A PARISIAN REMAKE

The most anticipated opening in the French capital this year is that of the Hotel Lutetia ( 33-1/4954-4600; hotellutetia.com; doubles from US$829), a 118-year-old Art Nouveau gem on the Left Bank of the Seine. Favored by generations of literati, the grande dame of Saint-Germain-des-Prés relaunches on June 15 after a sensitive four-year renovation by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte that has peeled back false ceilings and layers of paint to reveal forgotten frescoes and other original design flourishes. Natural light now spills into the updated guest rooms, whose numbers have been reduced from 233 to 184, and the Lutetia’s Belle Époque charm lives on in the downstairs venues that have been transformed into a jazz bar (pictured above), lounge, and open-air courtyard. Also of note: the storied Brasserie will now be helmed by three-Michelin-starred chef Gerald Passedat.