Saint James Paris Review

Saint James appeals as a holiday — or milestone — destination because the stunning chateau, with its fabulous façade fronted by a fountain, is reached through impressive gates and set within a 50,000-square-foot landscaped garden.The 5-star, 50-room hotel reopened in July 2021 after a total renovation by interior designer Laura Gonzalez who maintained the “bones” of the original Neoclassic structure — with its high ceilings, graciously sized rooms and wide, open corridors. She enhanced the curvilinear staircase, trimmed in black wrought iron tinged in gold with white balustrades and added a dramatic patterned carpet.She kept the “feel” of the former library with its original millwork, coffered ceilings and two-story, book-lined walls, furnishing it with comfy leather sofas facing cozy armchairs atop thick patterned rugs. Tall windows graced our Prestige Suite in the larger-than-home-sized living room; it featured a mélange of classic and contemporary décor, with mixed patterns and custom-crafted furnishings, a console hiding a cleverly-designed storage and a minibar, dressers with beautifully hand-crafted drawer handles and paper-clad lamps and matching lampshades.The details extended to a fabric-covered entry hall, a four-panel screen and timeless accessories: Greco-Roman sculptures, crystal vases, dramatic sconces and lighting, a bedroom wall covering with a Japanese motif and even a lighted bathtub.Paris beckons with many allures; few surpass “staying in” to dine at Bellefeuille, the in-house destination restaurant where Chef Julien Dumas reigns, or at Bar Bibliothèque, the former library, or for a swim, soak and wellbeing treatment at the exquisite, 5,000-square-foot Spa Guerlain, or to simply be overindulged by dedicated staff.The Relais & Châteaux member is located in the prestigious 16th arrondissement, near Avenue Victor Hugo and between the Arc de Triomphe and Bois de Boulogne, where the amazing Morozov collection appears at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (until February 2022), and it’s close to the many Monet paintings on display at Musée Marmatton.Saint James Paris5 Place du Chancelier Adenauer75116 Paris, Francetel 33 1 44 05 81 81