Chanel’s premiere spa at Hôtel Ritz Paris is a must-visit.
by SunHee Grinnell
“People talk about physical care, but where is the moral care? Beauty treatments should begin with the heart and soul. Otherwise, cosmetics are pointless,” Coco Chanel once stated. With that, enter the Chanel au Ritz Paris spa, at the newly restored and coveted Hôtel Ritz Paris, at 15 Place Vendôme.
The Ritz, which the immortal designer called home from 1937 to 1971, was a place of refuge— a sanctuary where Chanel surrounded herself with beloved objets and mythical artifacts. The historic, king-and-queen-worthy, Versailles-inspired opulence is celebrated throughout the entire hotel, but once you encounter the Chanel spa you'll see it is pure modern elegance but with the essence of the mademoiselle around every corner.
With exceptional attention to detail, from every treatment ritual to the beige-and-black-with-gold-accented rooms, it is truly a place of divine luxury from start to finish. The spa has four treatments, and every room a numbered history: Room No. 5, named for the famed perfume (also Chanel’s favorite and lucky number); Room No. 18, evocative of Chanel’s house of jewelry, located at 18 Place Vendôme; Room No. 22, the namesake of Chanel’s other favorite perfume (also the 22nd scent proposition by Ernest Beaux, who created No. 5 as well); Room No. 31, reminiscent of Chanel's famous atelier at 31 Rue Cambon; and Room No. 2.55, a couple’s room, two No. 5's. (Side anecdote: Chanel was a very superstitious woman, and she always bought allegorical objects in pairs).
A Chanel au Ritz Paris treatment room. Photo by SunHee Grinnell
Being that it was the only body-care treatment on the spa menu, I opted for L’Allure de Chanel, which began with a perfume ceremony. After choosing a scent—mine was Coromandel—the fragrance was atomized into the treatment room prior to my arrival. Then, to correlate with it, five different essential oils—vanilla, rose de mai, jasmine, Oriental, and citrus—were offered, to optimize my experience and aid my journey into a state of total relaxation.
After discussing my body condition and what I was hoping to achieve with my therapist, the exploration into the philosophy of the late mademoiselle commenced, ultimately resulting in the most placid dreamlike state of mind.
You see, Chanel believed that the exterior of one’s beauty is equal to the interior of well-being in the state of serenity, so for the Chanel spa it was important to translate this ideology into all the treatments. The therapist was well versed in knowing exactly where the tense points were, releasing blockage by applying micro-movements, along with deep, slow, precise strokes. I could feel my body slipping into a deep state of tranquility.
With every treatment custom-designed exclusively for this spa location (which includes a blend of specialized juices to drink after your appointment), the art of skin care by Chanel au Ritz Paris is a voyage that is not to be missed.
Left: the Chanel au Ritz Paris consultation room. Photo by SunHee Grinnell. Right: the refurbished Art-Deco Ritz Paris swimming pool. Photo courtesy of Chanel.