Hôtel Castille Paris

Castille Paris is part of Starhotels Collezione, which Starhotels describes as seventeen hotels in some of the great destinations of Italy and the world, marked by the Italian spirit that has always characterised the company. The house itself is divided into two wings of contrasting style. The Rivoli wing is decorated in a 1930s French classic style, while the Opéra wing takes a contemporary line and offers what the hotel calls impressive views. Subtle Venetian influences run through the interiors and find a focal point in the restaurant, L'Assaggio. The MICHELIN Guide, which lists Castille Paris among its selected hotels, describes a clean contemporary edge to the décor after a 2005 refurbishment, with patterned textiles and marble baths.

The hotel displays 18th- and 19th-century artworks alongside historic black-and-white photographs of Paris. Its courtyard, which the hotel describes as romantic, features Spanish frescoes that the hotel calls superb, and weddings and celebrations can be held there as well as in the bright rooms of L'Assaggio.

The location is central: the hotel lies close to the Louvre, the Opéra and Place Vendôme, and within reach of the Champs-Élysées, the Marais and the Centre Pompidou. It sits just off the Jardin des Tuileries.

On Rue Cambon, the hotel stands next to the Maison Chanel, which it calls legendary, and close to the Rue Saint Honoré boutiques of Dior, Balmain, Céline and Louboutin. The hotel says this position makes it a favourite with fashion lovers, particularly during Fashion Week.

From Gare du Nord the hotel is 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by metro, taking line 4 to Châtelet and then line 1 to Concorde; from Gare de Lyon it is 10 minutes either way, with metro line 14 running to La Madeleine. From Charles de Gaulle airport, the Roissy bus takes 60 to 75 minutes to the Opéra stop, a 4-minute walk from the hotel.

Supérieure rooms overlook either the courtyard or Rue Cambon, combining what the hotel calls fresh design with a resolutely Parisian allure. Grand Deluxe rooms start from 25 m² and are furnished in warm tones of red, mauve and powder pink. Deluxe rooms, decorated in mauve and red with minimalist décor, sleep up to three and come with a Starbed, a pillow menu, exclusive toiletries, bathrobes, a GHD hairdryer, a Samsung Smart TV, a minibar, a kettle with a tea selection and a safe.

Two Deluxe variants differ by outlook. Deluxe avec Balcon rooms have a balcony furnished with a table and chairs and a view of the Paris rooftops and Place Vendôme. Deluxe Tour Eiffel rooms, in warm shades of mauve and red, face the Eiffel Tower across the city's rooftops, sleep two or three people and share the same Starbed, pillow menu, Smart TV and minibar equipment as the standard Deluxe.

Among the suites, the Junior Suite has a sitting area and a view of the courtyard that the hotel calls peaceful, while the Junior Suite Duplex blends classic French style with modern amenities. The Junior Suite Duplex Tour Eiffel adds an unobstructed Eiffel Tower view over two levels. The Suite has a generous bedroom and a separate living room with custom furniture; the Suite Duplex has floor-to-ceiling windows and a bright ground-floor living room; the Suite Duplex Tour Eiffel pairs a contemporary style with the tower view. The Suite Exécutive Duplex, which the hotel calls its largest suite, spreads over two floors, and its large living room can be arranged as extra sleeping space on request.

The Grand Tour Suite, on the first floor, draws on the opulence of the 19th-century Grand Tour, with high ceilings and large windows over the quiet inner courtyard, an Illy espresso machine, fresh flowers and turndown service. Families can book the Chambre Familiale for up to four. The Appartement Dolce Vita, decorated in a typically Italian style, sleeps up to eight: its main suite has a king-size bed and a Calacatta marble bathroom, the second has a shower and a bathtub with twin or double beds, and the apartment also gives private access to a further 20 m² bedroom.

L'Assaggio is a contemporary Italian restaurant with a French touch, listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Its menu is signed by Michelin-starred chef Ugo Alciati and interpreted by chef Marco Terenghi, with a 'traditionally modern' reading of Italian and Piedmontese cuisine that the hotel describes as pure simplicity meeting culinary technique. Diners choose à la carte or a four- or five-course menu, and lunch and dinner are served every day from 12:30 to 22:30 without a break. In warmer months, dinner moves out to the courtyard, surrounded by greenery and frescoes.

Every Sunday, from 12:30 to 16:00, L'Assaggio serves the Pranzo della Domenica. A welcome cocktail, water, teas and coffees are included, and a large table is set for couples or solo guests who wish to share the meal with other diners, in a spirit of meeting and sharing.

Breakfast is served every day, as an American buffet from 07:00 to 11:00 or à la carte until 12:00. L'Assaggio Bar & Salon de Thé, open daily from noon to midnight, serves an espresso, a light lunch or a glass of champagne, and suits daytime refreshment, formal meetings or an aperitif with wine. In summer, La Terrazza serves signature cocktails and Italian tapas to share in the shade of the patio from 17:00 daily, with food and drink pairings devised by chef Marco Terenghi around a selection from the Bollinger Group: Champagne Bollinger, Gin Anaë and Domaine Chanson wines.

The hotel's Espace Bien-être offers treatments that the hotel describes as exclusive, together with personalised services, all on reservation, so guests planning a session should arrange it in advance rather than expect to walk in.

Two of its installations use infrared technology. The Vital Dome, developed in partnership with Vital Tech, offers treatments designed to detoxify, relax and regenerate the body while improving the skin and the quality of sleep; Le Lounge combines infrared therapy with weightlessness technology and sensory design.

Every Friday, the hotel's Patio becomes an open-air studio for the artist Daily Kat Illustrations, who paints personalised watercolour portraits live. A private 1 hour 15 minute cruise on the Seine can also be arranged for one to six people, with a bottle of Champagne and soft drinks on board. The hotel is run by General Manager Alessandra Bragoli, and the Head Concierge is Michel Zucchero.

For families, the hotel supplies on request at arrival a cot, playpen, changing table, stroller, high chair, step stool, bottle warmer, bottle and teat steriliser, child toilet seat and bath accessories, and babysitting can be arranged at extra cost. Room service runs 24 hours a day, and shoes can be shined on request.