Paris: Is any city more closely associated with love and romance? Enjoy a relaxing tour on the Seine, then go all the way to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for a breathtaking view of the city. If it's romance you desire, Montmartre, away to the north on the tallest hill in the city, is the most unabashedly romantic district of Paris, with quiet stairways, little alleys, and deserted squares.

Paris has some of the best museums in the world. Discover treasures ranging from Picasso to Paleolithic carvings. You don't have to stay inside to enjoy the art: the city itself is a masterpiece, with architecture that inspires and celebrates the human spirit.

Whether you're enjoying a picnic by the Seine in the Square du Vert-Galant, sipping coffee in a sidewalk café, or treating yourself to the world's most elegant dining, you're sure to find something you love in Paris.

Places of interest in Paris:

• Arc de Triomphe
• Le Panthéon
• Rue Oberkampf
• The Louvre
• Notre Dame
• Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
• Musée National du Moyen Age
• Musée de l'Armée
• Marais mansions

Did you know that one of the most popular ways to see Paris is on foot? Paris à Pied offers three-hour walking tours of the Latin Quarter, the Marais, Montmartre, the heart of Paris, or the renovated glass-roofed passages that date back to the early 1800s. Groups are limited to 6 or fewer, and the price is moderate. Bicycle tours are also quite popular and can be arranged with little advance notice.

Kempinski Hotel Vernet

Located in a quiet district of Paris, a few steps away from the Champs Elysées, the Kempinski Hotel Vernet offers an unforgettable stay in the unique and elegant atmosphere of a French mansion.

The lobby, a tasteful Louis XVI decor, landscape paintings and wall mirrors, bouquets of orchids, marble floors with Oriental carpets, and scattered easy chairs is only the beginning of the elegance you will experience at the Kempinski Hotel Vernet. You will find a cozy English-style bar with a superb selection of whiskeys and Cognacs. Across the lobby is the Salon Bleu, a handsomely decorated room with mirrors and marble paneling, a fireplace that is kept stoked, easy chairs and couches. It's a lovely place to retire to in the evenings, puff on a cigar and listen to the pianist just beyond the tall arched doorways in the lobby. The room is large enough to accommodate small conferences and is available for private functions or romantic dinners for two. Intimacy is the key. With only 35 tables available for dinner, you will need to make reservations at least a week in advance for the three-hour-plus meal.

The hotel has 57 guest rooms, three of which are small suites and all of which are tastefully decorated, with tall windows, air conditioning and marble-tiled bathrooms with Jacuzzis. All the rooms above the second floor have small balconies. Rooms on the uppermost floors have a view of the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

The Kempinski Vernet is one of the better kept secrets of Paris, and the cozy atmosphere, beautiful decor, pleasant rooms and accommodating staff make it a favorite among the few who know of its existence. Located just around the corner from many of Paris's most famous fashion houses and boutiques, yet secluded enough to provide some welcomed privacy for tennis players during the French Open and several internationally known pop singers who enjoy the discretion of the staff, the hotel's remove from the hurly-burly of the grand hotels and the excellent location.

Use the Kempinski Hotel Vernet as your own personal escape in Paris.