Paris

Paris needs no introduction. La Ville Lumière has been, is and will probably remain the world capital of romance. But Parisian romance is not the one of clichés: it is not just the Eiffel Tower and croissants. It is the golden light of a November afternoon filtering through the plane trees of the Marais. It is a perfect bistro where the waiter treats you like a regular. It is an antiquarian bookshop that smells of paper and time. The great Parisian hotels — the Ritz, the Plaza Athénée, le Bristol — are an experience in themselves: Haussmann architecture, suites overlooking the rooftops, concierge service that anticipates every desire. But the boutique hotels of Saint-Germain or the Marais have their own unique charm too.