The List

31

La Réserve

Paris

Parisian grand dame that defines the good life

What’s the deal? A beautiful palace hotel with a distinct personality that personifies refined French luxury. In a city saturated with opulent lodgings, La Réserve combines a sense of quiet exclusivity with all the amenities you’d expect from a larger property. Set moments from the Champs-Elysées, to step through the burgundy drapes of its entranceway is to enter a scene that could have been plucked from the literary pages of the fin de siècle.

Who does it attract? With the feel of a sumptuous private residence – there are 25 suites and 15 rooms – it draws a fashionable crowd of jet setters, epicureans, cultured comfort-seekers and upmarket locals.

The aesthetic: Belle Époque glamour meets the creature comforts of a modern city pad within the framework of this Haussmann mansion, which was originally built for Napoleon III’s half-brother, Duc de Morny. Versailles parquet, historic columns and pillars, fine antiques, silk wallpaper, jewel-hued colour pops, Carrara marble, taffeta and velvet are emblematic of Parisian designer Jacques Garcia’s moodboard. Parisian chic leads across the plush communal spaces, which includes a cossetting library, salon (where you’ll check in), smoking lounge and inner courtyard bathed in light.

What to pack? Bring swimwear – unlike many of the city’s hotels, La Réserve houses a day-bed-lined 16m indoor pool aside its serene spa. Alongside a Hamman and fitness area, three treatment rooms provide Nescens Swiss anti-aging therapies.

Eating and drinking: Chef Jérôme Banctel oversees the two flagship restaurants, which includes Michelin two-star Le Gabriel and ornate La Pagode de Cos. The former offers four concise tasting menus centred on hyper-seasonal modern French food with pairings plucked from the hotel’s extensive wine cellar. The latter hones in on globetrotting culinary traditions to transform local produce into vibrant plates made for lighter but no-less-impressive meals. Sophisticated Bar Le Gaspard is on hand for cocktail hour.

Who’s behind it? Opened in 2015, La Réserve is part of Michel Reybier’s glittering portfolio, which manages properties – within the La Réserve stable and across sister brands – in Switzerland, France and London. 

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