Hotel Lancaster

Rooms

The rooms and suites are arranged over 8 floors, with a choice of over a dozen styles and sizes. All have fabulous antique furniture, luxurious fabrics in damask and silk, crisp cotton Frette sheets and the plumpest of pillows. But they're also very practical, with ample cupboard space for all those posh frocks (either in large antique armoires or built in wardrobes); and the turn-down service touchingly includes the next day's weather forecast.

Most bathrooms are dressed from top to toe in gleaming marble, with iroko-wood fittings, fluffy robes and towels, and bespoke toiletries from Contemporel.

For ancien regime grandeur, splash out on one of the vast Signature Suites. The Emile Wolf suite is named after the hotel’s creator, and features a vast living room, a grand piano, and a balcony. Overlooking the garden is Pastoukhoff, with a spacious salon and (like the others) a kingsize bed which can divide into 2 singles. Felix Ziem has a walk-in dressing room and views towards the Sacré Coeur from its large balcony. Monsieur has a decadent living room with gold hues and fine art.

The Deluxe Suites have a more intimate feel. Some are upholstered in vivid red silk, while others are decorated in pastel-and-purple, yellow-and-gold or a subtler paprika shade. One of these suites looks towards the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur.

The grandest suite of them all is the Marlène Dietrich Suite. It’s on the fourth floor where the legendary actress lived for 3 years, is festooned in lilac (her favourite colour) and boasts a fireplace, a grand piano, and views over the Parisian rooftops from the balconies.

If you're on a less regal budget, the Deluxe, Superior and Executive Rooms feature the same luxurious touches as the suites (tall ceilings, plush fabrics, modern bathrooms), with kingsize or twin beds. They're smaller than the suites, of course, but only the Superior Rooms could be considered small, at about 20 sqm. Most others can take an extra bed, and many rooms interconnect, which could be useful for families - though for some reason children are not allowed in Superior Rooms.

Bear in mind that streetside rooms can experience some noise in the mornings, although their windows are double-glazed and few guests notice; garden-side rooms are quieter.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

From 7 to 10.30am, a delicately presented breakfast buffet is served at Monsieur Restaurant. Pastries, fresh fruit, crusty bread and jams come as standard, and you can pay extra for eggs, smoked salmon and cold cuts. A healthy option of Bircher muesli, avocado toast, fresh fruit salad and detox juice is also available.

Lunch (12.30 to 2pm, Mon-Fri) is a fixed-price seasonal menu, which changes monthly. There are also perennial favourites like club sandwiches, caesar salads and croques on offer. Dinner (7:30-9:30, Mon-Fri) is a more formal affair. It’s a set menu of either three of five courses, created by innovative head chef Sébastien Giroud, who favours regional cuisine from southwest France. For the full-blown experience, splash out on the wine pairing option.

Cocktails, Champagne, hot chocolate, high tea, light meals and tapas are served in The Marlene, an opulent Art-Deco bar with a majestic glass roof and velvet 18th-century-style sofas.

The restaurant closes at weekends, so you'll need to dine out (not much of a hardship!). Big-name eateries on your doorstep include the triple Michelin-starred Pierre Gagnaire, the famous wine list of Taillevent, and Lasserre which is decorated in the style of a 1930's liner. Booking ahead is essential at all three. For something more modest, ask for the list of bistros, brasseries and other recommended restaurants at the front desk.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

Paris has more world-famous sights than you can shake a stick at: the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, Jardins du Luxembourg, Montmartre, Les Tuileries, Pompidou Centre and the Place de la Concorde, to name but a few. The hotel's excellent reception staff know Paris by heart and will book tickets or give advice on almost any sight. some of the nearest are:

• The glittering Champs-Elysées, Paris' Golden Triangle of shopping: all the brand names are here (Guerlain, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Hermes) as well as speciality shops for everything from perfumes and chocolates to hand-crafted shoes
  
• Musée Jacquemart Andre, a dazzling collection of Italian Renaissance, French and Flemish masterpieces in a former private mansion, just a couple of blocks away.
  
• Musée d'Art Moderne (MAM), in the 16th arrondissement, for some of the best contemporary art outside the Pompidou
  
• Parc Monceau, a chic late 18th-century park with follies, grottoes, magnificent trees and shrubs
  
• Le Point Ephémère in the 10th arrondissement, a former school showcasing cutting-edge art and music (plus a great restaurant and bar)
  
• Cimetière du Pere Lachaise in the 20th arrondissement, where Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Colette, Balzac and Chopin are buried
  
• The historic Marais in the 4th arrondissement, brimful with trendy boutiques, terrific bars and savvy fashionistas
  
• The spooky catacombs in the 14th arrondissement, where 6 million skeletons, disinterred from cemeteries since the 18th century, now lie neatly - almost artistically - stacked

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets

Kids

Families are welcome, and kids receive a cute gift on arrival. You're in the heart of Paris with everything on your doorstep, and metro stations waiting to whisk you to anywhere else you'd like to go. Children aged 0-6 stay for free on an extra bed in parents' room; thereafter they are charged as adults. Baby cots and babysitting are available, and the hotel has a courtyard garden too.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Some Superior, Deluxe and Executive rooms interconnect with Deluxe and Signature Suites to make dedicated Family Rooms and Family Suites, which can sleep a family of 4 and 5 respectively. A number of Suites have a sofabed, while all suites have room for an extra bed and a baby cot. Children are not allowed in the Superior Rooms.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Shops: 2 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Lancaster is in the 8th arondissement of Paris, just off the Champs-Elysées, and about 1/3 of the way from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. It is 3 minutes' walk from George V metro station (line 1) and 5 minutes from Saint-Philippe-du-Roule (Line 9).

By Air
Charles de Galle (35km) is 45-60 minutes away, Orly Airport (40km) 30-45 minutes. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
The hotel can arrange taxi transfers (enquire when booking), or you can take the RER train into Châtelet Les Halles and change onto Metro line 1.

By Train
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, check out Seat 61 for train links. The Eurostar whisks you from London or Ashford straight into Gare du Nord. From here it's a 15-minute taxi ride or a 30-minute underground ride (one stop on the RER to Châtelet les Halles, and then 7 stops on metro line 1 to George V).

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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