Legend has it that when Paris was liberated on 25 August 1944, Ernest Hemingway rushed to the Ritz to take it back from the Germans. Mission accomplished, he went to the bar to pour himself a drink. Today, the same bar bears his name. The decor is still original, with leather and panelling, and the atmosphere is a little nostalgic, as if haunted by the historical or literary figures who used to hang out here. This is in stark contrast to the Ritz Bar at the other end of the long corridor, where a veritable palace revolution has been underway for the past two years. At the end of the week, the turntables are set alight by the DJ, whose techno-pop sounds are totally at odds with the hotel's classicism. Even the decor, all red velvet and very Victorian. The concept works so well that during Fashion Week in early autumn, there were queues at Place Vendôme, where the bar's outside entrance is located. "As we can't accommodate more than 80 people, we had to turn people away. So it's first come, first served", points out Jean-Pierre Trevisan, Operations Manager of the Ritz and initiator of these evenings. Fashion people are particularly fond of the place, but they are not the only ones. We see businessmen and their clients meeting there after a dinner or the signing of a contract"; a way for them to immerse themselves in Parisian "hipness" for an evening. Certain Thursdays, the 'Selector Thursdays', are particularly popular when the decks are left to amateur celebrities. "We invite celebrities with a passion for music to come and play their favourite records", continues Jean- Pierre Trevisan. Emma de Caunes, Frédéric Beigbeder and even Ariel Wizman have already made their appearance.
But the Ritz is not the only palace to rely on DJs to transform itself into a trendy new night spot. "We're being copied", says Jean-Pierre Trevisan, with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, referring to the bar at the Plaza Athénée, which launched its 'Red Hours' a few months ago. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 11pm onwards, the bar lights up. The colours change, from the iconic blue to red, and the resident DJ makes his entrance, giving way to electro-rock sounds. You'd be forgiven for forgetting that, far from the upmarket districts, the trendy Murano is one of the pioneers of the 'techno people' trend. In fact, some of the same people can be found here: Beigbeder, Emma de Caunes, Ariel Wizman, etc.
With these 'happenings', the 4 and 5 star hotels are obviously hoping to attract a new, younger clientele, especially from outside the hotel, even though meeting up in a hotel bar is not yet part of the French way of life. And the delicious cocktails served are not always enough.
Jewellers, bankers and lawyers
Even so, without platinum or celebrities, the Park Hyatt Vendôme won the title of Europe's best hotel bar in the 2007 Villégiature award. During the week, it attracts a clientele of jewellers, bankers and lawyers who come here to meet up after work. "The majority of customers are people from outside the hotel who work in the area," says head barman Yann Daniel. But that doesn't mean the place is deserted during the day. "We have quite a few people who come here to work, either on their own or as part of a mini-meeting, or for a business meeting", continues the head barman. The contemporary décor, punctuated by sculptures by Roseline Granet, has been designed to create a friendly atmosphere. The colours are muted and warm, the moiré fabrics discreet. You can move around the bar, which has been designed as a table d'hôtes. "We wanted to break down the traditional distance between the barman and the customer," continues Yann Daniel.
To stand out from the crowd, hotels are also focusing on their menus, with a selection of unique products. At the bar of the Park Hyatt Vendôme, the list is almost exhaustive. "Of course, people will always ask us what we don't have, but we try to offer 90 % of what exists in spirits and strong alcohols. We have eight champagnes on the menu and over 70 whiskies. Some very good wines can also be tasted by the glass", stresses Yann Daniel.
For its part, the Radisson Blu Dokhan, a boutique hotel located a stone's throw from the Trocadéro, boasts the only real champagne bar in the capital. However, you don't go there to taste the wines of famous houses, but small, rare vintages, forgotten grape varieties that sommelier Mickael Rodriguez tirelessly researches. This enthusiast offers and deciphers for his customers a different producer through three cuvées: white, rosé, vintage or cuvée prestige. "In my bar, the real stars are the champagnes and their producers", he insists. At each table, he introduces a very diverse clientele to the secrets of the terroirs, the grape variety, the aromas... "We have a lot of regulars from all age groups who share a taste for discovery": from old school friends who meet up every two months to representatives of cosmetics companies who bring their customers for a very French luxury.
