Amastan Paris

Jul 13, 2016 1:30am

by Nicola Williams, The Daily Telegraph, July 13, 2016

World travellers in search of a Parisian pied à terre, look no further. This new boutique hotel near the Champs-Elsyées combines bourgeois apartment living with a distinctly urban vibe: think minimalist rooms, a pop-up art gallery, jasmine-scented garden and trendy bar serving outstanding cocktails.

Paris
Photo by Freeimages.com//Maillefaud Florent

​Location 8/100

In the elegant 8e arrondissement, just around the corner from the Champs-Elysées. Admiring one of Europe’s most beautiful cities from the rooftop terrace of the Arc de Triomphe – a 10-minute walk from the hotel – is essential. For art exhibitions, Petit Palais and Grand Palais are also a 10-minute stroll. The closest metro station is Franklin D Roosevelt (lines 1 and 9); Gare du Nord is around half an hour away.

Style & character 9/100

Boutique at its best. Zied Sanhaji, the entrepreneurial whizz behind this new urban hotel, has impeccable taste and goes all out to ensure guests feel deliciously at home in their very own, carefully curated, Parisian pied à terre. Attention to detail is exquisite and, in keeping with Paris’ burgeoning ‘lifestyle hotel’ scene, an attractive lounge-bar and pop-up art gallery entice guests to linger well after hours.

Service & facilities 8/100

Service is fashionably casual and understated. The patio garden and lounge bar with small library, Carrara marble tables and a couple of plush canapés is the real tour de force of this address. Services include laundry, English-language newspapers and iPads, iPods and iPhones to borrow.

  • Bar
  • Laundry
  • Wi-Fi

Rooms 8/100

The 24 rooms stack up on six floors; Classics on the fifth are the smallest, although every room is reasonably spacious by Parisian standards. Bright white reigns supreme, and décor smacks of a classic Parisian apartment with a contemporary twist: think leather-bound books above the bed, brass light switches, bespoke walnut furniture and traditional herringbone parquet stained a sophisticated petrol-blue.

Some rooms have balconies with garden views; every room has complimentary mineral water, an espresso machine and iPod docking station. Shiny white bathrooms play the design ace with washbasins evocative of an old-fashioned radio; ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ water knobs to turn. Ginger flower-scented toiletries by Swedish hair salon Sacha Juan are full-sized comme à la maison.

Food & drink 8/100

Breakfast is best enjoyed al fresco in the jasmine-scented garden. Miniature croissants and pains au chocolat, ham, cheese and plenty of fruit make up the appetising-looking buffet. Come noon, the garden and adjoining Anouk lounge-bar morphs into a stylish lunch space (open noon to 3pm), with tapas-style plates like lobster rolls and and steak tartare (memorably flavoured with pine kernels and mint) to share. Anouk opens evenings too (6pm to 2am) and to not indulge in at least one of its 'craft cocktails' or infused gin and tonics would be an outright crime – the fresh and fruity, cherry and goji berry-infused gin is spectacularly good.

Value for money 7/100

Double rooms from £170 (€200) in low season; rising to £340 (€400) in high. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

Access for guests with disabilities?

Yes, there is a lift and two adapted rooms.

Family-friendly?

Cots can be added to larger (pricier) Deluxe and Premier rooms, and there are a couple of connecting doubles.

34 rue Jean Mermoz, 75008 Paris, France.00 33 1 49 52 99 70amastanhotels.comThe best hotels in Paris View all

 

This article was written by Nicola Williams from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.