Prevue March/April 2011 - (Page 40)

DREAM DUO INTERCONTINENTAL PARIS + LONDON [ON LOCATION] DANIELLE ADAMS, CMP One is the original Grand Dame. One is a bit of a hipster haven. Here’s where you can have it all. T he only way to spend the night any closer to the mesmerizing Paris Opera House would be to actually sleep on stage. From my room’s balcony at the 470room Intercontinental Paris Le Grand, it’s possible circumference, each holding a different instrument, is on par with the finest halls of Versailles. La Verrière is an equally famous central interior public space, typical of “winter gardens” in classic European hotels, with a towering glass ceiling overhead resembling I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid at Le Louvre, about 10 minutes away. It’s a popular place to enjoy light meals in the afternoon with sunlight basking in from above, and a private section available for groups. One of the four Presidential Suites, which are more like luxury apartments, have a balcony with a view of the Opera House and Sacre Coeur high atop Montmarte. Walk around the corner and there’s the Eiffel Tower. Be sure to include Club InterContinental when booking your group. There are two levels of comfort to relax and enjoy deftly prepared bites and wine/cocktails during the day and evening. The entrance is on the 5th floor of the Opera wing with a grand view of the Opera House. There’s also concierge service and a private meeting room for up to 10. And we can’t say enough about this. Napolean, Charles de Gaulle, Hollywood celebs, world dignitaries and every chapeauwearing artist/writer of note has extolled the virtues in vivid detail of the legendary Cafe de la Paix restaurant. Really, the beauty of Le Grand in general is that your group can truly enjoy Paris as Parisians. But nowhere speaks more to the city’s classic “cafe society” experience than relaxing here and feasting on savory delicacies and drinking strong French coffee while watching people pass by l’opera. to see ballerinas dancing as they rehearse. Part of the view of the stage was blocked by bright yellow scaffolding advertising a gorgeous Parisian woman in haute couture. That’s quite a contrast to the extravagant facade built in 1875, with its golden statues and steps leading up to the grand entrance. Opulent, breathtaking, unbelievably mesmerizing—I literally gasped when I turned the corner and walked into The Grand Foyer of the Opera House after ascending the magnificently decorated marble and onyx staircase. Imagine the faces of your guests when they arrive at a private dinner held in grandiose Neo-Baroque setting. Elegantly dressed kings, queens, sultans and more from the last two centuries have sipped French champagnes, danced to waltzes—the perfect venue for your elite group. Book receptions in the Grand Foyer for up to 400. Max seating capacity for private shows is 2,150. And not to worry, the chandeliers are secure! (The Paris Opera House is the setting for The Phantom of the Opera.) The InterContinental Paris Le Grand is the grand dame hotel with one of the most famous restaurants in the world. Built in 1862 and renovated in 2003, Le Grand offers a total of 24,300 sf of meeting space, including the 4,800 sf Salon Opéra—an official historic landmark. The elegance of the ballroom with its 46-ft gilted dome ceiling and statues surrounding the dome’s 40 | prevue magazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue March/April 2011

The Westin Harbor Savannah
Omni Fort Worth
HelmsBriscoe/InterContinental
The Park Hotels, India
Palm Desert/Atlantic City/Asheville
Starwood Arizona
Return on Engagement
Marco Island Marriott, FL
InterContinental Paris/London
Las Vegas
Las Vegas Mettings by Caesars
Mandalay Bay _ MGM Resorts
Southern Finery
Caribbean
Puerto Rico
Barbados
Hard Rock Punta Cana
Pacific Mexico
Ireland
Dubai

Prevue March/April 2011