Combining a love for sport and travel is something that has grown exponentially in recent years and with the array of luxe hotels across exciting cities, which play host some of the world’s most exciting sporting events, there’s no reason not to do it in style.
Below, LLM contributor Olivia Cox delves into the cities of Paris and Barcelona to check out what’s coming up in their sporting calendars and she takes a look at where you can stay to enjoy a luxurious break at the same time.
Paris
There are few skylines as iconic as Paris, and for the next twelve months the likes of the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, et al. double as backdrop to the world sporting stage. Because, between the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games, the city has taken on the mantle as the chic place to watch international athletes in action.
With an eclectic mix of historic properties and more modern architecture across the 18 arrondissements, Paris’ luxury hotel scene is a veritable smorgasbord of options. Right at the heart of it all is Opéra Garnier, official home to the 19th century Palais Garnier but more colloquially known as the heart of Parisian shopping. That said, the exquisite offerings along boulevard Haussmann and the Champs-Élysées might be better described as museums – Guerlain’s beauty atelier, Ladurée and Galeries Lafayette are in themselves destinations to marvel and delight.
Nestled within the quintessentially Parisian 8th arrondissement is Hotel Mercure Paris Opera Garnier, a 140-room hotel and spa just yards from the Saint-Lazare metro stop. Unassuming from the outside yet lavishly furnished within, Opera Garnier sprawls back from the street, and vertically in both directions. Rooms have crisp white linens accented by soft Ladurée-style hues, plus obligatory French doors to gently waft in the morning air. Lazy mornings start with a blissfully al fresco breakfast in the enclosed terrace beneath shady parasols, with exactly as many patisserie and café options as you might expect.
From now until the Rugby World Cup grand finale on Saturday, October 28, official fan zones have popped up globally to screen games and unite supporters. As host nation, France has a staggering 11 zones, including a rugby ball-shaped pop-up in Place de la Concorde, of Paris’ 8th District. The historic square has long been a focal point for the city’s cultural events, and deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan’s vision has been realised spectacularly: the atmosphere is electric.
Games are book-ended by international DJ sets and immersive shows as the sun sets, framed by the glittering Eiffel Tower (look out for this next year making a cameo in coverage of beach volleyball and blind football, too) and Grand Palais in the distance. With activities by sponsors including a Land Rover Defender experience, plus decadent hospitality options, the zone isn’t just for fans of the game and is set to be a staple of Paris night-life for the next few weeks.
Perhaps one of the most traditionally French of all French eateries is the bouillon, heralding butcher Pierre Louis Duval’s concept of adding leftover meat to dishes and broths during the Belle-Epoque period. The result? Hearty, wholesome dishes. Predictably, Paris is littered with bouillons, but one of the most notable is Le bouillon, just beyond the Passage des Panoramas (aka the oldest covered walkway in Paris).
Le Bouillon has the atmosphere of by-gone era, instantly transporting guests back to a decadent yesteryear via their nostalgic menu of classic brasserie favourites and impeccable service. Menu highlights include entrecote steak and tarte tatin, all amongst the decadence of gilded mirrors, a panoramic terrace, and décor infused by flashes of Art Nouveau. Naturally, the wine list is extensive – in Paris, the aperitif reigns supreme. For the Rugby World Cup, Le Bouillon has popped-up in the supporters’ village. There are many words to describe the experience, but perhaps the simplest is that that it is simply exquisitely French.
Barcelona
The highlight of the yachting calendar is unquestionably the America’s Cup. Impressively known to be the oldest international competition still operating in any sport, the series dates back to 1851, albeit with a few tweaks along the way.
Circa every four years, the cutting edge of the yachting industry meet en masse to test team limits, and this time Barcelona will play host in August 2024. As with so many international competitions, the build-up is all part of the fun, and the first of three preliminary regattas kicked things off with much fan-fare in Vilanova i la Geltrú earlier this month. It is the first of three prelims (for round two, teams head to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia), and was the first opportunity for teams to battle it out on the new one-design foiling monohulls, each crewed by a team of four with breath-taking speeds up to 50 knots.
Emirates Team New Zealand are the current America’s Cup champions, having successfully defended the title on home seas back in 2021. Preparing their defence, the team announced a new partnership with Italian sailing clothing brand SLAM. The bond between SLAM and sailing dates right back to when it was founded, and they are known for their innovative and high-performance products.
It goes without saying that the best way to watch any sailing event is either on the water or from the shoreline. Vilanova’s La Daurada beach club is perfectly placed for uninterrupted race views thanks to an expansive terrace and pier that stretches out into the Mediterranean Sea. For AC37, the club became the epicentre of VIP hospitality, with multiple viewing areas ranging from sporadic sofa-style settings to more formal dining tables. The vibe is relaxed yet vibrant, as sponsors’ guests enjoy classically Spanish tapas, paella and ices. Naturally, the Estrella flows freely.
We stayed just outside Barcelona, in Sitges. A popular tourist destination, the Catalonian town is a vibrant combination of Baroque-style structures and classic white-washed architecture. Hotels are abundant, both surrounding the port and snaking up into the hills. Eurostars Sitges forms a unique crescent shape with an oasis of palm tree-lined outdoor pools, indulgent spa, and stunning array of dining options. With glorious sea views to the front of the property and the dramatic Parc Natural del Garraf to the rear, it is the ultimate paradox: secluded and exclusive, yet easily accessible by car. For the main event in 2024, the America’s Cup race village will be located at the heart of the action in Barcelona.
