Paris is always a good idea right?! This saying was created for a reason, and one of the many reasons is that it’s one of the most diverse, classy and romantic cities in Europe. Having lived in Europe my whole life and as a big city trip lover, I have visited many European cities already. But Paris is definitely the city I have come back to the most. Although I have explored many of the arrondissements and streets of Paris already I keep finding new gems here.
In this blog I am delighted to share one of those gems, the most classy and certainly the most special hotel I have stayed in, until now in Paris: Hilton Paris Opera.
The history of Hilton Paris Opera is as grand and spectacular as its reputation today. The building was built as Grand Hotel Terminus at the end of the 19th Century, at the same time as the Eiffel Tower, as a new luxury hotel in Paris with 500 rooms to accommodate wealthy foreign visitors to the Great Exhibition of 1889, and was one of the first hotels with a telephone line.
Since 2015 the hotel is owned by the Hilton Group who renovated and updated the hotel, integrating the monumental and imposing Grand Salon into the current hotel as a lobby and gathering space & bar.
Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site this part of the hotel is a definite must visit during your stay, or just for lunch, dinner or drinks when you are not staying overnight.
The landmark building is situated in the heart of Paris in the 8th arrondissement amidst quaint Parisian cafes, restaurants, cinemas and theatres.
And with the current 268 rooms in the categories Superior, Deluxe, Executive and Suite, with wonderful city views, and all the modern facilities you need, but at the same time with the design and interior of a classic mansion, this hotel was the perfect combination of Authentic Chic-ness to me!
If you want to stay in the city center near the famous sights, shopping streets and department stores, but also in a unique Parisian building filled with history, heritage and class, this is the perfect hotel for you too!
Let me show you what exactly makes the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel unique and why I can certainly recommend it to you as well, through many of my personal pics and a few of the hotel’s.
Unique features of the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel:
Historic 4* hotel with an authentic façade and classy design,
Unique boutique hotel variation of the Hilton Group with many monumental features,
The team is warm and welcoming, with a porter and valet service and concierges always eager to help with your city trip planning,
Stunning warm reception and lobby, especially beautifully decored around Christmas time,
The hotel is centrally located near many train and subway stations, with direct access to the Gare Saint-Lazare, just a 5 minutes’ walk from the buzzing Boulevard Haussman with the iconic Le Printemps and Galleries Lafayette department stores and very near the beautiful Opera building Palais Garnier,
The rooms are modern with all amenities such as free coffee and tea facilities, free WIFI, flat-screen TV, safe, mini bar and air-conditioning,
The hotel offers 700 m² meeting space in 8 meeting rooms, an executive lounge and fitness center,
The monumental Grand Salon is stunning and can not be missed, open for snacks, lunch, dinner and lounge bar 7 days a week,
And together with Le Pain Quotidien they offer 2 perfect restaurant options on site.
The hotel even has a secret bar: Le Petit Bar, with live Jazz music on Saturday nights and the best cocktails in Paris.
About lunch and dinner:
At the classy Le Grand Salon eating and drinking in style is possible all day long. We loved the casual menu, especially in this lovely ambience with opulent and stunning details all around and beautiful decoration every season of the year!
But the new restaurant Le Pain Quotidien is definitely recommended as well. This franchise concept was added to the hotel in 2016 and is the first location of this Belgian chain inside a hotel.
This restaurant-lunch room is situated next to the hotel with its own entrance but is also accessible from the hotel and open from 7 am until 10 pm.
Le Pain Quotidien is a unique new restaurant concept, literally meaning: the daily bread. They only use fresh ingredients and organic products to top their self baked breads.
And serve several home-made treats such as soups, signature tartines, sandwiches, salads and of course many freshly baked sweets.
All served in a casual but trendy atmosphere around communal tables in the wooden and rustic styled restaurant, including glass veranda seating with city views.
About the location in Paris:
If you like heritage, culture but shopping as well this is the right neighborhood for you! We were delighted to stay here in December as this is the perfect period to do some Christmas and window shopping in Paris. The hotel is located within walking distance of the Boulevard Haussman with the department stores Le Printemps and Galleries Lafayette, which are beautifully decorated and a must visit around Christmas time.
Did you know that both Le Printemps and Lafayette have a rooftop terrace with its own bar? These rooftop terraces are freely accessible and offer some of the best views over Paris! Also the interior of the largest Galeries Lafayette department store is iconic with its imposing atrium with glass roof, opulent design, monumental decoration, and stunning Christmas tree and spectacular window displays in December.
From here you can cross the street to the grand Opera building Palais Garnier, which is magnificent both from the in-as outside. And walk onto the Seine, passing by many other unique Parisian sights and neighborhoods. I just love to stroll around the Louvre, les Jardin des Tuileries and the classy Rue Saint Honoré & Rue de Rivoli, which are all within walking distance of the hotel.
Hereby a small gallery to show you the beauty this area has to offer:
For more information about other Parisian hotspots you can also check this Paris blog for all my favourite authentic sights, cafes and restaurants in this beautiful city.
What do you think of this beautiful hotel and would you like to stay here as well? Just let me know why in a comment below!
