Lucien Barrière’s luxury properties across France have become firm favourites with visitors from the Middle East
Groupe Lucien Barrière is a prominent luxury hotel chain with a portfolio of 15 hotels in La Baule, Cannes, Deauville, Dinard, Enghien-les-Bains, Lille, Niederbronn, Bordeaux, Paris and Marrakesh, 13 casinos, 57 restaurants and discos including the famous restaurant Le Fouquet’s in Paris, two golf clubs, one thalassotherapy centre and the U Spa Barrières located in Paris, La Baule, Enghien-les-Bains and Marrakesh.
With a presence in all the key cities in France, Lucien Barrière has quickly gained popularity among its Middle Eastern guests who appreciate the group for its impeccable hospitality, classical decor, subdued ambience and personalised service. The Barrière hotels are entertainment complexes. Some are integrated in real resorts which, apart from accommodation and catering, offer diverse services such as games, shows and entertainment, wellness (spa and/or seawater) and sports (golf, tennis). Here’s a sneak peak at some of the ultra-luxurious properties:
Parisienne charm
Fitting to the image of an urban retreat, Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière is located on the prestigious Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris, with stunning views of the iconic Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. The Hotel Fouquet’s Barriere, with 107 private rooms and suites, opened in 2006 bringing together five separate buildings into one unit. The building maintains the architectural heritage of 19th-century planner Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann with a perfect blend of modern art and structures. The lobby area is designed with Carrara marble floors and its curved walls are covered with pictures of the many celebrities who have walked through the doors. Magnificent gold sofas with high, curved backs complete the dramatic entryway.
The hotel is the newest jewel on the avenue that is the epitome of luxury, blending flawlessly with its neighbours – the flagships of leading French luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel and Cartier. Its cornerstone is the famous Le Fouquet’s restaurant, a Paris legend since its opening in 1899 and a listed landmark of “monument historique” status.
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Besides that, the hotel provides a treat for the sophisticated palate at the restaurant Le Dian, serving French cuisine and opening onto a stylish terrace extending to an intimate lounge – Bar Le Lucien.
The hotel also houses the sumptuous 600-sq-m U Spa Barrière offering exclusive spa treatments, an indoor swimming pool, steam rooms and fitness studio with the latest fitness equipment. Personalised service is available through dedicated butlers. The property also offers boardroom facilities, complimentary minibar and WiFi service, private rooftop terrace for entertaining and four meeting and conference rooms.
Cannes calling
Meanwhile, a stay at the Majestic Barrière in Cannes, located on the glamorous La Croisette shopping promenade, offers guests the best of the Côte d’Azur – from designer stores like Chanel, Dior or Gucci to the fine sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and charming villages, markets and ports.
The hotel recently completed a massive renovations programme last year, which unveiled a new wing costing more than £80 million ($127.8 million) and creating 12 new suites, 30 junior suites, an imperial and a royal suite.
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The hotel is a favourite among Hollywood stars with its location right across from the Palais des Festivals. The Majestic has also joined forces with Christian Dior to transform a suite, now called the Christian Dior penthouse, which is used to dress stars wearing Dior gowns before they glide up the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival. The bedrooms bear the imprint of the fashion house with shades of Dior-grey bed-heads in trellis style and a replica of the desk of Monsieur Dior himself.
In the lounge, the sofa’s cushions are as pleated as the couturier’s signature gowns and flaunt the bright red created by Christian Dior himself back in 1955. An eye-catching display of black and white photographs of film stars adorns the walls and hallways on every floor including Sharon Stone, Kate Moss, Robert De Niro, Monica Belluci and Michael Jackson among others.
The hotel offers facilities including a private beach, outdoor pool, fitness centre, the new U Spa Barrière, beauty salon, business centre, parking, wireless internet access, safe deposit boxes, express check-out, multi-lingual staff and airport shuttles. The are also three restaurants, La Petite Maison de Nicole, serving specialties from Nice, the famous Fouquet Cannes and the private beach restaurant and its bar, the Bar Galerie du Fouquet’s Cannes.
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Star attraction: Hollywood’s elite can be spotted at the Majestic Barrière |
Deauville date
Deauville is located just two hours northeast by car (or train) from Paris and, with its Barriere properties, is a popular choice for Parisians looking to get away during the weekends. The Royal Barrière stands majestically overlooking the sea and offers 222 elegant and comfortable rooms and 30 suites designed with modern amenities showcasing the best of French hospitality.
Guests at the hotel can take advantage of a range of facilities including a tennis court, sauna, fitness centre, solarium, massage, hammam, mini-golf, golf course, casino and outdoor swimming pool.
The nearby Hôtel du Golf Barrière offers two unforgettable courses: the Golf Barrière de Deauville, one of the most beautiful clubs in France with two highly-technical courses overlooking the sea, and the Golf Barrière de Saint-Julien, picturesque nine and 18-hole courses surrounded by lush farmland.
And the Hôtel Normandy Barrière’s inimitable charms make it a wonderful example of Anglo-Norman architecture. From its warm comfortable rooms to the quality of the gastronomy, guests are guaranteed an unforgettable stay.