Hotel Maison Athenee

The Maison Athenee, formerly the Hotel Athenee, replicates the drama and romance of the opera theater with a luxurious environment envisioned by Jacques Garcia, the French interior designer who redesigned the Louvre. The hotel's restaurant and bar, Le Petit Salon, is lavishly decorated. Red velvet chairs and cocktail tables line the hallway covered in gold damask wallpaper and gold framed oil paintings. Red velvet sofas, surrounded by iridescent drapes, provide more seating for guests. There’s also a lounge with wooden wall panels, a mantel, mounted celebrity head shots, and a few small lamps that offer dim lighting. The intimate atmosphere attracts mostly couples. The dark setting, though, doesn’t suit the taste of all guests. Every part of the five-floor hotel has dramatic interior designs from the small front desk with gold damask chairs to the antique winding staircase with iron railings and burgundy carpeting. The overall atmosphere is sultry and polished. 

The hotel is in a central Paris location with cafes, bars, hotels, boutiques, and shops on the same block. A few blocks away are several Metro subway stations, including the Opera, Auber, Madeline, and Havre-Caumartin. It’s a short walk from the hotel to the Place Vendome, Opera Garnier, Disneyland Paris Express, and the Louvre Museum. It’s a 20-minute subway ride to the Musee d'Orsay. The Eiffel Tower is a 30-minute subway trip and the Champs-Elysees is 15 minutes away via Metro. The Arc de Triomphe is 17 minutes away on public transportation. The Paris Orly Airport is a 30-minute drive.

There are Classic, Superior, Attic, Deluxe, and Family rooms available at this hotel. Velvet furnishings, richly upholstered headboards, damask decor, and designs inspired by Italian operas are in rooms which offer minibars, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, bathrobes, slippers, and safes. Two rooms have terraces with greenery. Stylish bathrooms have hair dryers, heated towel racks, high-end toiletries, and mosaic-tiled showers or shower/tub combos. Windows overlook the Paris streets or have unattractive views of other buildings. Family rooms have two rooms, fitting up to four people. Attic rooms feature low-hanging and slanted ceilings with bold use of pattern and color. Irons are available on request. Fees may apply for cribs. 

The Maison Athenee offers a charming, small smoking room, Le Fumoir, that has a curved ceiling design and red velvet armchairs with gold fringe. Gold lamps that line the walls and a flat-screen TV create a theater atmosphere in Le Fumoir. The hotel also has a restaurant, Le Petit Salon, that is equally lavish in decor. Concierge services are also available at the front desk, where staff can schedule in-room massages and beauty treatments for guests. Board games and cards are also available. Wi-Fi throughout is free.