We Take You to the Eiffel Tower's Closest Hotel

We get off the line 6 metro at Bir-Hakeim. Having scaled the concrete steps, we emerge by the Seine to glimpse the tip of the Eiffel Tower looming above the Emile Anthoine stadium. A few more paces and it’s visible in all its glory. We’ve arrived. For years, we’ve secretly envied those who live here, with their unlimited views of one of the world’s most coveted landmarks. Now it’s our turn. The neat, rectangular building of the Pullman awaits, its flags billowing in the wind.

We’re greeted with genuine smiles from suited and booted receptionists behind a marble desk. So much for the rude Parisian cliché! We’re promptly handed our key, although we'd almost prefer to wait a while to take in the pop art flitting across large digital screens. Plenty of time for that, though. Right now, we’ve got a date with the Eiffel Tower.

It's said that art elevates travel, just as design accentuates comfort and technology showcases culture. From the moment we arrive, we’re in for a treat. Being more used to small Parisian hotels squeezed in side streets off Haussmann Boulevard, we marvel at the airiness of the lobby. Glass walls flood the space with natural light, here and throughout the hotel. The Pullman's U-shaped layout is anchored by a garden and vegetable patch worthy of a farmers’ market, an unexpected green space at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

In the lobby, screens all around us flash with digital art and show the way to FRAME, the hotel’s chic restaurant. The promise of outdoor dining and a front-row view of the Eiffel Tower is tempting, but it’s too early yet for food. We leave the lobby, following the sound of mellow songs played just loud enough to create an atmosphere without being overpowering. Everything appears to be perfectly controlled. A decor of soothing hues offsets the frenzied tourist buzz outside. Technology permeates every nook, ensuring immersive comfort and convenience. This is Paris, and the Pullman effortlessly embraces the city’s trendy elegance.

We're told that this is the closest hotel to the Eiffel Tower. That’s an understatement. It’s omnipresent, to be admired at leisure from communal areas or the privacy of your room, almost like a secret key to maximising your Parisian experience. The location is second to none – good luck to any competitors who attempt to rival it. And the word is out: international tourists, business travellers and hip Parisians jostle to spend the night up close and personal with the tower, network in style or sip on a tipple at the rooftop bar, drinking in the scintillating show next door.

With a green light and a click, the door opens without a sound. Our gasp of surprise breaks the silence. We’re smitten by the huge panoramic windows. The Seine flows below but we’re oblivious to it. Our gaze is drawn to the lofty magnificence of the Eiffel Tower. We pour ourselves a coffee. No need to hunt down a pavement café with the best view in Paris; it’s right here.

We can imagine curling up on the bed with a book. Or Chromecasting Emily in Paris onto the big screen – parts of it were filmed around the hotel. Instead, we get changed to the beats of Alexa’s cleverly curated playlist of recent songs with an Eiffel Tower theme, by artists such as French rappers PNL or Céline Dion.

Art is everywhere. Scenes of the City of Light unfold along the walls, with retro black and white photos by Patrick Tournebœuf celebrating the sights of Paris, displayed alongside edgy underground perspectives.

Located just off the lobby, FRAME is a French culinary playground. The design is in sync with the hotel: minimalist with buckets of subtle sophistication and zero pretension. Wood, metal and glass exude natural simplicity with the unassuming confidence of luxury, just like the menu. Uplifting exotic plants add a touch of privacy.

An Art Deco bar is the focal point. We perch at the counter on snug velvet seats and admire the array of spirits waiting to be beckoned from their elegant showcase shelves. We order a signature drink and are served a Parisian Gold. A Cayenne pepper kick subsides on contact with agave syrup and the apricot juice is exactly sweet enough to offset the tequila. The evening is off to a good start.

It’s still warm outside so we choose to sit on the terrace. It’s not every day you get to dine at a restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower!

When it comes to menus, shorter is better. Most of the ingredients here come from France, and many, such as the vegetables, from in and around Paris. The fish has been sustainably caught off the French coast. And the bread – that all-important French staple – is made by Frederic Lalos, Meilleur Ouvrier de France (a prestigious national accolade awarded to the best in their craft).

All the ingredients for an outstanding meal are here. On the menu are French classics with a twist, whipped up in a flourish of excellence by an executive chef with a passion for his country’s terroir. The Chateaubriand steak and aubergine cannelloni are out of this world. And the monkfish in citrus butter, with a fluffy potato mousse and fondant leeks... divine. We would gladly round off the meal with a Tour de France of cheeses made by Marie Quatrehomme – another Meilleur Ouvrier de France – but decide to save space for Sunday brunch.

For dessert, we settle for an eyeful of twinkling lights. The Iron Lady, as the tower is nicknamed in French, is looking particularly splendid after nightfall.

Open to both visitors and hotel guests, the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel’s all-you-can-eat brunch is a firm fixture on the Parisian foodie circuit. We’re surprised to see so many families – but soon understand why. Parents relax over a decadent brunch while the kids have fun under the watchful eye of specially appointed activity leaders.

Looking for a gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian option? You’re in luck. Few places in Paris cater so well for special diets and the range here is outstanding. And everything tastes deliciously fresh: fruit, viennoiseries, cured meats, cheeses and the hot buffet.

Every meeting at the Pullman Paris is hosted in VIP chic. Is it the sweeping views of the Eiffel Tower? Undoubtedly. But what we love the most is L’Appart – a modular workspace the staff kindly let us work in to write up our notes. Choosing whether to plump for the plush sofas, huge armchairs or more business-like work areas is quite the decision.

We’re almost ready to pack up and go – but we can’t leave without attempting to beat the scores on the arcade games and trying out our rusty tabletop football skills.

• Couples. It doesn’t get any more romantic than an evening by the Eiffel Tower.
• Business travellers looking for high-tech meeting rooms and networking spaces.
• Anyone looking for a good restaurant, bar or rooftop with a great backdrop when staying in Paris.

1. Party the night away to a DJ set at the rooftop bar with the Eiffel Tower in full sparkle.
2. Propose to your loved one in one of the hotel’s spectacular rooms. The ultimate romantic setting with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
3. Give your waistline a day off and brunch in style in the charming 15th arrondissement.
4. Head out from your room for a run along the Seine.
5. Organise a productive coworking session at L’Appart.

Address: the entrance is on 22, rue Jean Rey, 75015 Paris
Public transport: RER C, get off at Tour Eiffel, metro line 6, get off at Bir-Hakeim