Paris | right bank or left bank?

a left bank street (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

So you're going to Paris? You've heard about the left bank or the right bank and you're wondering, "Where should I stay?" Here are my thoughts:

Most of the luxury hotels in Paris are found on the right bank, the half of Paris north of the Seine. Some of the world's most famous and luxurious hotels are found in the right bank of Paris, including but not limited to the George V, the Plaza Athenee, Le Meurice, the Ritz, the recently re-opened de Crillon, the Shangri-La, Le Bristol, and the Peninsula.

The right bank's wide boulevards are lined with grand 19th century neo-classical buildings. Its hotel rooms tend to be much larger, and their guests can step out their front doors onto the best shopping streets of the world — the place Vendôme, the Champs Elysées and the Golden Triangle, and the Rue Saint Honoré.

The left bank is much older and charming, filled with narrow, winding streets lined with small shops. Because left bank hotels are found in centuries-old historic buildings redolent with charm, their guest rooms tend to be quite small and perhaps lack the most modern plumbing and electrical systems... but perhaps this is what you prefer?

Two hotels on the rive gauche stand out — Esprit Saint Germain is a member of Virtuoso, and though its guestrooms are barely larger than the bed, the hotel has a high percentage of returning guests who love the location, its residential ambiance, and the experience of hanging out in the hotel's living room — a ground floor common area with complimentary beverages and snacks. (Virtuoso guests receive complimentary round-trip private airport transfers with a three day stay). The other, Relais Christine, has just undergone an entire renovation, and the new room product is beautifully updated while retaining a sense of place that will remind you that you are in the heart of Paris. Ask me about their special summer offer that includes a daily buffet breakfast and a complimentary cruise on the Seine.

Right bank or left bank? Both answers are correct! It depends entirely on what you want — out-of-this-world luxury or iconic Parisian charm.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

make a date with Paris in 2016

Watch this video, and you'll want to go back to Paris. Featuring scenes from my favorite city on the planet, you'll see shots of some classic Parisian scenes including the Arc du Triomphe, the Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, and the grand rotunda of the Galleries Lafayette.

Also featured are two of Paris's best hotels, the Plaza Athenee Paris and the Shangri-La Paris. Both hotels feature killer views of the Eiffel Tower from some of their guestrooms.

So now that you're going back to Paris, here's how to get the best deal when you stay at either or these hotels. By booking through a Virtuoso and Diamond Club travel advisor, you'll receive the following added-value amenities for free.

Shangri-La Paris

• Complimentary full daily breakfast for two
• $100 hotel credit towards incidental expenses
• Upgrade if available on arrival

Plaza Athenee Paris

• Complimentary full daily breakfast for two (anything on the menu except alcohol and caviar)
• 100€ credit that you can use toward the room bill
• (daily 100€ credit if you book a full suite)
• Guaranteed upgrade at time of booking (up to the Junior Suite category)

I can get you this kind of value at more than 1,100 luxury hotels around the world.

P.S. — I have a date with Paris this September... 

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

what Parisians do in Paris

What do Parisians do in Paris? There are alternatives to standing in line at the Eiffel Tower, seeing a postage-stamp sized Mona Lisa in the middle of a large gallery with hundreds of tourists crowded in front of her, or having Starbucks coffee in the 6th arrondissement. Much better alternatives!

That's the idea behind this Google Map of 34 places in Paris that Parisians visit on their own. Only one of the 34 spots on this map (the Musée d'Orsay) is an attraction that would be on most tourists to-do lists. This map is a great for your next trip to Paris.

And when you're in Paris, I recommend you stay in one of the city's traditional "palace hotels" — the George V, Le Meurice, the Plaza Athenee, Le Bristol, the Ritz, and Hotel de Crillon (the last two hotels under renovation), or one of the new additions, the Mandarin Oriental, Royal Monceau, Shangri-La, and Park Hyatt Vendome. Need advice about where to stay? I've seen all nine, so please reach out to me. As a Virtuoso travel consultant, I can provide valuable amenities including complimentary daily breakfast for two at each of these hotels, upgrades, and additional perks.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Shangri-La | it's in our nature

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts hosted the Hotels Dinner on Wednesday night of this year's Virtuoso Travel Week. The dinner began with an amazing film that you can watch in the YouTube video above.

Virtuoso is an invitation-only consortium of the best luxury travel consultants in the world. About one thousand hotels and resorts are part of the program, and travelers can benefit from value-added amenities (such as free breakfast for two, room upgrades, and hotel credits) by reserving through their Virtuoso travel consultant.

Twelve Shangri-La properties are members of Virtuoso.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Paris at dawn | Shangri La Paris

Eiffel Tower at Dawn, (c) 2014 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

I spent two evenings at the Shangri La Paris at the beginning of my recent trip to France. There's been a lot of interest in this new Virtuoso property, so I wanted to get a chance to experience the hotel first-hand. My impression is quite positive. The Shangri La is a boutique hotel with just 101 rooms and suites. Decorated in a classical Parisian style that light, airy, tasteful, and updated, I enjoyed my stay very much.

If you want to see the Eiffel Tower from your room, Shangri La Paris is an ideal choice (it's the closest hotel to the Eiffel Tower). Half of the rooms have a direct view, and my ground floor Garden Suite had a good view from my patio as well as from the bathtub. Click here to see a video I took in the evening.

But better than sitting in your room, take advantage of the location to take a short walk. I left the hotel before dawn and captured the photograph above with the lights from the Pont d'Iéna reflected in the water. Then I continued walking over the bridge and spent some time at the base of the Eiffel Tower with not another tourist in sight (usually, there are hundreds of people waiting in line). On the way back to the hotel, I captured the shot below of a solitary car traveling on the cobblestoned rue Fresnel.

Rue Fresnel at Dawn, (c) 2014 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Shangri-La Paris | luxury and value in Paris

Deluxe Room at the Shangri-La Paris

Looking for a good value at a luxury hotel in Paris? The new Shangri-La Paris offers attractive introductory rates that you should consider. It is the newest Virtuoso hotel in Paris, with a great set of amenities including discounted rates, an upgrade at booking on top of the discount, complimentary American Breakfast for two daily, as well as an 80€ food and beverage credit. With a minimum stay of three nights, you will also receive a complimentary one-way airport limousine transfer. This is one of the best packages of Virtuoso amenities in Paris.

entrance to the Shangri-La Paris

Once the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, grandnephew of Napoleon, the hotel is located in the 16th arrondissement, about a quarter mile due north of the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower views — twenty-one rooms offer views onto Paris's iconic landmark. The entrance to the hotel, pictured to the left, has a grand but distinctly residential feel.

Outstanding values — Virtuoso rates for a Superior Room are currently* in the range of 551€ - 580€ with upgrade if available at time of booking to a Deluxe room that would be 740€ - 770€ were you to book it yourself. On top of this, your Virtuoso travel consultant can offer you free breakfasts, meal credit, and free airport transfer as a value-added bonus!

A boutique hotel with just 81 rooms and suites, the Shangri-La Paris opened in 2010 and features two restaurants, L'Abeille (a 2-star French gourmet restaurant) and Shang Palace (a 1-star Chinese restaurant). Guests receive complimentary high-speed Internet access.

*Rates can change until booked, so book now to take advantage of these values. No deposit is required, and you can cancel up to 24 hours before day of arrival.

Shangri-La Paris (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .