A cluster of young Asian women breeze up to the reception desk of the new Mandarin Oriental in Paris. A blur of Louis Vuitton, they are presumably on a shopping trip. Even while checking in, they're already asking the concierge for tips on the hottest boutiques nearby.
The Mandarin Oriental is located in the heart of the Rue Saint-Honore - arguably Paris' most famous shopping street. It has a sleek, urban design and calculated touches that convey an haute couture sensibility. The hotel is perfect for those who want to spend a sojourn in a hotel predicated on modern glamour rather than the ornate classicism of, say, the Hotel George V.
Since its opening in August, the hotel has acquired all the cachet of a well-kept secret. Early guests included actress Maggie Cheung Man-yuk and violinist Vanessa-Mae. The word around town is that the hotel's head concierge, Julien Brunel, can make anything happen. A recent request involved a birthday party on a yacht with special lighting to match the guest's favourite colour. He had a birthday message lasered onto a building close to the Seine.
The hotel's spa - close to 10,000 sq ft of majesty - is a favourite of LVMH honcho Bernard Arnault, who apparently drops in after a hard day's wheeling and dealing.
The hotel took four years to complete. It was an annexe of the Ministry of Justice, and the only thing retained from the original structure is the 1928 facade. Four design experts were assigned to create different aspects: architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte; interior designer Sybille de Margerie, who worked on the lobby, spa and rooms; and the team of Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku for the restaurants and bar. The result is as eclectic as it is luxurious. Maison Lesage, the 130-year-old Parisian embroidery studio that creates embellishments for all the major couture homes, forged its first collaboration with a hotel.
A large framed fan - the hotel's symbol - on the wall was inspired by the 1930s. It required 200 hours of hand-sewing and consists of velvet, pearlised leather, tiny pearls, vintage sequins and brilliant butterflies. Renderings of the insect are everywhere. They are delicately engraved on the floor and there's a video projection of them fluttering above the indoor Romanesque pool.