"In taking over a stately 1854 Haussmann-style hôtel particulier (private mansion) in the well-heeled 8 th arrondissement, hotelier Michel Reybier sought to revive the high elegance of 19 th -century Paris and an era of grand travel. For this Paris outpost of his revered La Réserve property (the brand already has well-established institutions in Geneva and Ramatuelle, near St. Tropez), Reybier enlisted the talents of acclaimed interior designer Jacques Garcia, whose penchant for 19 th -century Napoleon III style dovetailed beautifully with Reybier’s vision for a quintessentially Parisian abode befitting the neighborhood. The hotel is complete with a library of antique books, acigar lounge, and a 52-foot indoor pool, all reserved exclusively for guests. The interiors are done up in gold leaf embellishments and silk taffeta drapery. Rooms feature Toto toilets, and private butlers are on call for late-night cravings. Even the newer design elements, like the black-and-white tiling on the ground level, are distressed to deliver the wonderfully worn-in sheen of an old family home. Guests are welcomed in the luxurious Louis XV reception lounge, with its crimson sofas crafted by Henryot, repurposed pieces of Versailles parquet, and antique wood furnishings. Two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Le Gabriel serves both lunch and dinner."
