http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/hotels.html Paris Hotels en Copyright &copy; 1999-2008 Gromco, Inc. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:02:10 EST Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:05:00 EDT info@sitebits.com info@sitebits.com Affordable design and even 'affordable luxury' is not an oxymoron. Well, not exactly, anyway... In fact, it's a trend that's been sweeping the hotel industry in recent years. Using modern construction methods in combination with innovative cost-cutting techniques and choosing slightly off-prime locations, a handful of hoteliers have attempted to reshape the industry by providing low-cost designer hotel experience for the younger, tech-savvy crowd. <br><br> Mama Shelter is the latest example of the trend. (De)signed by <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/people/philippe_starck.html">Philippe Starck</a>, this modern hotel on Rue Bagnolet in the <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/districts/paris-20.html">20th Arrondissement</a> of Paris opened just a couple of weeks ago.... Gromco http://www.sitebits.com/2008/mama-shelter-affordable-design-hotel-3976264.html Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:05:00 EDT Back in June, Parisian decorator Pascale Benhamou finished her project for <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/hotels/par-hotel_plaza_athenee.html">Hotel Plaza Athénée</a> in Paris's <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/districts/paris-08.html">8th arrondissement</a>. The lobby restaurant, La Galerie des Gobelins (named after Manufacture des Gobelins - a former factory, now a museum, which supplied furniture to French monarchs) got new carpet, furniture and redesigned lighting. <br/><br/> But actually, what caught my attention was not so much the decorative changes of the space as the restaurant's updated menu, which features desserts by world famous pastry chef Christophe Michalak, the winner of the 2005 "Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie"... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2008/la-galerie-des-gobelins-new-look.html Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EDT It's only natural that any project signed by <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/people/philippe_starck.html">Philippe Starck</a> guarantees attention to an establishment, whether it be a hotel, restaurant or a high-rise apartment tower. But now the maestro seems to be making space for another family member - his daughter <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/people/ara_starck.html">Ara</a>. <br/><br/> In the latest example, she was charged with the only truly "artistic" part of a restaurant renovation project for the <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/hotels/par-le_meurice.html">Meurice</a> hotel, while her famous father was busy desgnining the 600+ pieces of furniture that went into the restaurant... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2008/starck-reality-dali-meurice.html Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:10:00 EDT Whether we like it or not, we live in an age of product placement. Anyone doubting that can ask the judges of "American Idol" how they're liking their Coke. <br><br> <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/france/paris/hotels/par-kube.html">Kube Hotel</a> in Paris is an appropriately modish collaboration between Grey Goose Vodka and Murano Resort centering on the concept of cubicity (cubicality?). <br><br> Its 41 high-tech rooms are cube-shaped, as is the foyer, the elevators and the exterior spaces... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2008/kubic-volumes.html Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST