巴黎威斯敏斯特酒店 巴黎的小宮殿

當(dāng)然，對于巴黎來說，我并非一位真正意義上的旅者。但即便對于這座我所生活多年并且已經(jīng)了如指掌的城市，她的每一處變化都會讓我雀躍。要知道，在這座從時尚藝術(shù)到生活方式都引領(lǐng)全球潮流的都市，每一次改變都被視為更接近完美的努力?，F(xiàn)在，巴黎也在恭候著外界的評價，這本身就是對她給世人曾經(jīng)留下的傳統(tǒng)高傲印象的改良。

我將房卡交給巴黎威斯敏斯特酒店禮賓的時候，這位佩戴金鑰匙標志的中年男子Jean Charles遞給我一張TripAdvisor的卡片，請我給予對酒店的評價。而后，他微笑著和我告別說：“今天是出行的好日子，巴黎陽光明媚?！?/p>

好吧，美好的時刻，應(yīng)該從頭說起。

I

n a sense， I am no longer a tourist in Paris. But even after having lived many years in this city that I am so familiar with， her every change would still send my heartbeat racing. It is vital to know that， as the world's fashion and art center， every change demonstrates an effort to approach perfection. Now， Paris is also waiting for comments from the outside world， which will change the traditional Parisian attitude once perceived arrogant by the world.

When I returned my room card to the Concierge of Westminster Hotel Paris， the middle-aged man wearing the concierge's golden key logo， Jean Charles， handed me a TripAdvisor cards and asked me to give some comments about the hotel. Then he smiled and said to me， \"Today is a good day for travel， and the sun is shining brightly in Paris\".

For good moments like this， we should start from the beginning.

Two Centuries of Legend

兩個世紀的傳奇

順著巴黎最具貴族氣質(zhì)的和平大街 走，一路都是舉世盛名的品牌，我在13號處停下。在我的視線中，氧化成綠色的高大青銅柱和我頭頂上的一道帶著完美弧線的玻璃拱頂，構(gòu)成一幅無法挑剔的畫面。透過玻璃拱頂，久違的巴黎春光灑在威斯敏斯特酒店的貴族招牌上，閃閃發(fā)光。 我知道，和平大街上的每一棟建筑都有一段讓人炫目的歷史，而威斯敏斯特酒店的大樓則要追溯到兩個世紀以前。這座曾屬于英國威斯敏斯特伯爵私宅的建筑，于1905年轉(zhuǎn)身成為酒店，卻很好地保留了它的英國貴族基因。

在閃著光芒的水晶吊燈下進入酒店，大堂正中央擺著為復(fù)活節(jié)準備的巧克力蛋，被新鮮的花草簇擁著散發(fā)出春的氣息。這與大堂的裝飾極其搭調(diào)，左右兩旁是盛開玫瑰花朵的淺橘色主沙發(fā)，附上兩把波爾多紅的靠椅，和同樣紅棕色的前臺相呼應(yīng)。我的臥室是酒店幾個月前新推出的“簽名客房”Les Signature Rooms，一改傳統(tǒng)古典的法式貴族風(fēng)格。深淺相間的綠色條狀壁紙，一下子就讓臥室時尚起來，也讓人看到法國品牌Pierre Frey永遠走在時尚隊伍的前列。床上用品的面料，是以高品質(zhì)著稱的意大利品牌Zimmer Rhode。暗紫色的綢緞裝飾床罩，折成三分之一鋪在奶白色有絲綢效果的被面上，兩把可以舒適得把自己扔進去的高背沙發(fā)之間是典型的路易十六風(fēng)格的四腿小圓桌，鑲嵌玻璃的桌面中映滿了天花板上瀉下的水晶吊燈的輝煌。

拉開也是深淺兩色的條紋窗簾，室外的窗沿下有著手工雕花的奧斯曼建筑，也是白墻青瓦，素得高雅。位于一層的方形院子內(nèi)碧綠盛滿了視野，溫柔的午后余光小心翼翼地鋪了進來，似乎也擔(dān)心會破壞屬于四角天空的寧靜。而后，一張置于辦公桌上的Les Signature雞尾酒定制卡進入我的視線。

（這座曾屬于英國威斯敏斯特伯爵私宅的建筑，于1905年轉(zhuǎn)身成為酒店，卻很好地保留了它的英國貴族基因。

As the former residence of the Duke of Westminster， this building was turned into a hotel in 1905， with its British aristocratic gene still well retained.）

Rue de la Paix （Peace Street）， the most noble street in Paris， is lined with world-famous brands. I stopped at No. 13 and saw a large greenish bronze column and a glass vault with a perfect arc over my head， forming an impeccable picture. Through the glass dome， the Paris spring sun shone on the aristocratic sign of Westminster Hotel Paris. All is shimmering. Every building on the Street had a dazzling history， and that of the Westminster Hotel building dates back to two centuries ago. As the former residence of the Duke of Westminster， this building was turned into a hotel in 1905， with its British aristocratic gene still well retained.

Under the sparkling light of the crystal chandelier， I entered the hotel. Easter chocolate eggs surrounded by fresh flowers were placed in the centre of the lobby， emitting the smell of spring. The setup went well with the lobby deco. On either side were light orange sofas with blooming rose patterns， and two Bordeaux-red chairs， echoing the reddish brown front desk. This time， I stayed in the newly renovated Les Signature Rooms just a few months ago， which varied greatly with the traditional classical French style. Varied shades of green striped wallpaper fashioned up the bedroom instantly， and the guests can see that the French brand Frey Pierre always ventures on the forefront of fashion. Bedding fabric calls for Italian brand Zimmer Rhode， known for its high quality. Dark purple decorative satin bedspread is folded to one third of the original size， and placed on top of the milk-white silk quilt cover； two comfortable high-backed sofas are accompanied by a typical Louis XVI style small four-leg round table in between， and from the table glass， the splendor of the crystal chandelier on the ceiling shines.

