Fodor's Expert Review Buddha-Bar Hôtel Paris

All the codes of the global Buddha Bar brand converge in this 18th-century historic mansion—set in an upscale neighborhood near the Élysée Palace and the American Embassy—best described as 1920's Shanghai-meets-Louis XV. Here, the Buddhas and dragons, bold Orient-inspired colors, and lavish materials add up to a seamlessly glamorous retreat with all the luxuries of a five-star hotel—outdoor terrace, spa and fitness room, gastronomic restaurant, bar, and tearoom—and plenty of Paris chic.

YOU SHOULD KNOW This is not the liveliest area at night, but the hotel provides it's own nightlife with themed party nights and live DJs.

room

Walls and screens in burnished gold or lacquer and elegant parquet floors create a lavish backdrop for Art Deco-style furnishings in daring red and glossy black all gleaming under stylishly moody lighting. Rooms are spacious yet their plush opulence and warm color schemes lend a certain coziness. The two gorgeous Historic Suites on the second floor meld the mansion's original frescoed ceilings, gilding, and intricate woodwork with an Asian décor that some might find incongruous.

Some higher category rooms have balconies.

bathroom

Enormous bathrooms come in shimmering deep red, gold, or black glass tiles with spacious walk-in rain showers or dragon-emblazoned tubs and all the luxury amenities. Though lighting could be brighter, many bathrooms offer windows to let in bright daylight. Heated toilets are separate.

Once voted Best Bathroom in Paris, the Grand Historic Suite's 300-sq-ft bathroom, which boasts its own fireplace, chandeliers, and sitting area, is worth the price of the room. Though you may be tempted to spend the day in the tub.

lobby

There is no formal lobby, but a warren of plush intimate rooms includes a tearoom and a bar and lounge area where you can relax any time of day or night, as well as a spacious outdoor terrace that's open year-round, thanks to heaters in a winter-wonderland setting in the colder months.

spa

Though small for a hotel of this calibre, the spa follows a luxe Asian formula in its two treatment rooms, where you can opt for a series of "holistic" Ayurvedic massages and beauty treatments, complete with singing bowls, and afterwards relax in the jewel-like hammam.

gym

The fitness area is compact but offers all the basic high-tech equipment you'll require and is open 24 hours, so you can be sure to have the room to yourself.

dining

Beautiful Le Vraymonde's gastronomic Asian-fusion menu is built around the four elements, meaning you'll have meat, fish and fowl—raw and cooked—as well as plenty of vegetable-centric dishes with top-notch wine pairings.

drinking

The Buddha Bar franchise has had plenty of experience in what it takes to keep a discerning crowd happy, and you won't be disappointed at the hotel's Le Quatre bar, where you can sip a well-crafted Asian-inspired drink while rubbing elbows with Parisians in a plush, award-winning setting. Lunch and bar snacks are served here too.

shopping

For high-end shopping you've hit the jackpot: the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and its continuation, the Rue Saint-Honoré, is one of Paris's great high-end shopping streets, jammed with dozens of top designers, including Hermès, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Goyard, and Chloé, to name a few. Ten minutes away in the other direction, the capital's legendary haute shopping area, Avenue Montaigne, George V, and the Champs-Élysées, which intersect to make up the Golden Triangle, are home to the likes of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Céline, Guerlain, Gucci, Valentino, Marni, Aläia, Dior, and so many more.