Mr & Mrs Smith

You’ll need a reservation for super-chef’s flagship Pierre Gagnaire on Rue Balzac, which offers boundary-pushing mer and terre creations (+33 (0)1 58 36 12 50). La Cantine du Faubourg at 105 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (+33 (0)1 42 56 22 22) has a nightlife atmosphere, serving Asian/French fusion in a stylish lounge; it’s ideal for a pre-prandial drink. Off the Champs-Elysées on Rue d’Artois, Apicius is a patrician set of white-naped rooms where the top brass eat exquisitely (+33 (0)1 43 80 19 66). The delectable duck tagine is a highlight of the authentic Moroccan menu at 404 on Rue des Gravilliers (+33 (0)1 42 74 57 81). Behind 404 is new and hyperfun Derrière (geddit?), also owned by Mourad Mazouz, which is creative and quite, quite cuckoo, serving homely French cooking in a ‘sitting room’, ‘bedroom’, ‘kitchen’, etc. The third hotspot sharing the courtyard is Andy Wahloo, Mazouz’s kitschy-cool bar. Simple but spruce, and ultra-useful for lunch, Lô Sushi, 8 rue de Berri (+33 (0)1 45 62 01 00) is one of those instant-gratification conveyor-belt sushi places, just off the Champs-Elysées and minutes from the hotel.

Shopping, shopping, shopping – the Champs-Elysées is the fashionistas' stomping ground, and lined with boutiques galore.