Le Dokhan Paris Arc de Triomphe: Romantic Paris Hotel by Eiffel Tower

Le Dokhan’s Paris Arc de Triomphe (a Tribute Portfolio Hotel) is a private romantic Paris hotel. It felt like a sequestered cocoon from which the outside world recedes.

Few would argue that there is no better place to be in the City of Light than a romantic Paris hotel with the one you love. On a recent visit to Paris, we found a favorite boutique hotel located in the 16th arrondissement near the Champs-Elysées. You will find Le Dokhan’s Hotel at 117 Rue Lauriston, off Ave Raymond Poincaré between Victor Hugo Metro Station and Place du Trocadéro.

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Amenity Rich Boutique Hotel with Champagne Bar Near the Champs-Elysées

The appeal of this favorite hotel would be far, far less without its temporary nature, of course. Others who share the space during your stay will move on, just as you. But for a brief interlude while you’re visiting Paris, you’ll have something in common. Staying at Le Dokhan’s is an intimate experience that feels like having a sequestered cocoon from which the outside world secedes.

Step into the hotel lobby and drink in an atmosphere specifically designed by Frederic Mechiche to convey luxury and comfort in the heart of Paris. Public spaces feature paintings by Picasso and Matisse while parquet floors and wainscoting in the Neo-Classical style contribute to an authentic impression.

On the blustery afternoon we arrived, hotel staff had lit the wood-burning fireplace to ward off winter’s chill. A hushed serenity in which footfalls are muffled by thick carpets and upholstered walls descended upon us. This hotel in Paris is like a world within a world, with the requisite views of the Eiffel Tower and Champs Élysées from the balcony of your room or suite, as well as the first champagne bar in Paris, with the largest champagne menu we’ve encountered anywhere.

Romance is In the Details at Le Dokhan’s

Gilded details befitting a regent adorn the hotel’s 45 rooms, as befitting a luxe private residence from the Belle Epoque. Views of the city’s icons such as the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Élysées can be had from the balcony of several rooms and suites.

Many of the hotel rooms feature a bed with a princess canopy, accessorized by pillows and coverlets in profusion. Windows have elaborate wrought-iron latches which, when open, send sheer curtains billowing.

Breakfast at LeDokhan’s

If a romantic Paris hotel is the ideal way to spend your city sojourn, then the second best would have to be a quiet breakfast there with an hour or two to spare. Not only to dine but to breathe in the overall experience, so tempting as room service might be, forego it and step into the dining space.

Part of the appeal of travel is freedom from outcome. Unfettered by the complications of familiarity, a traveler may observe a moment’s tiniest details in stark relief as it unfolds. Adornments painted and carved long ago, monograms on silver cutlery, a custom-made fragrance mimicking woodsmoke in a public room to welcome a newcomer. The way a person is dressed, the things they carry, their set of mannerisms – all can evoke an imaginative story in the traveler’s mind, the truth of which is immaterial.

The woman who dines alone, hair effortlessly arranged with a tortoise shell comb, paisley shawl with fringe artlessly draped and wrapped, impossibly chic. Did she leave a lover languishing upstairs? Here he arrives with a hand on the portiere, older than expected, eyes alighting on her as she turns to meet his gaze. They smile rather than speak.

The businessman reading a German newspaper from the entry table. The older Japanese couple, he tapping on his phone, she pouring his tea. The fashion buyers going over their notes. All too soon they will fade away, and you wonder how many others like them – and you – have transited through this room in the three centuries since it was part of a family home.

The waiter, Marcel, glides swiftly and soundlessly about his tasks, disappearing and reappearing by way of a secret panel door. In an instant he is before you with a discreetly-whispered, “Madame?” Silver tongs proffer the perfect croissant or rounded hard roll from a plate draped with white linen. Another minute and he returns with vivid raspberry juice, flawlessly seedless, each sip staining your winter lips with a bit of heavenly promise.

Your coffee is poured from a personal pot sized for no more than a half cup extra at a time – it should never be cold. Marcel will replace it with a white-gloved flourish before you ask. Your omelet lies in a golden triangular fold on a porcelain plate, toast points are cosseted in a napkin, the salt and pepper are spooned. The charcutiér has shaved today’s délicieux jambon transparently thin. You may have as much of anything as you like and linger as long as you wish.

Enjoy the Best Champagne Selection in Paris 

Toast your visit to the most romantic city in the world with a glass of champagne in the gold-accented Bar Le Dokhan’s which has more than 240 options to choose from, curated by the hotel’s Parisian sommelier. Select delicacies to accompany it such as foie gras and caviar from Maison Petrossian’s specialties.

Tips and Information

The hotel is a former 18th century residence and has the oldest champagne bar in Paris with the city’s largest champagne menu (where the breakfast experience we described is served) with over 70 varieties available. Concierge and check-in services were seamless. If you are short on cash for taxi, you may step into the lobby and ask the valet or concierge for some from the hotel’s petty cash to pay your fare.

As we were staying during Fashion Week, there was an apology that a loyalty upgrade was unavailable due to the hotel being completely full. Instead, we were offered free breakfast for two, a 60 euro daily value at the time. The hotel’s 16th arr. neighborhood is convenient with many dining and pub options. We found it very walkable with metro stop, Champs Elysées shopping (Louis Vuitton or Dior anyone?), Trocadero, Arc de Triomphe, Paris City Center, Louvre, and Notre Dame easily reached on foot, arguably the best way to get around.

Lovebirds may want to venture out in the predawn to Trocadéro Circle and await the sunrise. In winter, it illuminates the Eiffel Tower in gold across the Seine. Truly a breathtaking sight that we, alas, glimpsed only from our taxi as it sped us to our train for Zurich.

Book Using Our Map Link

Le Dokhan’s Trocadéro, 117 Rue Lauriston, Paris 75116  Tel: +33 1 53 65 66 99 Free high speed internet, pet friendly.

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