A green oasis in Boho Paris
THE PRIVATE PARIS MANSION: Relais Christine
How Paris is it?
It’s a cliche to say that a hotel is located in the heart of Paris, but the Relais Christine of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group truly is. A skip and a hop from the boutiques of St Germain des Pres and a few minutes walk from the left bank of the River Seine, the property is down a one-way only alley of residential buildings. It’s typical Paris, with rooms overlooking the cobbled courtyard or the street, or both. The hotel feels like a private enclave with a leafy courtyard and its own garden. Relais Christine boasts the only four rooms in the city of Paris with their own garden.
Well-manicured, it is also used for something you wouldn’t expect: bee-keeping. Twice a year, in May and September, the honey is harvested from the hotel’s bees with guests invited to take part. Each year the property completely refurbishes five or six rooms. Beyond the obvious refresh benefits, this allows the Relais to experiment with design and have rooms that tap into the latest travel trends, such as having a window to the room in the bathroom for natural light.
The property aligns itself with a natural theme. It’s a rare attribute to find in the core of Paris. The Relais Christine feels like a country estate but with the bohemian Left Bank all around, you have the best of both worlds.
Parisian local factor:
Relais Christine has a stable of ten bikes for guests to use. They are stylish black numbers and there’s no need for a helmet, so you’ll look as glamorous when you finish as when you began, depending on the pace, of course. For a leisurely cruise, pedal towards the Place de la Contrescarpe to people-watch on glossy wicker chairs facing outward.
If you’d rather save your energy, guests can use the hotel’s very own smart car. The density of Paris makes parking a pain but the zippy, if uncool, car will get you into most spots and is favoured by Parisians. The idea behind the smart car was for guests to enjoy day trips to Versailles or Giverney without the tour group. Staff will even pack a picnic for you in the boot. If you want to bring your own hire car, parking is free.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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