Plaza Athénée
25 Avenue Montaigne, Paris
My first stay at Plaza Athénée was in the autumn of 1998. At the time, I was still writing for Traveler magazine, and the editorial department sent me to Paris on short notice to do a feature on Right Bank hotels. The original hotel was supposed to be the Bristol, but there was a problem with the reservation, so I was arranged to stay at 25 Avenue Montaigne.
The iconic red and white striped awnings of Plaza Athénée
That time I stayed in a room on the fifth floor facing the inner courtyard, Room 412. The window looked directly onto the restaurant's awning, the red and white striped kind, the iconic Parisian look. The room wasn't large, about 28 square meters, with high ceilings. The curtains were that heavy velvet type—when drawn, the entire room would become very dark. I remember feeling a bit oppressed at the time.
Over the following 26 years, I stayed at this hotel probably more than 40 times. For several years, I had to go to Paris every month, and Plaza Athénée became a regular place to stay. Philippe at the front desk knew me, knew I didn't like high floors (I'm a bit afraid of heights, a problem I still haven't gotten over), and would always arrange a room on the third or fourth floor for me.
In 2008, the hotel underwent a major renovation. I happened to stay there once before the renovation and once after. The changes were significant. The somewhat old-fashioned Louis XVI style was toned down, and many contemporary elements were added. Alain Ducasse's restaurant was also redesigned during that renovation. Personally, I didn't like the new restaurant layout—the original sense of formality was gone, and now it feels more like a casual restaurant. I shared this opinion with the hotel staff; they said most guests preferred the new design. I'm probably in the minority.
In 2014, something happened that really annoyed me. The hotel changed their reservation system, and all my accumulated stay records were lost. All my check-in records since 1998, room preferences—everything was reset to zero. I complained to their customer relations manager several times, but in the end, they couldn't recover the data. They gave me some compensation, free breakfast vouchers and such, but those records had sentimental value for me.
My wife's first visit to Plaza Athénée was in 2003. We had just met at the time, and I brought her to Paris, wanting to show off a little (the vanity of youth). We stayed in a suite on the sixth floor, with a view of the Eiffel Tower. That suite cost about 3,200 euros per night—I remember my heart bleeding when I checked out. She loved that balcony. We had breakfast on the balcony, and she said something that I still remember to this day. I won't write it here—it's too private.
The hotel's spa was added in 2006, in collaboration with Dior. I've used it a few times—it was decent. Avenue Montaigne itself is Dior's home base, so this collaboration made sense. The therapists' techniques were acceptable, nothing particularly impressive, but the price was certainly impressive—about 380 euros for 90 minutes.
December 2019 was the last time I stayed there. Before the pandemic. That time I noticed they had renovated the bar on the first floor—the style had become very modern, somewhat like a Miami vibe. I'm not sure this is the right direction. Plaza Athénée has always represented old-fashioned Paris in my mind, and this attempt to move toward modernity made me a bit uncomfortable. Maybe I'm just getting old.
During the pandemic, the hotel was closed for a long time and reopened in 2021. I still haven't been back. Airfare prices, scheduling issues, various reasons. I might go once this year. Philippe should still be there (I emailed him last year, and he said he's still at the front desk).
Red and white striped awnings above the courtyard
This hotel is more than just a place to stay for me. I've written articles here, conducted business here, spent my honeymoon here with my wife. What it looks like looking out the window of Room 412—I can picture it with my eyes closed. The red and white striped awning, the restaurant waiters walking back and forth below, occasionally the sound of plates and glasses.
25 Avenue Montaigne
I hope it doesn't change too much.