Shot with my Leica
Last year, I discovered the new couture face of the Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris, which reopened after months of refurbishment.
While the hotel offers the ultimate French food experiences with La Galerie and
world-famous 3 star Alain Ducasse Restaurant, it’s a quite different
atmosphere that prevails at the bar.
Of course, in line with the
spirit of the palace, Le Bar du Plaza Athénée, like a Haute Couture house, is
filled with refined materials such as the skilfully-draped deep blue fabric
that covers the ceiling, and the elegant seating with top stitching on leather.
Shot with my Leica
If Le Bar du Plaza Athénée has
thoroughly succeeded in breathing the couture spirit into the place while
preserving its heritage and distinctive atmosphere, what makes it even more
special is the totally unprecedented, modern and even futuristic touches have
been added for the pleasure of the younger generations.
Inspired by today’s habits of
“choose-your-size” drinks and fast-food menus, the cocktails come in 3 sizes –
Small, Medium and Large. And since you are at the Hotel Plaza Athénée, they are
served in glasses specially designed by the Jouin Manku Agency (also
responsible for the Bar’s innovative décor), and specially hand-blown in Murano
glass.
The cocktail menu itself is also
quite innovative: it is available in hard copy of course, but also on tablets
set out on the bar, and it can be directly downloaded on the spot on your
smartphone via QR codes.
Shot with my Leica
Shot with my Leica
bear gets a makeover at Le Bar du Plaza Athénée: it comes in 6 different
outfits, representing the 6 cocktail categories available, depicted on the menu
and on the coasters. These mascots form a leitmotiv for the Bar, with a unique
#PlazaBuddy signature to share them on social media… How cool !
visit Le Bar du Plaza Athénée is the jaw-dropping, spaceship-like transparent
bar sculpted from a single block of resin. Seemingly suspended in space, it
puts the barmen under the spotlight as if they were on stage. Like a cocktail
laboratory, the bar displays no bottles of spirits, bringing even more
attention to the barmen under the watchful eye of Thierry Hernandez and Julien
Lambert, respectively bar director and artistic director of Le Bar du Plaza
Athénée.
With this clever combination, maybe
the Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris has found the secret formula to please all generations
of guests in one same hospitality area, and retaining the client of tomorrow ?
The future will tell !
For information about the festive season at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, please visit:
http://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/festive/hotel-plaza-athenee
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
21, avenue Montaigne
75008 Paris, France
Tél. +33 (0)1 53 67 64 00