28 Jun 2013
The glamorous Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris has joined the ranks of superstar Paris hotels, having been granted the official "Palace Distinction" - one step higher than five stars - by Atout France, the French Agency for Tourism Development.
The luxury avenue Hoche hotel joins an elite band of just six Paris hotels to hold this highly-coveted badge of distinction. It is also the only historic luxury hotel in the capital which holds this status that has recently benefitted from a top-to-toe renovation.
Unique, colourful and elegantly sophisticated, Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris epitomises Parisian chic. It re-opened in 2010 after a two year transformation by Philippe Starck, revealing brilliant, witty contemporary interiors infused with artistic flair. The vibrancy of les Années Folles of the late 1920s, when the hotel first opened, peopled by a cast of artists, intellectuals and adventurers, had been successfully recreated.
Today, this spirit lives on, connecting the hotel's heritage with its present and its future, alive and well in the modern art collection hung throughout the hotel, the Art Bookstore, the private Art Gallery and screening room, and the two restaurants with a Michelin star each. In a very distinct, creative ambience, the vision of a next-generation palace has been fulfilled.
General Manager Omer Acar comments:
"We are thrilled to be recognised as a palace hotel. I'd like to thank every single member of staff at the hotel, I know they have worked incredibly hard to get to this level - and they will continue to work hard to live up to it. I would also like to thank Raffles Hotels & Resorts and our owners Katara Hospitality for their continued support and strategic vision to make Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris a next-generation palace, and one of the very best hotels in the world."
"The "Palace Distinction" is not just about having bigger rooms, more facilities, higher standard of service - all of which we have," he continues. "It's about something more subtle. At Raffles, we believe in true emotional engagement with our guests. We call this 'emotional luxury' and I believe it is this quality that people look now for in a contemporary luxury hotel."
After exhaustive research into a multitude of criteria, The Palace Commission jury highlighted the exceptional location of Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris, just a short stroll from the Champs Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe, its glamorous heritage and the brilliant guest list which wrote its story: amongst them General Eisenhower, novelist Joseph Kessel, Walt Disney, several Indian maharajas, King Farouk of Egypt, the Aga Khan and, more recently, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Robert de Niro, Lou Reed, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sofia Coppola and Dustin Hoffman.
The jury also praised the excellent cooking by Executive Chef Laurent André at 'La Cuisine' and 'Il Carpaccio' - both of which were awarded one Michelin star earlier this year. The judges were also particularly impressed by the hotel's large number of suites, including some of the most expansive presidential suites in Paris, each one measuring in at an impressive 350 square metres.
25% off "Rise & Shine, with Raffles": book your stay at the Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris and escape from it all with bed and breakfast for two at a very special rate, along with an additional 25% savings. Includes daily buffet breakfast at Restaurant La Cuisine, complimentary Wifi Internet, and use of Health, Fitness and Pool facilities of our Spa My Blend by Clarins (valid July 1 - August 31 and 1-30 November 2013)
Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris - 37, Avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris, FRANCE
For Further information: Jane Corbett-Jones JANE CORBETT-JONES COMMUNICATION
T +61 (0) 417 772 783 | jane@janecorbett-jones.com
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THE ROYAL MONCEAU - RAFFLES PARIS reopened in 2010 as a next-generation Palace, after a dramatic and complete two-year transformation by designer Philippe Starck. The hotel has 149 luxurious rooms and suites and is just minutes from the Arc-de-Triomphe and the Champs-Elysées in Paris' 8th arrondissement. At Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris, art is omnipresent, with an exclusive service of Art Concierge, an Art Bookstore, a private Art Gallery, a 99-seat cinema theatre and an impressive private art collection. Food and drink are an art form here too - from the buzz of the Long Bar on the ground floor, to the restaurant with a Michelin star each, 'La Cuisine' for gourmet French food and 'Il Carpaccio' for the best Italian in Paris. Not to be missed are the delicious pastries, macarons and chocolates by Pierre Hermé, considered by Vogue magazine as the 'Picasso of pastry'. The 1,500sqm Spa My Blend by Clarins is an award-winning white paradise, with the longest swimming pool in a Paris hotel. www.LeRoyalMonceau.com
RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS: Raffles Hotels & Resorts is an award-winning, luxury international hotel company with a history dating back to 1887 with the opening of Raffles Hotel, Singapore. The portfolio currently comprises nine luxurious properties, from secluded resorts to city hotels in key locations around the world: in Singapore, Paris, Cambodia, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles and most recently the Philippines. Each one is an oasis of calm and charm. The company is embarking on a new phase of expansion, with openings in China, Istanbul and Indonesia scheduled over the next two years. With a compelling mix of cultures and styles, every hotel in the Raffles family has its own individual personality, with its own story to tell and its own sense of place. However, each one is proud to draw on the timeless essence of Raffles - to deliver thoughtful, personal and discreet. www.raffles.com
