La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris

Just off the Champs-Élysées, the Avenue George V, and the Avenue Montaigne, with its luxury-brand shopping, is La Clef Champs-Élysées, a new hotel that’s perhaps best described by the phrase “instant classic.” It’s set in a Haussmannian building that dates back to 1907, formerly the Belle Epoque residence of the Hennessy family — yes, that Hennessy — and it’s been very thoroughly updated into its new incarnation, a 70-room luxury hotel in a style that’s roughly equal parts traditional and modern.

This means marble surfaces and period architecture contrast in a lively way with sleek modern furniture and neutral colors, a near-monochrome palette illuminated with a touch of metallic gold. Even the smallest rooms are large by Parisian standards, while the duplexes span over 50 square meters, even before you add their rooftop terraces. Some have bathtubs, some have balconies, and all come with L’Occitane bath products.

A restaurant and a bar are by no means assured in a Parisian hotel, but not only does La Clef have both, they’re a departure from what you might expect: Lu Ling, the bar, is joined by a restaurant called Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine, which is more or less exactly what it sounds like — a welcome alternative to the typical bistro or brasserie fare.