What It’s Like to Spend the Night at the New Hotel Within the Gates of Versailles | Vogue

"Set within the palace grounds and newly opened in June as the only place to stay within the estate, this refuge greeted me with bellmen in breeches and a cobblestoned courtyard fronting a 1681 brick façade built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart for the king’s ministry of finance. Inside, it felt less like a hotel lobby and more like the foyer of a grand home: royal portraits in gilded frames, fringed cushions, and LED candles glowing from crystal chandeliers, all thanks to Christophe Tollemer’s archival deep dive to conjure Louis XVI circa 1788. Seventy percent of the furniture is from the period, my dedicated butler, Laureen, explained as she toured me through the ground-floor salons. At 4 p.m., afternoon tea—included in the room rate—brought many-colored Ladurée macarons as guests lounged on velvet armchairs. Between the two buildings (eight rooms in one, six in the other), a terrace made for an idyllic summer’s day spreads light pink–cushioned chairs and tables around a fountain; though it was cool and wet, I lingered at the wall to watch the sun hit the palisades and the Hundred Steps just a few paces away. Most luxurious of all was the proximity to epic views: from the bathtub in my suite I looked out on the Orangery parterre, where the fruit trees were being moved in for winter—and as my driver put it, “Guests always leave relaxed.”" - Ella Riley-Adams