The curtain is also made of stripes of two color shades. Below the outdoor windowsill is hand carved flowery decorations in the Ottoman architectural style made with elegant white walls and blue tiles. On the ground level， the square yard is overgrown with greenery. Now the sunlight beams down gently so it will not disturb the peace of the square yard. Then， a Les Signature cocktail custom card placed on the desk caught my attention.

Personalized Cocktails

個性定制雞尾酒

Les Signature雞尾酒定制卡是專門為28間Les Signature Rooms的客人提供的品酒服務(wù)。我花了2分鐘時間填上各種口味、要求、偏好等等。一刻鐘后，侍應(yīng)生Sépastien給我端來了養(yǎng)眼養(yǎng)胃的高級定制雞尾酒。甘醇的蘭姆酒勾兌上加蜂蜜的威士忌，新鮮檸檬沖淡甜味，再加入讓口感更佳豐富的桃汁，最后插上一小束散發(fā)著芬芳的百里香草。當(dāng)他再回來問我對雞尾酒的感覺時，我只是一味地說好極了，并未有半點違心之言。我問Sépastien：“這款雞尾酒的名字呢 ？”這位面帶微笑的侍應(yīng)生答：“這是完全的個性調(diào)制，所以，應(yīng)該以您的名字命名?！?/p>

不經(jīng)意間，鋼琴聲流淌在整個空間， Duke's Bar已經(jīng)座無虛席，酒吧老牌調(diào)酒師Gérard不斷向一些熟客問好。這是一個英倫氣質(zhì)的酒吧，深綠色的皮質(zhì)沙發(fā)在棗紅木質(zhì)墻圍陪襯下，顯得凝重而鮮艷。墻上掛著一些有歷史的黑白老照片，我身邊的米色壁爐大約有四米高，細致而繁雜的雕花甚至能讓人想起就在酒店百多米處的國寶級建筑加尼葉歌劇院，眼花繚亂得讓人羨慕。

在此工作了二十余年的Gérard顯然已經(jīng)是Duke's Bar的主人，他的想法是，讓每一款他所調(diào)制的雞尾酒都和客人產(chǎn)生一種關(guān)聯(lián)，這也是高級定制雞尾酒的來源?！安痪们埃晃皇吣昵霸诰频晟盍藘芍艿拿绹蛉酥匦孪麻?。我給她上了波爾多的利萊酒?！盙érard說，“夫人很感動地問我怎么還能記得她的品味？”

酒吧的盡頭，Le Céladon餐廳內(nèi)杯觥交錯，廚師長 Christophe Moisand打理的這家米其林一星餐廳座無虛席，而我也因此有了下回一定再來的念頭。

The Les Signature cocktail custom card is a tasting service designed to serve the guests from the 28 Les Signature Rooms. It took me two minutes to fill out all my favorite tastes， requirements and preferences. A moment later， the waiter Sépastien served me a glass of high-end custom cocktail. Rum was blended with honeyed whiskey； its sweetness was diluted with fresh lemon and some peach juice was added to make a richer flavor， with fragrant thyme on top as the final touch. When he asked what I had thought of the cocktail on his way back， I just said I liked it very much， and I meant every word of it. I ask Sépastien， \"What shall be the name of this cocktail？\" He answers smilingly， \"It is totally personalized mixing， so it should be named after you.\"

Now the piano sounds pervaded the whole space inadvertently. In Duke's Bar， all seats were occupied. The head barman Gérard constantly greeted the regulars. The Duke's Bar features vast green leather armchairs， red wooden paneled walls， boasting a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of an English gentleman's club. Historical black and white photos are hanging on the wall. The four-meter high beige fireplace has the most intricate carvings that remind one of Opera Garnier， a national treasure building just hundreds of meters from the hotel.

Having worked here for more than 20 years， the head barman Gérard is clearly the owner of Duke's Bar. He builds a relationship between each cocktail he and the guest， which is also the origins of customized cocktails. Gérard said， \"Not long ago， a lady from the United States， who once stayed in the hotel for two weeks 17 years ago， returned. When I served her the Bordeaux lillet， the lady， deeply moved， asked me how I can still remember her taste.\" At the other end of the bar， glasses clink in the Le Céladon restaurant. This Michelin one-star restaurant managed by chef Christophe Moisand is completely packed， and I promised myself that I would definitely come back next time.

（甘醇的蘭姆酒勾兌上加蜂蜜的威士忌，用新鮮檸檬沖淡甜味，再加入讓口感更佳豐富的桃汁，最后插上一小束散發(fā)著芬芳的百里香草。當(dāng)他再回來問我對雞尾酒的感覺時，我只是一味地說好極了，并未有半點違心之言。

Rum was blended with honeyed whiskey； its sweetness was diluted with fresh lemon and some peach juice was added to make a richer flavor， with fragrant thyme on top as the final touch. When he asked what I had thought of the cocktail on his way back， I just said I liked it very much， and I meant every word of it.）

其實，巴黎威斯敏斯特酒店是一家四星級的酒店，但這樣的做派卻讓我想起法國人尤其自豪的宮殿級酒店。也因此，有法國媒體將巴黎威斯敏斯特酒店稱為小宮殿酒店。

In fact， Westminster Hotel is a four-star hotel， but such story reminds me of those palace hotels that the French are especially proud of. For this reason， among the French media， Hotel Westminster Paris is known as a small palace hotel.