"Beauty gets the attention, Personality gets the Heart"

My Haute Thoughts on Travel

The only thing that changes when you travel is you! The world is so much bigger than the one you were born into. It's time to stop dreaming and start exploring. Dream Bigger! Live Bigger! 

Haute Spot: Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome

If you're ever dreamed of Parisian elegance then look no further than the Presidential suite at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. The apartment-style suite is beautiful and it's just the place for the girl who loves exclusivity coupled with elegance.

My favorite part of the suite, the spa bath. It comes complete with a whirlpool bath, shampoo bowl, steam room with gorgeous mosaic tile, massage area and spectacular rooftop views of Paris. 

The bedroom on the second floor is spacious with fine artwork and walk-in closets! This place is filled with luxurious surroundings that allow you to truly invoke the spirit of being posh and pampered in Paris.

And if you're a music lover, you'll enjoy the grand piano in the living room. Spa treatments and airport transportation services are all included during your stay in this amazing suite. This place has an endless supply of Haute-ness! 

Here are photos from my time in the Presidential Suite at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome.

The Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome is fit for a Haute Travels girl for sure! I love it! This luxury property is always on the top of my list for places to stay when in Paris. I love the staff and my go-to girl Coralie always makes my stay memorable.

Glam Dining at The Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

Glam dining is an experience to remember at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris. I was invited to enjoy an exquisite dinner with my friend Kate Mack filled with Champagne, rare black truffles, rose petals and impeccable service by the staff at the two-Michelin-star Le Cinq V. 

Our meal started off with a glass of Comtes de Champagne, Blancs 2002 Maison Taittinger followed by appetizers like duck foie gras, truffle sauce with aged Madeira. Next, we moved onto Sea scallops from the Baie de Seine, scallop bards carbonara style pumpkin, crunchy cabbage with ginger black truffle. And then, we feasted on lobster from Chausey and Brehat islands cooked on salt and seaweeds, natural juice, steamed green curry, coco bean and lemon ravioli. Finally, dessert fit for a Haute Travels girl, Vintage black chocolate souffle, dripping with chocolate sauce with Sicily pistachio ice cream with V.E.P green chartreuse. Before departing, we had cups of hot chocolate and tea. They even sent a bottle of Bollinger rose Champagne to my suite for a late night toast to the good life!

The entire presentation was incredible... and the price tag for this glam dinner, somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 USD. But well worth every penny because the food was absolutely superb, my compliments to Chef Eric Briffard!

The staff was wonderful; they even took a photo of us and brought it to our table. They printed a personal copy of my menu selections and presented it to me in my own little book. And before leaving, they brought the dessert cart around and filled little gift boxes with tasty treats. Perhaps, the most memorable part of the evening, post dinner, a tour of the wine cellar with Thierry Hamon, Chef Sommelier. We even spotted bottles of champagne worth 20,000 euros.

Here are photos from the night that glam dining and Haute Travels girls met in Paris for the meal of a lifetime.

For the fashionistas who want to know who we were wearing, Kate wore YSL and I stepped into a Zac Posen shimmery dress with Christian Louboutin heels.

Haute Beauty Breaks in Paris!

When it comes to beauty there is no place in the world that understands a woman’s needs more than the experts in France. There are so many spas and beauty salons in the City of Lights but my top favorites are to die for… just imagine beauty treatments among the rich, famous and socialites of Paris. I’ve uncovered the four hautest spas in Paris that you simply must experience.

The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

The Spa at the Four Seasons George V is decorated like Marie Antoinette’s boudoir… from the moment that you enter this beauty haven; you’ll feel as if you’ve gone back in time, inspired by her majesty’s beauty rituals at the Palace of Versailles. You’ll even smell hints of orange blossom throughout; it’s her favorite scent. 

My appointment began with a foot bath in preparation for the luxurious Tropical Magnolia massage, ideal for long travels and jetlag. This full-body treatment is designed to help nurture the skin, while working holistically to enhance your overall well-being. My 80 minute healing journey helped me relax and release any tension associated with travel.

Next, I was off to my hair appointment with beauty expert Sébastien. He washed and deep conditioned my hair in preparation for a blowout. I absolutely loved the reclining chair that elevates in the private hair suite. Sébastien and I discussed my blow-dry look and opted for a sophisticated day style with a hint of hauteness. (Blowouts start at 129 euro to 500 euro) 

When it comes to quiet moments, there are two options that make me smile... sitting by the pool reading French Vogue in my comfy robe or climbing into the heavenly bed in the relaxation room to sooth my mind.

L' Institut Sothys Paris

My VIP Experience began with a Hanakasumi body treatment in a private suite leaving the hustle and bustle of Paris behind me. This place offers the most amazing treatments surrounded by refinement and exclusivity. The Hanakasumi body treatment was like a journey to South East Asia. The combination of warm exfoliating creams with rice powder, foot massage and application of warm Shea Butter inspired by Japanese tradition is nothing short of bliss. 

The Sothys name is synonymous with exceptional skincare; and I am in love with their products. My favorites include the Hydrating Body Mist, Nourishing Body Elixir and their lip gloss. But their shower cream is now a staple in my Haute Travels bag. 

Once I stepped back into the heart of Paris, I could still feel my transformation from jet-lagged travelista to a Haute Travels girl! As I browsed the couture and high-end shops along the fashionable Faubourg Saint-Honore, just a few blocks from Sothys; I left a scent of Cherry blossom and lotus behind. If you're looking for a magical experience then you must indulge with a body treatment of facial at L'Institut Sothys, Paris.

Spa My Blend By Clarins

This spa is tucked inside the posh Hotel Le Royal Monceau-Raffles Paris offering contemporary hauteness. I love the all white décor and simple clean lines designed by Philippe Starck. It’s the first My Blend Spa by Clarins being hailed as “a temple of tailor-made luxury.” As a Pisces girl the water and light illuminating the spa makes this a peaceful place where “reflections are more substantial than reality.” It’s definitely the kind of place where my bliss is in harmony with balance, centering my soul.

 My Blend is a unique line of body care products customized for specific skincare needs. The treatments are exclusive and I was invited to indulge in the Anti jet-lag stopover face and body massage for 60 minutes (150 euros). You have to love a treatment that massages all of your aches away with customized products. Afterall, they say Cleopatra always indulged with customized beauty treatments so I may as well follow her lead. At Spa My Blends by Clarins each therapist is your personal beauty coach to guide you as your inner beauty emerges with your treatment. 

Le Spa Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome

When I think of the ultimate Zen moment, I remember my massage at Le Spa Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. The word amazing doesn’t fully explain my moment of bliss, balance and beauty. My therapist was like the Zen master of relaxation. It’s the place where “palms rise to the universe.”

When you step into the spa, you’re literally transported to a place of harmony and peace. Although, small in space compared to many spas that I’ve visited, it is big on service, technique and exclusivity. My session was intense but strategically targeted to all the right areas to relieve any remaining tension in my muscles. When it comes to beauty rituals and treatments, there is no other place in the world to experience amazing results than in Paris, France