Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Paris, the footnote of sejour deluxe
Le Crillon
For more than a century, Hôtel de Crillon, perhaps the only rival to the Ritz Paris, has encapsulated Parisian elegance and sophistication with an easy American softness on the splendid Concorde. A lavish four-year renovation led by the Rosewood hotel group ends in 2017 summer, the revamped Hotel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel, evokes the espirit of Ancien régime in the 21st century splendor and comfort.
The historic façade of le Crillon, by the royal architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, dates originally from the 18th century and remains unaltered. The stately monument housing some of the grandest rooms and salons survive from this period and have witnessed the climax of the Pompadour reign, the last days of Bourbon dynasty, and the birth of French republic. A major renovation in 2017 transforms the rest of the hotel with exceptionally careful attention to detail. The nude, black and white marble of the reception is replaced with polished stone, which has also been used to line the walls and carved into decorative pilasters and arches.
A conservation specialist, Richard Martinet, and four accoladed interior designers, Tristan Auer, Chahan Minassian, Cyril Vergniol and Karl Lagerfeld, worked together, each overseeing a different part of the hotel. It sounds like a formula for chaos, but a common palette of pastel and neutral hues, and the neat silhouette of the bespoke and 18th century inspired furniture seam the transitions of aesthetics under the guidance of the coordinating architect, Aline Asmar d’Amman. The real triumph for contemporary guests is the access to two internal courtyards, which have been transformed from dingy and dull spaces for lighting purpose into verdant gardens with tables from the Winter Garden tearoom and the Brasserie d’Aumont.
Les Pieces
The 124 rooms include 36 suites, and 10 exceptionally large signature suites, two grands appartements designed by Karl Lagerfeld. Standard rooms are decorated in muted tones and can be petite; but no modern comforts are in shortage. Suites are stunningly lavish and spacious even to an Asian standard. The grand premier suite, which I was assigned to in 2018 summer time, is akin the size of a Versailles apartment with even a sizeable garderobe to impress a royal superintendent.
You can turn on the shower without getting soaked by cold water; there are USB chargers by the bed, and the light switches not only operate in an entirely straightforward way, but they also have labels on marking what they are for.
Staff are smart, cordial, and intuitive, as you would expect from a Palace distinction hotel in Paris. Facilities include a Rosewood spa mini heaven, and a gold tile paved indoor pool, a hair salon and men’s grooming services. The gilded, frescoed decor of the Les Ambassadeurs bar is the want-to-be lieu and reminisces the Hemingway hype and glory in Paris.
Le Sejour
I had frequented le Crillon before the legendary institute shut for renovation in 2013, and always dined in the classy bistro L’Obe, renown for the half Brit and half Franco décor. I still recall the graceful poise of the Lalique chandeliers and the unassuming elegance of the dining room, and the multi-lingual staff attending guests with a meticulous French bearing. The original Walter-André Destailleur subtlety and quaintness filtered down and constituted the timeless elegance of le Crillon despite all the gold, brass, monochromic marbles, and state treasures in display.
The reopening in 2017 was a sensational success, and the freshness of the new-look stands aloof from the pompous rivals of the Ritz and le Meurice. I resumed dining at le Crillon after a long hiatus as an occasional alternative to the Camelia in Mandarin Oriental Paris, where I always resided in. It was not until later when the French national football team entered the finale of the 2018 FIFA World Cup that I decided to check-in the hotel of a royal linage.
The stay was enjoyable and chic, from the swift and personable check-in to the final departure, punctuated by the triumphant speech of the French team led by Kylian Mbappé on the colonnaded balcony of le Crillon. The subdued opulence of the décor by Chahan Minassian in the suite, and most of the hotel rooms, still exudes unhindered flamboyance and audacity. Signature suites, otherwise, are mesmerizingly elegant, and even more Parisian.
Even if my flaneur era ends before the COVID and I no longer travel in between Paris and Taipei on a regular basis, the fond memories of le Crillon shall always linger. And I wait for the time to return.
