Arrival/Check-In: I barely noticed my taxi pull up outside the InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel as I was still admiring the Paris Opéra. A doorman opened the door while a bellman took my luggage, and check-in at the front desk was efficient and professional. My attention kept drifting to La Verrière, the glass-roofed atrium filled with plants that serves as a popular meeting spot for both visitors and local business and social crowds.
Guest Quarters: On the way to my fourth-floor executive room, I enjoyed the corridor details, which include engravings of musical scores and dancers. The hotel, housed in a Second Empire–style building with 470 rooms, occupies an entire triangular block. Inside my room, large windows looked down into La Verrière and filled the space with light. The décor combined gold, royal blue and cream tones, with fabric- and paper-covered walls, drapes, privacy curtains and patterned carpeting. Mahogany furnishings included a queen-sized bed with high-quality linens, a duvet and decorative throw; a credenza with a stocked minibar and a flat-screen TV; and a practical desk. A club chair with a floor lamp and glass-topped table created a comfortable reading corner. The bathroom was bright and generously sized; the marble vanity offered plenty of counter space, and a separate water closet was equipped with a phone. Thick white bath sheets, hand towels and face cloths were plentiful and refreshed during evening turn-down. Robes and slippers were also provided.
Services and Amenities: Since opening in 1862 the InterContinental Le Grand has hosted royalty, artists and writers, thanks to its prime location and extensive services. Staff include concierges, valets and guest-relations specialists who assist with arrangements and local recommendations. Club Floor guests can use a private lounge that serves breakfast, cocktails and light refreshments throughout the day and night. The hotel’s grandeur is visible in La Verrière and the Bar, and is particularly notable at Café de la Paix, an ornate, listed dining room with gilded ceilings and frescoes where the breakfast buffet offers a wide selection. Spa treatments are available at the full-service I-Spa by Algotherm, which focuses on marine-based therapies. A fitness room, sauna, hammam and relaxation area provide additional ways to unwind and recover from travel.
The Experience: Located in the refined 9th arrondissement next to the Paris Opéra, the hotel sits among high-end shops and is within easy walking distance of the Tuileries Garden, the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. Its central position makes it convenient for sightseeing by day and for enjoying Parisian life after dark. The RoissyBus stop to the airport is also just a block away.
GT CHECKLIST
Doorman/valet — yes
Less than 10 minutes for check-in — yes
Separate tub and shower — no
Large vanity — yes
High-quality towels — yes
Powerful, unattached hair dryer — no
High-quality bed linens — yes
Large, flat-screen television — yes
Large desk with convenient outlets — yes
Large, complimentary laptop safe — yes
Complimentary in-room WiFi — no
Complimentary bottled water — no
Stocked minibar — yes
Ample lighting — yes
In-room coffeemaker — no
Iron and ironing board — yes
On-site restaurant — yes
24-hour room service — yes
24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center — yes
Turn-down service — yes
InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel
2 Rue Scribe
Paris, 75009 France
tel 33 1 40 07 32 32
intercontinental.com