from Les Champs Elysses and minutes by
foot La Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Found on the Boulevard
Malesherbes, this transformed residence allows guests to inhabit the
city as Parisian aristocrats once did. With the feeling of a peaceful
oasis in the restless downtown corridor, this 86-room hotel, complete
with rooftop garden terrace, is a grand centerpiece to a stay in Paris.
It is quintessentially Parisian, standing grand and graceful over the
promenade and offering easy access to the city’s great cultural
attractions and its phenomenal shopping district, located on the
boulevard named for the city planner that erected the building. Tourists
and businesspersons alike will adore the classic interior d esign,
where classic patterns and Pierre Frey fabrics offset hardwood
furnishings in cherry and sycamore. Rooms are cozy, but one should never
expect suite-like sprawl in such an antique building. The rooms are
standard, but the environment unforgettable. Artist Natalie Schmitt was
commissioned by the hotel to paint a personal portrait of some evocation
of the Parisian landscape that particularly affected
her. The result is a unique piece in each suite, a poetic vision of the
country’s capital by a local painter who finds inspiration each day in
the vibrant streets. Draw back your own private curtains to look down at
the action on the promenade, relax with an in-house movie after a long
day wandering the streets, or prepare for the big meeting by making use
of high-speed Internet access available in each room.
Out
in the streets, the heritage and culture of downtown Paris is right at
your doorstep. Operas, concert hall, theatre, museums, exquisite
churches and beautiful galleries are all just steps from the hotel
entrance. Perhaps the great mark of an urban hotel is how often citizens
of the city can be seen wandering through its lobby or enjoying a
cocktail in the lounge after a performance nearby. Here, the supper
crowds flock into Café M for a feast, or settle in for a nice
late meal and a martini at La Chinoiserie. Executive chef Nicolas
Sale, who apprenticed under Pierre Gagnaire at the Hotel Four Seasons
Georges V, prepares a menu of the freshest produce that shifts in
accordance with the seasons. Under the glass roof of La Chinoiserie,
the dawn of new days begin as early as 6:30 a.m., when Viennese pastries
from the Laduree bakery, fresh teas, and eggs prepar ed
as you wish highlight the breakfast buffet. Lunches by the fireplace on
a rainy day tempt the divine, while a late romantic supper over a bottle
of Bordeaux, to toast either a love or a signed business deal, completes
the day perfectly. For a slightly less formal atmosphere, Café M
offers up bistro fare with fewer of the trappings of fine dining. Grab a
quick snack from the menu or order the daily special chalked on
the
board, or close down the evening with a port and a cigar from the
exceptional stock carried on hand.
Relaxation
is clearly paramount at the Hyatt, and no proverbial stone is left
unturned. From the turndown service to the floral arrangements found
throughout the lobby, that ambition carries into the Auriege
beauty salon, which offers treatments that guests can order in the
privacy of their own rooms. The actual spa, centered by a fountain, is a
great place for a heavy workout, a run on the treadmill, or for any type
of therapy massage. Reserved exclusively for the clientele of the hotel,
the beauty salon boasts 33 years of experience. In a
building that has stood
for more than 150 years, there is no better home for the authentic
Parisian experience.
Where
to Stay
Hyatt
Regency Paris - Madeleine - http://paris.madeleine.hyatt.com/
- 24 Boulevard Malesherbes,
75008, Paris, France - Tel: +33 1 5527 1234 - Fax: +33 1 5527 1235 -
E-mail: madeleine@paris.hyatt.com
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