If ever there were a city that evokes romantic thoughts of strolling hand-in-hand and just being in love, Paris is it. Perhaps that’s why we’ve been to the City of Light a few times now. And when we go, I always like to stay in the 8th arrondissement. It is, after all, one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Ever on a quest for the perfect hotel in the perfect location, I was introduced to the Hotel Napoleon Paris. It’s a fabulous Parisian boutique hotel boasting views of both the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
And the hotel began with a love story of its’ own. Alexander Pavlovich Kliaguine, a rich Russian entrepreneur, met a Parisian girl at a Literary Fair in the 1920s. They fell in love and were married. As a wedding gift, Kliaguine gave his new bride the Hotel Napoleon Paris. The hotel is actually still owned by the Kliaguine family today.
I’m convinced this view is why Alexander Pavlovich Kliaguine gave his bride Hotel Napoleon as a wedding gift in the 1920s
Located on Avenue de Friedland, Hotel Napoleon Paris is just steps away from the Arc de Triomphe and the Charles de Gaulle Étoile metro stop, 100 meters from the Champs-Élysées and an easy walk to the Eiffel Tower. With some of my favorite rooftop terraces serving Champagne with a side of incredible city views, there is hardly a better location.
Santé!
With just 51 rooms and 51 suites, Hotel Napoleon Paris definitely has an intimate feel. From the moment we checked in, our names were never forgotten. A chilled bottle of Champagne promptly arrived to our room moments after we did and a lovely card on the desk welcomed us with (be-still my heart) a box of macarons.
Our suite
We stayed in one of the suites and I pretty much never wanted to leave. Each of the rooms are uniquely decorated and have their own color schemes. The rooms have all the modern conveniences I always want – wifi, tv with English language channels, iPod docks and both a tea kettle and coffee maker – with a style evocative of French high society.
Shhh! Don’t tell Hotel Napoleon I eat macarons in bed.
I’ve written many times about how I’m the Goldilocks of hotel beds; I’m always searching for one that’s just right. The comfy bed was like falling into a cloud, or at least what I imagine falling into a cloud would feel like, every night. Each morning it was hard to drag myself out of that heavenly bed, but Paris was calling.
L’Occitane bath products were packed in a cute little shopping bag and the large marble bathroom had a separate bathtub and rain shower.
Lunch at Le Bivouac in Hotel Napoleon Paris
We also tried Hotel Napoleon Paris’ restaurant-lounge, Le Bivouac, which is open for lunch during the week. Le Bivouac’s chef, Olivier Legentil, creates trendy recipes with a French flair and the menu changes seasonally. It was late spring when we visited and one of my favorite spring vegetables, asparagus, was in season. I couldn’t resist starting with the asparagus with puff pastry and hollandaise sauce. Though the menu also features French favorites like steak tartar and frites, I went for something a little lighter for an entree and selected the ahi tuna with basmati rice.
The French definitely know how to do pastries!
Really, I was justifying the fabulous French pastry I had already picked out for dessert. The pastries are the only thing not made in Le Bivouac’s kitchen, but they are brought in fresh daily from a local pâtisserie. The raspberry tarts we had were to die for.
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Hotel Napoleon Paris has bees and makes their own honey
While the French can out bake an Italian any day in the pastry department, French coffee just isn’t quite as good as its Italian counterpart. I was happy to order an after lunch pot of tea, especially when I learned that Hotel Napoleon Paris has their very own honey producing bees on site. I am a sucker for good honey and I’ve never seen a city hotel with its very own bees before. I was thrilled to receive my very own jar of Hotel Napoleon honey to bring home.
I was truly sad to check out. If there’s a perfect Parisian boutique hotel, I have no doubt that Hotel Napoleon Paris is it.
Know Before You Go
We were guests of Hotel Napoleon in order to bring you this story. However, Luxe Adventure Traveler maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. As always, all thoughts, opinions, and enthusiasm for travel are entirely our own. This article contains affiliate links. When you book on Booking.com
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