The 191-room Plaza Athénée has pulled off the neat trick of becoming the hippest grand hotel in Paris. The world's young, rich, and titled check in here to check out one another, disporting themselves in one of the city's hottest bars and two of its highly rated restaurants—the gorgeous Art Deco Relais Plaza (Yves Saint-Laurent is a regular) and Alain Ducasse, where an extravagant breakfast is also served (the pastry basket is so copious it requires its own printed guide). During the summer, the hotel's ivy-covered and geranium-planted courtyard is one of the loveliest places for a drink or dinner, and tea in the gallery is a major event for those who live la vie en rose. Upstairs, you have a choice between Art Deco or Louis XVI grandeur; we prefer the latter for its higher ceilings and more classic feel, but either way, you'll score CD players, remote-controlled air-conditioning, extensive closet space, and gorgeous marble bathrooms. Serious shoppers can't do better than the Avenue Montaigne location—Christian Dior's main boutique is just across the street, and Prada, Balenciaga, and the rest of the gang are just a skip away.
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