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They have all built successful hotel brands (and in one case, a travel company) across Australia. Travel is in their DNA, so when they go to Paris, they are particular about where they stay.
These four seasoned travellers nominate their choice destinations in Paris.
Hayley Bailey | “I love staying in the Marais, especially over a weekend, and my new favourite hotel in the area is Maison Proust,” says the Baillie Lodges co-founder, along with her husband James Baillie. “It has been beautifully conceived as a homage to author Marcel Proust, and has an incredible art collection devoted to La Belle Époque.”
Bailey loves that it’s near the fabulous Marché des Enfants Rouges: “A must-visit market to taste the greatest strawberries and tomatoes of your life, and also near one of my favourite stores – Merci. The service is impeccable and a cocktail in the bar is like being taken back in time.” Maison Proust has just 23 suites. There’s also a dreamy indoor lap pool. See Maison Proust.
Hayley Bailey recently visited Paris again with her mother and sister.
Jude Turner | The founder of Spicers Retreats (now owned by Salter Brothers) nominates boutique Hôtel Esprit Saint-Germain as her go-to. “I booked the family in here for the World Cup last October,” Turner says. “The hotel is small, great fun and gives me great furnishing ideas! I also love the area.” Located at 22 rue Saint-Sulpice, Hôtel Esprit has just 28 rooms (some with terraces), and is in an 18th-century building. Look out for the leopard-print carpets and breakfast in the Library Lounge; see hôtel-esprit-saint-germain.com
Diana Ren | When in Paris, the co-founder and owner of the Luxeland Group (including Porter House Hotel and 202 Elizabeth in Sydney) checks into the Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg hotel. “Their suites are truly impressive,” she says. “I don’t visit Paris frequently, and my hotel stays there tend to be brief – I opt for this hotel because it’s a well-known brand that’s convenient and good value. Shopping in France is a priority for me, and this hotel’s proximity to shopping areas makes it an ideal choice.”
Ren books the Faubourg Suite, which includes an additional room beyond the standard Prestige Suite. (Her Porter House Hotel is managed by MGallery, an Accor brand, as is Sofitel).
Christine Gee | The former co-owner of Australian Himalayan Expeditions (later to become World Expeditions) says: “We never owned an actual hotel, but we had about 15,000 tents, if that counts?” Now an author and passionate traveller, Gee is also the Australian representative for Guest Apartment Services Paris, which has 50 heritage and modern rental apartments, almost all located on Île Saint-Louis or in Le Marais.
Passionate traveller Christine Gee has been to Paris 45 times – and counting.
Gee has made 45 visits, but still returns each year. “The joy of staying in an apartment makes you feel à la Parisienne,” she says. “Just make sure you visit the wonderful Marché Président Wilson – a short stroll from my favourite museum, Musée du Quai Branly.”
“I have some favourites at Guest Services, such as one-bedroom Rose (with a rare outdoor terrace looking directly into the Seine), two-bedroom Golden Rose, and a delightful studio, Windows on the Seine,” she says. The latter starts from €161 a night, or €4830 (about $7919) for a month.