Hôtel Chateaubriand

How would we define luxury today? After over a year of intense restoration, the Chateaubriand Hotel brings a typically French answer to this universal question: just a drop of over-the-top in a perfectly proportioned setting.

Located in an unobtrusive street between the Champs-Elysées and the Boulevard Haussmann, the hotel conceals an entirely rethought atmosphere behind its 18th century façade, offering the perfect balance between classic and modern.

Stylish period furniture, finely fashioned doors, chimneys, mirrors both oversized and ‘bullseye' style sourced from various French and Italian castles - Romain Rio, the young and passionate owner, has deftly mobilised an army of antique dealers to assemble a collection of rare pieces which fit naturally into the rooms and hallways of his establishment.

From the SS France luggage trolleys to the Orient Express towel rails, from the banister entirely reworked by a master craftsman to the magnificent silk fabrics with hand-painted patterns made by artist friends, and even the air conditioning based on Saudi Arabian models, the story told by the Chateaubriand possesses the panache of excellence down to the smallest details.

This is Romain Rio's own personal welcome to his guests: only the best without pretence, engendering a chic conviviality à la française. Luxurious, but not excessive; opulent but harmonious; decorated, but not imprisoned in any decorator's style.

Beyond the inviting entrance hall and large salon opening onto a patio, the 28 rooms of the hotel convey a mellow, cheery atmosphere. With bright lighting and warm tones for the communal spaces, muted lights and subtle neutrals for the rooms and corridors, the establishment develops contrasts to become as vibrant as a home while still preserving the privacy of each guest.