Hotel Sezz

Hi Mr & Mrs Smith,

I'd like to share my experience of Paris with other members. First of all, I love surprising my girlfriend. So I suggested that we would go & visit friends in Warwick. But when we joined the motorway, I took the junction for the airport! My girlfriend was both confused & excited and asked where we were going; I replied Terminal 2. She asked about her passport & I assured her it was in the boot. At this stage, she was so excited I had to tell her we were off to Paris.

When we arrived, the Hotel Sezz staff were great. We were close to the River Seine & the Eiffel Tower, however we thought we'd dine somewhere a little quieter & less touristy. The receptionist asked the hotel chef, and he recommeneded a brasserie that local Parisians dined at: Le Tournesol, 2 Avenue de Lamballe in the 16th arrondissement (near Passy). The food was amazing; the service was excellent & the atmosphere was great. It was warm, so we sat outside. That evening, I felt that we experienced what Paris was all about: good food, good drink, great atmosphere & good times!! I'd recommend venturing away from touristy places & doing what the Parisians do…

After six months away from home, spiriting Ms Smith away for a long weekend in Paris seemed the perfect surprise gift for us both, and with most Parisians still enjoying their August break, it was almost like having the city to ourselves. After a morning stroll up to the Palais de Challiot to show a Parisian virgin by far the best view of the Eiffel Tower in town we stumbled on the Aquarium de Trocadéro. It could only be the French who could successfully combine an aquarium, a cinema and movie memorabilia, built into a quarry. With couchettes, armchairs and beanbags on which to repose liberally scattered in front of huge tanks it is very easy to become entranced by the sealife for hours.

With an appetite well and truly built. we headed to La Table de Joël Robuchon a five-minute taxi from Hotel Sezz at 16 Avenue Bugeaud, 16ème. If you're in search of some of the finest foods and wine and impeccable service but in a more modern atmosphere than many of Paris' other Michelin-starred restaurants, then look no further. It was simply sublime. As for the rest of the weekend – well, I shall leave that to your imagination...

Just behind the hotel, along Rue de Passy, is Marché de Passy, an amazing market full of fresh seafood (with a raw bar), amazing cheeses, charcuterie and freshly baked bread. We stopped by for a late brunch and had the very friendly fromageur slice a variety of cheeses for us, which we then stuffed into chunks of fresh, warm baguette and ate on the hoof whilst strolling along the rather posh Rue de Passy. Without a doubt, the best cheese sandwich we've ever had.

We would recommend the restaurant at Pershing Hall on rue Pierre Charron for great food in a stylish setting. For fab views over Pont Neuf we would recommend the Kong restaurant on rue du Pont Neuf. Make sure to ask for a table upstairs at the front of the restaurant.