Paris, August, 2002…The opening of Park Hyatt Paris - Vend™me gives the city, which has been dazzling visitors for centuries, a unique alternative that swaths all who enter in subdued grandeur. Standing in a league of its own, the 188-room hotel is ideally located in the heart of Paris, a short stroll from Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysés, and the exclusive shops on Faubourg St. Honoré.
Park Hyatt Paris - Vend™me combines classic Parisian style with designer Ed Tuttle`s imaginative flair and offers a stunning series of sights and experiences. Its art collection features originals by international contemporary masters including Ed Paschke, Sam Gilliam, and Roseline Granet, who has been referred to as “the Rodin of our century”.

Five different buildings from the Hausmanian period have been transformed into a single, handsome structure. The lowest facade, a surprisingly delicate 200-ton mass of stone blocks, was detached and raised to align the facades - a grueling process. The restructuring of these five buildings created a homogenous unity with symmetrically balanced spaces, high ceilings, and a series of colonnades, as well as open and covered courtyards, all of which reinforce the hotel`s quiet palatial character.

Tuttle`s sleek, sensual interiors incorporate natural substances, such as sandy French limestone and classical mahogany to ensure a warm, comfortable atmosphere. To further enhance the hotel`s residential feel, no formal names were assigned to public spaces: the salon is The Salon; the bar is The Bar, and so forth.

The entrance on rue de la Paix opens onto a striking limestone foyer, setting the stage for Tuttle`s simple, modern use of classic French materials. Artwork was carefully selected for display throughout the hotel, making it a showcase of sorts for contemporary Franco-American art. For instance, the soft colors of “Lightning on Higgins Pond”, an imposing diptych by Fromboluti that faces the lifts, further enhances the soothing atmosphere of the main entrance. Strongly influenced by French Impressionism, this piece successfully combines American traditions with what is typically associated with France.

French Sculptress Roseline Granet`s work is found throughout the hotel. Her large bronze sculpture entitled “Le Grand Couple en Marche” welcomes guests as they enter the foyer. Granet was also commissioned to craft bronze door handles, lamps, and other fixtures in the public spaces and guestrooms. Jaune de Chrome`s Christian Lepage designed all of the hotel`s china. This scrupulous attention to detail and subtle fine-tuning makes the Park Hyatt Paris-Vend™me experience like none other.

The Salons lie at the heart of the hotel and feature colonnades, gilded ceilings, custom designed silk-cotton chenille, and vivacious artwork by Christiane Durand depicting contemporary Parisian scenes and lifestyles. Two courtyards - one glass-covered, the other open-air - are divided by a large fireplace. An excellent meeting place for an afternoon pick-me-up while shopping or sightseeing, this area buzzes from dawn to dusk and upholds the city`s age-old tradition of entertaining into the wee hours.

An elegant bar area lies toward the rear of the building, boasting two large candelabras by Granet, black glass tables with bronze trim, and mahogany wall panels to contrast with the limestone`s light, sandy-beige tones. Six paintings by Ed Paschke, renowned for his bright, striking images based on key principles of abstraction and expressionism, hang in The Bar. Paschke`s work often addresses the ever-evolving relationship between humanity and technology and can also be found in such prestigious venues as the New York Metropolitan Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. Facing the open courtyard, The Bar is an ideal place for international globetrotters to mingle with Parisians as they soak up the arty atmosphere and sip creative cocktails.

To enter The Restaurant, guests walk down a small gallery past a six-metre “wine wall” that not only serves as the hotel`s cellar, but also as a cigar and cheese cabinet. The tables are placed around a raised silver-leafed dome in the center of the room, which in turn is surrounded by a colonnaded rotunda. The walls are covered with mahogany and soft-toned fabrics. Each wood panel bears a large, original abstract drawing by Viswanadhan, an Indian artist residing in Paris since 1968.

These features set the stage for the sumptuous creations of executive chef Christophe David, who has worked in kitchens all over the globe, including Michelin-starred (one, two, and three) restaurants in Paris and Lyon. The Restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, serving innovative seasonal dishes prepared with gusto in the display kitchen for an extra splash of excitement. David`s menu focuses on grilled prime meats, fresh seafood, and produce of the highest organic quality.

Continuing Tuttle`s theme of understated simplicity, guestrooms and suites have been decorated in simple, neutral tones with exquisite artistic elements, such as the Jim Thompson fabrics that have been custom-designed and are found throughout the hotel. Elegant furnishings accentuate the underlying serenity, offering a rejuvenating retreat for business and leisure travelers. All rooms have spacious closets, Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems, satellite television and high-speed Internet access. The two-story Presidential Suite`s imposing entrance (six metres high and wide) on the sixth floor opens onto an ultra luxurious haven featuring two fireplaces, limestone and mahagony staircases, parquet floors, and four small terraces. Bathrooms are an integral part of all accommodations and feature sliding mahogany floor-to-ceiling “disappearing doors.” Classical French limestone complements matte bronze fixtures specially commissioned for the hotel. Heated floors, deep-soaking tubs and stone-enclosed rain showers with sinks for in-shower shaving give guests the feeling of bathing in a private water wonderland.

For additional pampering, The Spa is available exclusively for hotel guests. Facilities include a small gym, limestone steam rooms and saunas in both men and women`s locker rooms, and treatment rooms with mahogany walls, stone showers, and gilded cornices.

There are six rooms available for private functions and meetings, each designed to correspond with its namesake precious or semi-precious stone. The breathtaking Amethyste has oak floors, mirrors, bronze fixtures, and gold- and silver- leafed cornices and ceilings. Ideal for weddings, Amethyste can accommodate up to 130 (standing), gala dinners, or business presentations; it can also be split into two spaces for smaller affairs. All spaces can be linked and rented as one large venue for product launches, seminars, or other major functions. There are also two boardrooms that overlook the interior courtyard and feature cutting-edge technology and ample natural light. Underground parking is available.

As Hyatt`s first `Park` hotel in Paris, Park Hyatt Paris - Vend™me joins the highly successful Hyatt Regency Paris - Madeleine (1997) and the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Paris - Charles de Gaulle (1992).

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