Located in the very heart of Paris, Hotel Banke is a hotel that excites and enthralls, giving you access to this beautiful city, and the space to relax, recoup and discover Paris at your own pace. It was the perfect hotel for my 48 hours in Paris the other week with my best friend Katie, and we felt like we were queens during our two night stay here.
Originally a bank, obviously, Hotel Banke 5* is an elegant hotel set in a Haussmanian-style building close to the Opera house. The banke was designed by architects Paul Friesse and Cassien Bernard, in collaboration with the engineer Gustave Eiffel who designed the central staircase and is now a protected building in Paris! The hotel was remodelled in 2009 to become what it functions as today.
As you enter you are blown away by the beautiful structures and luxury feel the hotel simply oozes. Not only that, if you arrive by car, there are doormen to welcome you to the hotel, grab your luggage and take it inside for you.
It has a spectacular lobby under a glass cupola measuring nineteen metres in height and with a large mosaic in the central part, around which the hotel bar and restaurant are now located. It is like walking into a giant jewellery box with beautifully intricate designs dotted around the open area.
The swish hotel is simply glorious and is as Instagrammable as it gets, with golden chandeliers, stunning giant furniture, mosaic tiled flooring, glamorous colour and tones and kitsch paintings and displays.
Located in the hotel there is a restaurant; Josefin Restaurant and a bar; Lolabar and in summer Terraza del Lolabar. The cuisine is as high quality as you would expect with beautiful food in the restaurant serving Catalan dishes and Spanish wines, whilst Lolabar has a variety of tapas including lobster carpaccio, Iberian ham with artichoke and a selection of seafood with fresh green beans. Me and Katie dined on the tapas that evening in Lolabar and opted for the selection of meats, breads and olives, alongside a glass of champers and some cocktails!
Breakfast is served daily, and comes with your room booking – the only downside to our stay was the breakfast, served in a basement area of the hotel, it is not in keeping with the luxurious and beautiful stay you’ve had so far. The room is white and simplistic setting, and the food is modest!
LOCATION
The location is perfect if you are looking for a place to crash after a long day of walking around Paris and is located within the bustle of the city, but provides you with space to relax too. It is situated in the Opera district and only a stone’s throw away from Boulevard Haussman and the Galeries Lafayette, as well as all of the main tourist attractions such as Jardin des Tuileries, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Musée du Louvre.
You can also walk from the hotel to the Eiffel Tower but make sure you have your walking shoes on as it is around an hours walk and about 2 miles each way. However it is a beautiful walk and you pass by many of Paris’ most beautiful buildings, tourist attractions and other spots.
TIP: Grab a taxi from Gard du Noord as it really is too far to walk after an early start and a train in to central Paris!
BEDROOMS
Our bedroom was beautiful, one of the Deluxe Rooms with bed, seating area and luxury bathroom, ours on the sixth floor. The room was airy, bright and well designed with some beautiful pieces of furniture including a blue velvet sofa and black tiled bathroom. Our room was beautiful and had all the mod cons and amenities you could need, including free wifi, flat screen TV, Nespresso coffee machine and Sony Bluetooth connection.
The rooms may seem expensive but they are well worth the money, with high quality goods, and brands, alongside exceptional service and an eye for detail, both in the bedrooms and the rest of the hotel. The rooms have all been designed in pure Haussmann style with some rooms even having hydromassage baths and with views over La Fayette or Pillet Will streets.
On your honeymoon? Treat yourself to a night in the LaFayette Suite and enjoy Parisian glamour to the fullest. Includes marble bathroom, custom-made furniture with Swarovski details, large Japanese-style wardrobes, a dressing room and views of Rue Pillet Will.
I had a wonderful stay here last month and I cannot wait to return next time I am in Paris!
Book your stay here.
*I stayed complimentary at the wonderful Hotel Banke however as always opinions are my own and I only work with brands that are relevant for you guys!
