Paris, France (June 24, 2009)- It's not all gloom and doom in Europe's financial sector thanks to the recent opening of the five-star Hotel Banke in Paris, the latest property in the Derby Hotels Collection.The hotel occupies a 20th-century building designed by Paul Friesse and Cassien Bernard that once housed the HSBC Bank.
Gone are the teller windows, stuffy lobby and loan offices and in their place appear an art gallery, opulent lobby lounge and 93 luxurious guest rooms.
The hotel rises above Paris' Opera District, the most upscale and fashion-forward neighborhood in the city. It offers easy access to the area's top attractions, including the Paris Opera House, Boulevard Haussmann, Sacré Coeur Cathedral, Galeries Lafayette department store, the Louvre Museum, and the Champs Élysées.
The hotel features a classic exterior with "Eiffel-style" architecture and an elegant interior design that embodies a sense of stately luxury, class and panache. Like the other Derby Collection "concept hotels," the Banke houses an impressive range of museum-quality artwork displayed in public areas as well as the guest rooms. It features dramatic paintings, sculptures and other pieces from Egyptian, African, Pre-Columbian, Roman and Buddhist cultures.
The posh sound-proofed guest rooms are ideal for both business and leisure travelers. They offer flat-screen LCD TVs, wireless Internet access, laptop safes, minibars and polished marble bathrooms. The hotel's 17 luxury suites offer 650 square feet of space for business, relaxing and socializing. Room service is available 24 hours.
The hotel offers two full-service restaurants. One specializes in haute Mediterranean cuisine and the other is a more private space reserved for group functions and special events. There is a fitness center with modern workout equipment and a spa is opening soon. A trendy cocktail lounge, called The Klub, will be one of the see-and-be-seen spots in town when it opens later this summer.
Hotel Banke is offering an introductory discount of 25% off the rack rate until August 31, 2009. Limousine transportation service is available. For more information or reservations call 1.713.528.7862, visit www.derbyhotels.com.
