Venetian glass and glass of wine

Some newborns are just perfect (as much as others are red and ugly). Take the reopening of the 5-star Royal Monceau (75008): French designer Philippe Starck has offered this historical luxury parisian palace a brand new second life (though the first one was quite amazing!).

A Starck is born (or did he just multiply?)

A 5 star hotel for a design superstar; Philippe Starck is (almost) everywhere in Paris, designing hotels (Mama Shelter e.g.), bars or restaurants… when I say Paris, I also mean Venice, Argentina…

This guy must have hidden twins. But let’s get back to the point.

Here’s what you can experience if you go to the Hotel bar, le Bar Long

Meet the Hatters

Not the Mad one, no. But entering the hotel means meeting a whole team of what we call here, on silencio, “the hatters”, meaning “guys with a nice hat and a nice smile” ( a perfect counterexample of the frosty feeling you get at the Hotel Crillon)

The Palace Royal Monceau displays a beautiful, beautiful decoration. Upscale but neat (meaning not kitsch); impressive ceiling lights (the last touch of former Royal Monceau), books, various items… and mostly beautiful creations made of Murano (venitian) glass.

The Bar is called “Le Bar Long” and leads to one of the two restaurants (Il Carpaccio and La Cuisine). We’re craving to eat there, but… desserts only cost 15 or 16€ each, we’re a little scared (I mean at this price, they’re the ones eating us, right?)

Time for a quick assessment: forbidden pictures (we love you too, guys), an attentive service, a “silencio.fr” scribble on a napkin (you never know, I guess, and we’ll never learn), a good glass of red wine, a glass of coca (always good or always bad, it all depends), a check in line with this kind of place (€22 for 2) and a pleasant break before our dinner at the nearby Makassar Lounge (Hotel Renaissance, two blocks away)

the winter garden