A stone's throw from Place de l'Étoile, Hôtel Vernet is something of a well-kept secret in the Golden Triangle. No marble as far as the eye can see, no doorman in livery. A little too much It's spacious. Here, we're entering a grand Parisian house. decorated with the works of’About ten French artists, under a glass roof designed by Gustave Eiffel himself… A visit.
Imagine a Haussmannian private mansion from 1913, with 50 rooms, halfway between the Arc de Triomphe and Avenue Montaigne. The neighborhood has so many palaces that you might almost forget other houses exist. And it's precisely there that Le Vernet stands out: a 5-star hotel on the Champs-Élysées human-sized, redesigned in 2013 by interior designer François Champsaur for the family group B Signature Hotels & Resorts (to whom we also owe’Hôtel de Sers, the Montalembert or Manapany (in Saint-Barth). For the renovation, Champsaur didn't do things by halves: about ten French artists and artisans contributed, each signing a unique piece. The result? An address where every corner, every ceiling, every threshold bears a name.
The arrival sets the tone. At the entrance, hand-decorated glass panels by Pierre Bonnefille capture the street's light. Further on, around the reception desk, a woven copper wire wall shimmers as night falls... You look up: suspended above the lounge, an artwork by Éric Schmitt. You move forward a little more, and there, in the bar, a fresco by Jean-Michel Alberola covers the entire ceiling! And the carpet that complements this work of contemporary art? Also by Alberola. In short, it's the essence of the place: you experience your own private museum on your way to your room.
The facade of the Hotel Vernet © BSignature
The lobby of the Hotel Vernet © BSignature
Rooms like Parisian apartments
Regarding the rooms, Champsaur envisioned them as private interiors. Oak, elegant and warm, reigns supreme: parquet flooring, a screen around the bed, paneling up to the original ceiling moldings. The curtains are by Pierre Frey in organic cotton, Arpin plaids in woven wool cascade onto the bed, and the bathrooms feature Carrara marble basins, glass mosaics, and Stella brass fixtures… A subtle luxury offering great comfort. High-end bedding, 24-hour room service, Golden Key concierge, everything is there. Ten room categories to choose from, with a balcony if desired, range from the 18 m² Superior room to the incredible 100 m² three-connecting-bedroom Suite, perfect for large families or groups of friends. And in between? The 55 m² Prestige Suite with views of the Parisian rooftops, which combines the intimacy of a bedroom and the space of a suite, in this oak-Carrara-copper palette that defines the discreet elegance of the establishment.
A room at the Hotel Vernet © BSignature
One of the bathrooms at the Hôtel Vernet © BSignature
A Sicilian table under a Gustave Eiffel stained glass roof
The highlight? Restaurant V, housed under a monumental glass roof designed by Gustave Eiffel himself. At the stoves, chef Mazzara Baldassare offers a Mediterranean fusion cuisine that's bursting with Sicilian flavors: freshly caught octopus, fresh basil, fragrant mint leaves… You go there as much for the quality of the cuisine as for the setting. In the back, a private copper lounge can host up to ten guests for a more intimate dinner. And the adjacent bar? Our favorite spot in the 8th arrondissement.e Under Alberola's fresco, you can sip Champagne or a signature cocktail, alongside locals from the neighborhood who've made "V" their go-to spot for dinner.
The Vernet Restaurant © BSignature
The Vernet Restaurant © BSignature
At the doorstep of the Champs-Élysées
Another of Le Vernet's assets is its location. Everything is within walking distance: three minutes to reach the Arc de Triomphe, one minute to the Champs-Élysées, ten minutes to Avenue Montaigne and the Golden Triangle of fashion. In fifteen minutes, you can stroll from the Petit Palais to the Grand Palais, head to the banks of the Seine, cross the Pont Alexandre III to reach the Place de la Concorde. And for Eiffel Tower lovers? 20 minutes via Avenue Kléber, and there it is right in front of you, sublime from the Place du Trocadéro. Five more minutes to cross the Seine, and you're at the feet of the "big sister" of the restaurant V's glass roof.
Hôtel Vernet
25 Vernet Street, Paris 8e
50 keys, prices starting from 450 euros per night
Official website
