Pushing the boundaries of tradition has always stirred up controversy in France. In 1887 the cutting-edge Eiffel Tower instigated a well-publicized debacle, a war of words in newspapers where Parisians vehemently opposed construction of what famous French novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans called a giant, iron “hole-riddled suppository." A century later the moans and groans filled “Gai Paris,” when architect Ieoh Ming Pei was commissioned to design vanguard glass pyramids juxtaposed against Louvre’s classical architecture. And the situation was no different in 2006 when Paris welcomed its first modern “palace” hotel, much to the chagrin of the long- standing “palace” powerhouses - Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris, Hotel Plaza Athénée, Hôtel, Le Meurice, Hotel Le Bristol, Hotel Ritz, and Hotel de Crillon. While the coveted “palace” label still stirs controversy in the hotel industry and among social circles, this could very well be Paris’s best hotel to date. 

Fouquet’s contemporary flair is a delectable respite from the sometimes-inflexible traditional disposition of Paris. The decor and the design have not compromised the character that defines the city; it simply presents an evolution of style and avant-garde luxury. The love affair with Le Fouquet’s begins upon entry- blinded by giant diamonds and Murano glass chandeliers, intrigued by the upholstered and embroidered chocolate leather walls, and inexplicably drawn to the fabulous, gilded Rococo furniture and ornaments (for Facebook pictures), first impressions metamorphose into riveting sensory overload. The immaculate marble floors surface at the far end of the lobby as a grand staircase, leading to the well manicured, verdant urban lounge garden and the incomparable Le Diane restaurant (in my opinion, Paris’ top restaurant). This majesty is matched by the fairy tale suites, bathed in golds, coppers, browns and beiges and adorned with massive bed posts that reach the ceiling, high tech gadgetry that belongs in Japan, and damask curtains that open up to sublime views of Avenue George V, the Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe. Compared to its “palace” competitors, the dress code is more informal, the demographic younger, and the stuffiness factor almost nonexistent. Much like the Eiffel Tower and the glass pyramids of the Louvre, Hôtel Fouquet’s Barrière is slowly weaving its way into Paris’ social fabric. It’s only a matter of time before this hidden luxury gem bombards the lists of Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast, and the “palace” demagogue rises to power.