Here’s a very smart hotel in a very smart residential area. If you live in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, you’ve ‘arrived’; but while you are looking for your penthouse, you would be well advised to stay at the Résidence Foch. It is situated in a quiet street in a tranquil neighbourhood off the prestigious Avenue Foch and just over 5 minutes’ walk from the Porte Maillot airport bus terminal. The top end of the Champs Elysées is also accessible on foot but you need taxis or the metro to explore further afield.
The handsome façade of the hotel, with its window boxes and elegant wrought iron balconies, lifts the spirits immediately on arrival. Equally impressive is the interior – immaculate but homely with an elegant bar alongside the buffet breakfast area. A small garden/terrace is an added bonus.
The accommodations are charming, too. A variety of carefully-coordinated colour schemes have been executed with a lot more flair than the ubiquitous beige and brown of today’s bog-standard boutique hotels. The rooms are split between standard (the majority), double-size family suites and a few superior rooms. If you adopt the French custom of breakfasting in your room, try to get one with a little terrace so that you can dunk your croissants while watching the world go by.
A special mention for the staff: they are all exceptionally polite and helpful.