As we were flying to Brussels, due to business reasons, we decided to take the Thalys train to the capital of France - Paris. To be honest, this was a great choice - after 1 hour and 20 minutes we reached the Gare du Nord in the center of Paris, without any stress. Of course Paris would not be Paris without a bit of stress, the taxi drivers striked and so the metro was the only (affordable) way to reach our hotel - and believe me, it was not the most luxurious way!
Our first hotel to be tested was the Fouquet's Barriere, one of the latest five-star hotels, opened in 2006 in addition to the famous Fouquet's restaurant which already existed before the opening. We were impressed of the warm welcome, where we could let all the hustle and bustle of the city behind us, outside this modern Parisian Palace. After doing the check-in in the wonderful lobby, we were accompanied to the spacious room.
The room itself was very generous, with a spacious entry, separate toilet, walk-in wardrobe as well as an oversized bathroom, including double sinks, an enormous separate shower and a tub with built-in television. In my opinion there could be better toiletries or even branded ones, but they will be replaced every day! The beds were excellent and there was no noise from outside. After a day of walking in Paris, you can refresh with a choice of 22 beverages from the minibar, which is included in the room rate!
As one of few Parisian hotels, the Fouquet's has an indoor pool, which is the perfect place to escape and relax after a rainy and cold winter day. Due to the fact that there are only four lounge chairs, it might look crowded at peak hour, but the pools (beside the normal indoor pool there is also a hydrotherapy pool) are spacious enough to immerse yourself.
The best way to start the day is with a perfect breakfast at the Le Diane restaurant. The buffet, with high quality products, is on the small side, but everything you need can be ordered upon request.
We would also like to mention the wonderful concierge staff, who made it possible to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower without waiting in the queues for 1-2 hours and without booking a ticket online 1 month in advance. They even reserved a table at nearby Market restaurant.
As one of Paris most elegant and most stylish places to stay, the Fouquet's is the perfect place for everyone seeking to be in the heart of the shopping district of Traingle d'Or and all those loving modern French design paired with perfect service.
