The new botanically-inspired Garden Wing at Shangri-La Hotel Paris has opened its doors, welcoming guests to experience an ode to nature and elegance. Located next to the 19th century hôtel particulier originally commissioned by Prince Roland Bonaparte, the Garden Wing features a landscaped French garden in its inner courtyard, with the Eiffel Tower as a photographic backdrop.
Created as an extension of the hotel’s main building, the Garden Wing is directly accessible from the lobby. The wing’s landmark facade blends seamlessly with the main building, complementing its architecture and wrought-iron details.
With this addition, the hotel offers 11 new rooms and nine suites arranged over five floors, bringing the hotel’s total room count to 101. On each of these floors, rooms and suites may be combined to form spacious private apartments.
As is typical of Haussmannian buildings in Paris, the guest rooms on the lower floors of the wing have exceptionally high ceilings and large windows that optimise natural light. Elegant furnishings and luxury materials – such as precious woods, exclusive fabric prints and a curated selection of Asian art – harmonise with the serenity of the garden outside.
Of the 20 rooms and suites in the Garden Wing, half overlook the imposing art deco-era Palais d’Iéna, while half faces the Eiffel Tower and provides a view of the hotel’s private garden. For each space, internationally-acclaimed designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon, has created a decor that reflects the house’s imperial inspiration, spirit and style, evoking the elegance of a private Parisian apartment.
An elevator set within the building’s original oak staircase leads to the upper floors, where guest rooms – and even some bathtubs – enjoy one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower available in the French capital. Guest room amenities include complimentary WiFi, ample dressing room and generous closet space featuring automatic motion-sensitive lighting technology. Bathrooms feature a separate bath and shower, fogless mirrors with integrated flat-screen TVs and heated marble floors.
Set in what used to be the private home of a member of Parisian high society, the Garden Suite and the Garden Room on the first floor share a semi-circular terrace overlooking the gardens. Ideal for aperitifs or dinner on a summer evening, the area is bordered by flowers such as camellia sasanqua.
At the heart of the newly-reconfigured hotel lies a unique garden, which occupies the entire inner courtyard. A striking stylistic exercise in symmetry and perspective, the garden stretches the full length of the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant, L’Abeille, all the way to the opposite street.
Landscaped by Architectures & Scènes d’Exterieur in homage to Prince Bonaparte, a noted botanist in his day, the garden’s perimeter is planted with exotic and flowering trees – among them are Japanese maple, Persian ironwood, shadbush and eucalyptus. Like living embroidery, lush, sculpted topiary, evergreens and trellises provide additional visual structure.
Colourful seasonal trees, such as rose bushes, mimosa, jasmine and magnolia, are interspersed with plants and other shrubs to create a distinctive yet harmonious oasis in the middle of Paris. At the lawn’s end, a pergola recalls the terraced aesthetic of Mediterranean gardens, while monumental Medici planters complete the grandeur of the setting.
