THE FACTS ABOUT PERSHING HALL

France Paris

You can't avoid making an entrance at Pershing Hall, Andrée Putman's first Paris hotel. From the grand boulevards of the 8th arrondissement, guests pass through a dramatic stone tunnel, illuminated in vivid colours that change every eight minutes, into a contemporary lobby featuring a floor-to-ceiling column of tropical plants. The hotel, housed in a 19th-century mansion occupied by General Pershing during World War I, opened in September 2001 with 26 rooms arranged around a large courtyard where guests sip cocktails under a vertical garden, 35 metres high, entirely covering one wall with plants. In the restaurant, chef Erwan Louaisil dishes up good, traditional French fare in a pleasant, if nondescript, setting, featuring off-white walls, cream-suede chairs and uncomfortable silver banquettes. For post-prandial drinks served by stylishly clad, efficient staff, ascend the magnificent sweeping staircase to the dual-level bar. The same minimalist scheme is found in the guest rooms: white walls, splashes of camel and chocolate, and free-standing halogen lamps. In contrast, the bathrooms are blissfully indulgent with mosaic walls and toiletries in muslin bags. Pershing Hall was featured in Paris Boutique Hotels WHEN TO GO Anytime, but book well in advance during the fashion shows in spring and autumn> WHICH ROOM TO BOOK Ask for a cosy deluxe room overlooking the courtyard CONTACT Pershing Hall, 49 rue Pierre Charron, 75008 Paris (00 33 1 58 36 58 00; fax: 58 36 58 01; info@pershinghall.com). Doubles about £230-£305; suites about £440-£610