Whenever I'm in the city of romance, fashion, and beauty (Paris, in case you haven't figured it out yet) I know exactly where to stay. I'm a regular at two specific hotels – One of which I must visit even if I'm not staying there. I call it 'My own Italy in Paris.'
Hotel Castille Paris is a cozy and chic boutique hotel that is perfect for short visits to the city. The four-star hotel was renovated a few years back, and is absolutely worth a stay in. It's situated on the fashionable Rue Cambon, also famous for its luxurious Chanel boutique, making it within walking distance to lots of cafes, restaurants, and most importantly the shopping district!
The hotel houses 108 luxury rooms, of which 21 are suites. The interiors bear the influence of an elegant Parisian eighteenth century house. Combine that with the decadence and luxury of Italian style, and you've got yourself a stunning blend. Chic rooms filled with light, and soft shades of color make the rooms delightful to stay in.
The service at Hotel Castille is outstanding; a very hospitable staff, and the most comfortable beds you'll ever sleep on during your travels. At the end of each and every visit of mine, I always wish I could pack their bed and take it with me! Come to think of it… It's not just the bed. I would probably want to take all of Paris with me.
On our last visit, my husband and I ended up changing our room four times. If that were to happen in any other hotel, we would surely be very upset. But not at Castille.
Our first room was quite small, and we were on our anniversary and wanted our trip to feel special. We requested to move to a bigger room, but the AC in that one wasn't cold enough. The staff very nicely (and happily) changed our room again. Not only that, but they actually upgraded us to one of their fabulous Coco Chanel suites! Unfortunately, that suite was only available for 2 nights, so we moved to another duplex suite for the remainder of our stay.
The staff was extremely friendly, and tried its best to accommodate us. They even invited us for a complimentary dinner to apologize about the AC incident in our second room. Not that we weren't planning to dine in their amazing restaurant anyway.
I have such a weakness for good food… Genuinely good food. Combine that weakness with my love for everything Italian, and what do you get? Well, a never ending craving for the fabulous Italian dishes in their restaurant; L'Assaggio. Everything there is remarkable; the ambiance, service, presentation, and of course the food. Oh, the food. It's simply the best I've had in Paris – and their desserts are to die for!
Whenever I think Paris, I think Castille!
The Castille Paris is located at 33-37 Rue Cambon 75001, Paris, France. For more information, visit www.castille.com/en
– Reem Behbehani, photography courtesy of author
