Intercontinental Grand by Jamie Dunford Wood

Of the two Intercontinental hotels in Paris, this one by the Opera is unquestioningly now the leader. A recent refurbishment has left the place gleaming, with a gloss that will overcome any scruples some guests will have about the busily patterned carpeting, the striped fabric walls and the heavy French Empire furnishings. The latter, along with the doors and other woodwork, is in high-shine mahogany, matching the two standard colour schemes - a lighter creamy/beige for the interior facing rooms, a heavier blue/green for the street and opera facing rooms. Of the 500+ rooms, perhaps 100 face the opera, though not all front on, as many have side views. Balconies are small. Views don't matter much here, though there is no extra charge, as all room categories boast some with views - the rooms are luxurious enough, with deep carpeting, high beds, adsl ports and, in many of the higher categories, power showers, to make you happy enough to look at the views in your room. The only jarring notes come from the rather cheap bulk-buy photographic repro oils and paintings that adorn many of the walls - they should have stuck to prints throughout. Popular with business people and conventions, the position is right in the heart of the boulevards and shopping - a solid reliable property to place guests, though lacking the distinction (and rates) of the palace hotels. Downstairs a motley selection of nationalities mumble into mobile phones over silver pyramids of hand-cut sandwiches and pastries - the winter-garden style lounge provides a welcome centre point and social hub for this hotel. Beyond, a dark mahogany sanctuary beckons, with olives stacked neatly on the dimly lit bar, and mid-afternoon tennis providing a suitably soporific backdrop.