environment of the Mama Shelter hotel, close to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. This property has literally got quirky designer Philippe Starck written all over it – from the ‘provocative’ graffiti in the lift to the comic-book masks and i-Macs in the rooms. Owner Serge Trigano promised me that traditional service values at the 172-room hotel have not been chucked away with the more conventional trappings of comfortable furniture and discreet decorations.
Back on more conventional ground, both literally and figuratively, the Académie Diplomatique Internationale (ADI) on Avenue Hoche, near the Arc de Triomphe and Parc Monceau, is a prestigious location, comprising five separate meeting rooms which can be privatised for up to a total 350 guests. But be warned: you must give plenty of notice as the building normally hosts diplomatic events but can be hired for a few days every month for meetings and special events.
If the accent at the ADI is on the formal, the ambiance at the Païva Restaurant at the foot of the Champs-Élysées is decidedly unceremonious. The former townhouse of a 20th-century courtesan, renovated by renowned interior decorator Jacques Garcia, is a riot of purple and red furnishings – check out the stars on the ceiling. It’s one more instance of how established venues in the French capital are discovering a contemporary twist.
Rooms for improvement
Nestled on the rue de Berri, just off the Champs-Elysees, the Hotel California has no connection with the famous Eagles tune. In fact, the atmosphere is far more Parisian chic than West Coast cool. The 18-room (plus 16 suites) property has nine meeting rooms ranging from the Pasedena 1, which at 25 sqm can hold up to 20 people to the San Francisco II,