My client and dear friend, Claire Wickenden, recently returned from a trip to Italy where she visited Florence, Cinque Terre and Milan. Not only does she have an adventurous spirit and passion to see the world, but she does an incredible job of capturing her experiences through her gift of photography. As a photography lover myself, I am constantly obsessing over the work published in National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, and just about any travel related magazine that I can get my hands on. And let me tell you – Claire Wickenden is the next big thing! Sometimes I see photos of the places that I’ve been and think, “this photo does not do the place justice!” Claire’s photos on the other hand truly capture the beauty and wonder of the destination and I am excited that she has allowed me to share a few of her Italy photos below.

Le Meurice is often referred to as “the Hotel of Kings” and has accommodated countless monarchs, sultans, politicians, artists, film stars, and musicians over the years. Some of my favorites on the list include: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rockefeller, Rudyard Kipling, Elizabeth Taylor, Harrison Ford, Beyonce, and famed artist, Salvador Dali, who actually lived at the hotel for quite a long period of time. And of course I have to mention for all of my rap lovers out there that Jay- Z and Kanye West recorded their hit album Watch The Throne while staying at this hotel. Does the line “Le Meurice for like six days” ring a bell? It should if you listened to the album!
I am so excited and a little overwhelmed as I write this post because there is just so much that I want to share with you about Le Meurice. That being said, Im sure that I will probably leave out a few things so please do not hesitate to ask me if there is anything specific that you want to know about this incredible hotel.
First I will start off by saying that one of the best parts about this hotel is its location. Located in the heart of the city, Le Meurice overlooks the beautiful Tuileries Garden and is a short walk to the Lourve and most of the other main attractions in the city. When we arrived at the hotel we were thrilled to find that everything we wanted to see could be done so without taking public transportation (although we did have some very memorable subway moments on our trip).  As we checked in at the front desk I couldn’t help but notice that every single staff member we spoke to was genuinely concerned that we had absolutely everything that we needed to make our stay perfect. I think I probably heard the phrase “anything you need, just let us know and we will make it happen,” probably about 20 times. Next I met with Cecile, my main contact at Le Muerice, and had a wonderful tour of the property. Cecile is the one that takes care of getting my clients extra amenities (upgrades, free breakfast, 85 Euro resort credit, early/late check in/out, etc.) and makes sure that they get VIP treatment while they are there!

In another post I will show you photos of my room at Le Meurice but for now here are a few that I took while touring the hotel with Cecile.
The whole hotel has a feeling of authentic Parisian luxury with  modern twist. In 2007 it was beautifully renovated by Phillipe Starck. Below is a photo of Restauant Le Dali, where guests can enjoy excellent food under a 1560 square foot canvas that was painted by Philippe’s daughter, Ara. The chairs pictured here, along with other items in the room,  were designed by Salvador Dali himself.

Often compared to a British club, Bar 228 has a cozy yet masculine feel with leather furniture and original paintings on the walls.

The Valmont Spa is the perfect way to relax after a day full of seeing the sights!

There are great room options whether you are looking for a romantic getaway for two or a multigenerational family trip (lots of connecting rooms). All of the rooms are very elegant and spacious with large marble bathrooms and gorgeous details.



Let me know if you would like some more info on Le Meurice and the awesome amenities I can get you there!