Hotel de Vendome

Location. The boutique Hotel de Vendome is located in central Paris, France, on Place Vendome, two blocks from the pretty Tuileries Gardens in the vibrant theatre district. The hotel is three blocks from the River Seine, the Champs Elysees and Opera Garnier.

Hotel Features. Housed in a 17th-century mansion, designed by Louis X1V's chief architect, the intimate Hotel de Vendome is opulent inside and out. The marbled lobby is filled with crystal chandeliers and Chesterfield armchairs. The hotel has a 24-hour front desk where multilingual staff can provide a range of concierge services, including sightseeing information and currency exchange.

The grand Vendome Bar and Restaurant at the Hotel de Vendome is styled like a traditional British club with mahogany wood panelling and Chesterfield furniture. Continental or American buffet breakfast (surcharge) is served. For lunch and dinner, the restaurant serves French gourmet cuisine. A live jazz pianist plays Thursday to Saturday evenings. The hotel also operates 24-hour room service.

The Hotel de Vendome offers meeting rooms and a Presidential Suite for conferences. The business centre can provide translation services, fax, photocopying, print and courier services. Wireless Internet access is available in public areas (surcharge) and complimentary newspapers are provided in the lobby.

Guestrooms. The five-storey Hotel de Vendome has only 29 guestrooms. All are wood-panelled and individually decorated with designer fabrics, antique furniture and tapestries. Rooms feature wireless Internet access (surcharge), satellite television, fax machines, minibars and safes. Lights, curtains and music can all be remotely controlled.

Expert Tip. The quickest way to get to one of the most famous attractions in Paris, the Musee d'Orsay, is by walking through Tuileries Gardens to the Passarelle Solferino. It crosses the River Seine just outside the museum on the Quai Anatole France, which is also a departure point for Seine and canal cruises.