The Bulgari name has been intrinsically linked with luxury and quality for more than a century. Plenty of stars have worn its jewellery and watches, and the shapes of its Serpentine necklaces and Octo Finissimo timepieces are recognisable in an instant.
When such time and effort has been put into crafting a brand reputation of this high calibre anything else which is chosen to carry it absolutely must meet that standard. The Bulgari Hotel Paris does exactly that.
In 2004, the first Bulgari Hotel opened its doors in Milan. By the end of 2023, the portfolio has already grown to nine five-star properties. The Paris outpost opened on a grand corner block of the legendary Avenue George V in 2021, and was immediately installed as one of the most chic addresses in the French capital.
The legendary elegance of Bulgari jewellery has been instilled into the décor and welcome of its hotels, and that elegance is found in abundance here.
Why Stay Here?
This section of Paris is known as the ‘Golden Triangle’ thanks to the abundance of luxury food, shopping and entertainment venues in the surrounding streets. Anything you could possibly desire as part of a luxury city break is right on your doorstep, and all the most celebrated (and Instagram-able, if that’s your thing) tourist hotspots are within easy reach.
For those just looking for somewhere to hide out and refresh, the hotel itself is a stylish oasis from the city madness – a chic and comfortable lounge on the ground floor serves complementary sweet treats round the clock; the Bulgari Spa has a stunning pool area to relax in as well as an impressive treatment menu; and the courtyard garden provides seclusion and greenery at the centre of the building.
How’s the Food?
Those sugary delights in the lounge are frighteningly tempting (and plentiful) but you are hereby advised to avoid getting too carried away, lest you ruin your appetite.
Globally renowned chef Niko Romito signs the menu at many Bulgari Hotels, including this one, and the restaurant here serves high-end Italian cuisine which really should not be missed. The tasting menu is delicious, if you’re too relaxed to be making decisions, and the a la carte is filled with classic Italian dishes done exceptionally well.
Away from the restaurant, the bar bites are of the same high standard and the setting is one of the most achingly cool spots in town – lots of stylish low lighting and polished wood – for a pre- or post-meal drink. Head out to that courtyard after you’ve eaten for a calvados and a cigar, and worry about the calories in the morning. That’s what the spa pool is for.
Breakfast is served within the restaurant and offers traditional Italian, Parisian or American styles. There’s no buffet, to avoid waste and encourage mindful consumption, but that doesn’t mean it’s stingy. Enjoying Paris is hungry work, and the team here are more than happy to fuel you up ahead of a long day of walking.
What Are The Rooms Like?
As soon as you step off the street, the Bulgari feels different from other luxury hotels in Paris. There’s a modernity and sleekness to the environment, which seems far away from the adherence to tradition in many of the neighbouring properties. Warm polished wood is the favoured material throughout, and the choices of lighting and furnishing and scent and, well, everything, seem explicitly geared towards creating the impression that this is the cutting edge of hoteliery. It works.
The Executive Suite we stayed in had possibly the biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen; the sitting room was also enormous and boasted an epic view of the Avenue and Eiffel Tower from the many windows; even the corridor leading from the lift to the door felt futuristic and comfortable. Many of Paris’ top hotels feel like stepping back into the heyday of the mid-20th century, and that’s great, but a room here feels like the luxury of tomorrow.
If the goal of Bulgari Hotels is to bring the opulence of their jewellery to the hospitality market, they have succeeded. Even the tiling around the brand logo in the pool feels like the very fabric of the building has been bejewelled.
The real mark of this place, though, is the effortless comfort that comes along with all that magnificence. Somehow, it is remarkably homely. At first glance it may seem a little too polished to be truly welcoming, but after just a few minutes inside, its warmth comes across and the space begins to feel like home.
Rooms from €1,400 per night. bulgarihotels.com
