Audrey Hepburn was right about many things, from the power of kindness to the allure of huge sunglasses and an LBD. She was definitely right when she said, “Paris is always a good idea”.
Beauty, culture, creativity and pastries that look like tiny artworks… Paris is surely a good idea – and a global byword for romance and panache.
And if there’s one thing that puts the gleaming cherry on the Paris gateaux, it’s a fabulous hotel. Which is where the jewel-box Relais Christine comes into the picture.
Situated in buzzing Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this luxe establishment is surrounded by fabulous boutiques, galleries and restaurants, and it’s a stroll to the major attractions of the Louvre, Notre-Dame and Musée d’Orsay.
But you have only to step through its wrought iron gates to find a flower-lined cobblestone path and a haven of ease and style, complete with a roaring fire in winter.
With a renowned spa and 49 rooms and suites (all individual, including one with a private garden and beehive), Relais Christine began as an abbey in the 1200s and later became a grand private home. Now affiliated to the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World, it retains the warm welcome of a private home as well as elements of the abbey (how about breakfasts in a Mediaeval crypt and beauty treatments under vaulted ceilings?).
The result is a spot loved by fashion insiders, movie stars, style luminaries, honeymooners and adventurers – an insider secret that’s too good to keep to yourself (although you may be sorely tempted!).
For bookings and information on Relais Christine, visit www.slh.com/christine or call SLH reservations on +44 203 308 9005.
For more luxurious travel destinations, check out our lifestyle section.
