What’s New - Paris - page 33

What's New
Legendary Hotels
Landmark hotel openings include illustrious addresses such as Les Bains, formerly thermal
baths and later a steamy nightclub, and the art deco swimming pool now housing the Hôtel
Molitor. And reopenings see the 2015 return of the Hôtel de Crillon ( www.crillon.com ), with
two suites designed by Karl Lagerfeld, as well as belle époque beauty the Ritz
( www.ritzparis.com ), following head-to-toe renovations of its rooms, bars, restaurants, gar-
dens and Ritz Escoffier cooking school.
Eiffel Tower Refit
On the 1st floor of Paris' emblematic tower , two glitzy new glass pavilions house interactive
history exhibits; outside them, peer d-o-w-n through glass flooring to the ground below.
Riverside Renaissance
A breath of fresh air, the former expressway Les Berges de Seine has fitness areas, floating
gardens and a string of bars, restaurants and clubs, and also hosts year-round activities and
events.
Islamic Cultural Institute
Art exhibitions and a hammam top the billing at the new Institut des Cultures d'Islam (
MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 56 rue Stephenson, 18e; 10am-9pm Tue-Sat, from 4pm Fri,
noon-7pm Sun; Marx Dormoy or Château Rouge) cultural institute in northern Paris'
Goutte d'Or neighbourhood.
Coffee Revolution
Bitter Parisian coffee is becoming a thing of the past thanks to local roasteries such as Bel-
leville Brûlerie and Coutume, with a wave of cafes citywide now producing world-class
brews.
Hip Hostels
For years, Paris' crash pads were as good as its coffee was(n't), but that's changing too with
the opening of state-of-the-art flash pads such as St Christopher's .