Another side to Paris
From the new-look Disney Hotel to stays offering an authentic taste of the Far East
The House of Mouse
Disneyland Hotel Paris has reopened after a three-year renovation, its first since 1992, says Charlotte Davey for Condé Nast Traveller. The check in is in a “palatial, light-filled library” – a nod to Beauty and
the Beast, but also the world of storytelling more generally. “As we wait, cleaning staff in pressed white uniforms burst into song – Be Our Guest, what else?”. As the only Disney theme park in Europe, the hotel “taps heavily” into European fairy tales, such as Germany’s Snow
White, France’s Cinderella and Denmark’s The Little Mermaid.
The interiors are a celebration of them all, except in the 16 signature suites, each of which revolve around the theme of a particular Disney princess. The other 487 rooms are “really spacious, with seriously soft, plush beds, outrageously plump pillows and fluffy towels”. From £2,708 for two adults/ two children for two nights and three days’ parks access, until 13 June, disneylandparis.com
An opulent neighbourhood
“Contemporary style with subtle 1930s flourishes and a nod to French haute couture is the essence” of the luxurious Mandarin Oriental, located in the “seriously chic” SaintHonoré neighbourhood in the first arrondissement. It is “one of a handful of privileged Parisian properties to enjoy ‘palace’ status”, says Nicola Williams in The Telegraph. Stunning white camellias and “luxuriant” perennials fill the “verdant” courtyard garden – the perfect place to linger over cocktails – while inside, decorative butterflies flutter throughout the hotel.
“No stay is truly complete without a bespoke treatment in The Spa – a breathtaking, silver and pearl-white space with origami flower-stitched walls and intimate spa suites for two with private steam baths.” From £1,300, mandarinoriental.com
Little Tokyo
In the side streets surrounding the QuatreSeptembre metro station, in the heart of the second arrondissement, is a “bustling” area nicknamed “Little Tokyo”, says Liam Hess in Vogue. Hotel Hana is the latest addition to the neighbourhood. Its check-in desk is “a slab of lava stone over panels of smoky, black-and-gold agglomerated glass, topped solely with an ikebana-like flower arrangement in a slim, stylish ceramic vase”. The vibe is Japan in the 1950s. “It’s the spirit of minimalism, inspired by the hospitality of traditional Japanese ryokan [inns], that shines through,” while the food is the “other big draw” – a blend of French and Japanese traditions. “Don’t be surprised if Hotel Hana quickly becomes a Fashion Week favourite.” From €441, hotelhana-paris.com