In a completely different vein, the Murano is a vodka bar. The range of bottles on display is impressive, and the vodka-based cocktails are highly original. But it's also the decor that attracts diners to this establishment in the Haut Marais district. Fans of refined design, enhanced by warm or acid colours, will appreciate it. The lounge bar, the hotel's calling card, was designed by Philippe Starck. The designer opted for a 'decompartmentalised' approach, bringing together the lobby, restaurant and bar in a vast lounge. You can choose to sit on one of the white sofas overlooking the room, or you may prefer the neo-pop conversation armchair in the central area, warmed by a long ethanol fireplace.
Decompartmentalisation also has its fans in the business hotel sector. In 2007, Marriott launched its "great room" concept, of which the Rive Gauche was the first example. The R'Yves incorporates lounges, a dining room, a reading room, a business centre, a cocktail bar, a table d'hôte, a European-style brasserie, and more. In perpetual motion, at the end of the day the place is transformed into a cognac bar. "These days, people don't want to stay in their rooms to work, so they're reclaiming the communal areas," explains Virginie Tayet, Pullman's programming director. "They want to be able to plug in their laptop, have Wi-Fi access, work in a lively atmosphere where they can, if they wish, chat with other travellers and be productive at the same time". At Pullman Bercy and La Défense, the partitions have been replaced by a clever interplay of light and colour, creating the many nooks and crannies of these vast new-generation lobbies. The intensity of the light varies throughout the day - brighter in the morning, softer in the evening - as does the musical ambience in the background. In fine weather, some of the capital's hotels make their presence felt through their terraces. The latest addition is the Patio at the Méridien Étoile, a veritable open-air lounge, with an island of greenery, a waterfall and backlit black and white designer furniture. Just as discreet as the Bar Anglais, where you can meet film and music stars as well as politicians, the Septième Ciel at the Raphaël hotel offers a 360° view of the capital. Located on the 7th floor - as its name suggests - the terrace is covered with fruit trees and topiaries. The furniture is teak, the parasols white and, for the unusual, the giant marble chessboard.
Long-awaited openings
Tomorrow, Le W Opéra will open in a Haussmann-style building close to Galeries Lafayette and Place Vendôme. It will feature the brand's emblematic lounge area "where customers can meet up, get to know each other and relax in a spirit of conviviality and elegance". But alongside it, it will also offer a "Parisian bar"! Mystery also surrounds the bars at the Shangri-La, due to open at the turn of the year, and the Mandarin Oriental. The only certainty is that the Royal Monceau, which has just reopened, is playing the trendy, electro card. Thanks to Mr Starck...
Capital tour
Here are just a few of the most interesting addresses in Paris, for their location, ambience, decor or even their cocktails, if they don't meet all these criteria at once.
1st arrondissement
The bar at the Hôtel de Vendôme. 1, place Vendôme.
The bar at the Costes hotel. 239, rue Saint-Honoré.
Bar 228, Hôtel Meurice. 228, rue Rivoli.
2nd arrondissement
The Park Hyatt bar. 5, rue de la Paix.
3rd arrondissement
The Murano bar. 13, boulevard du Temple.
6th arrondissement
The hotel bar. 13, rue des Beaux-Arts.
8th arrondissement
Le Ritz Bar (15, place Vendôme)
Bar Hemingway (16, rue Cambon) at the Ritz.
The Plaza Athénée bar. 25, av. Montaigne.
The Pershing Lounge at Pershing Hall. 49, rue Pierre-Charon.
Le S'Bar at the Hôtel de Sers. 41, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie.
Le Bar Regency at the Prince of Wales. 33, avenue George V.
Purple Bar at the Hilton Champs-Elysées. 51-57, rue de Courcelles.
9th arrondissement
Le Café de la Paix at the Grand Hôtel. 12, rue des Capucines.
Le Café Lumières at the Hôtel Scribe. 1, rue Scribe.
12th arrondissement
Le Point bar at the Pullman Paris Bercy. 1, rue de Libourne.
14th arrondissement
R'Yves at the Marriott. 17, boulevard Saint-Jacques.
16th arrondissement
The champagne bar at Radisson Blu Dokhan's. 117, rue Lauriston.
Le Bar Anglais and le 7e ciel at Raphaël. 17, avenue Kléber.
17th arrondissement
The Panoramic Bar at Concorde Lafayette. 3, place du Général Koenig.
Le Patio Etoile au Méridien Étoile. 81, boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr.
18th arrondissement
The bar at the Kube Hotel. 1-5, passage Ruelle.
