Splendia

We recently got a question on Twitter from one of our customers asking for best spa addresses in Paris. We thought it was an interesting idea and so decided to make our own selection.  We have based our choice on our own experience as well as recommendations from online experts in this field, particularly the french blog bestspaofparis, a great source of information for Spas in Paris.

Here is our selection of Spas in Paris.  Please feel free to use the comment area to propose any other spas that we may have overlooked or to give us your feedback on the ones we have selected. (more…)

Discover how to get the most out of the new Splendia functionalities

If you do not see the video, please click here.

A feedback, a recommendation for improvement? You can propose us new ideas in the comment section

Feel free to try out our website: www.splendia.com

Découvrez en vidéo comment utiliser au mieux les nouvelles fonctionnalités Splendia:

Si la vidéo ne s’affiche pas, veuillez cliquer ici.

Si vous avez des remarques, n´hésitez pas à nous en faire part dans les commentaires.

N’hésitez pas à découvrir notre site: www.splendia.com

Everybody knows the Boca Sofa, used by numerous hotels and restaurants all over the world. But do you know its real history? Who created it, redesigned it…?

We decided to investigate a little further and discovered some interesting things.

(more…)

Good Morning Oscar,

Let’s start with some basic things about yourself, who are you?!

My name is Oscar and I’m a Catalan from Barcelona.

Splendia being quite an international company, could you tell us what languages you speak?

I speak Catalan of course, Spanish, English, a bit of French and some Japanese

What are your responsabilities at Splendia?

I am the CTO (Chief Technical Officer) of splendia, managing the IT department. We’re setting up new tools to contact our customers and give them a better experience in Splendia, like the new Call Center system and the new version of the website, with a great set of new features. I’m quite sure that out customers will appreciate all the new functionalities and services we’ll offer them and they will use Splendia services more and more when they need to choose the best hotels for their holidays or business trip.

Why did you come to work for Splendia, what is your background?

I liked this project, the possibilities and the industry. Splendia offered me to start a worldwide project, a new challenge for me. I previously worked for European companies like lastminute.com or vueling (8 years in the IT side of tourism) but the challenge here at splendia is to have in mind that we offer our products for customers around the world, 24 hours 7 days a week.

Do you have any memorable moments at Splendia to share?

The Summer and Xmas parties I attended were memorable, no doubt about that!

But I won’t go into details….

Just a quick snapshot of the IT department during the 2008 Christmas dinner in Barcelona

How do you usually travel and what do you like to discover during your travels?

For business travels it always depends on the where and when, but for holidays I try to do 2 small travels (short ones) and a big one every year. I like to discover new cultures, and in every place I visit, I try to understand and see how the local people live and do, their daily activity, their local places, etc…

(more…)

I am extremely happy to be able to tell you that after several months of intensive work, we have just launched a new version of our website!

We have taken into account the valuable feedback that we receive daily from our customers and so we hope that you will find the new splendia.com even more easy and enjoyable to use. The new version brings with it quite a few helpful new functions while maintaining two key Splendia essentials: simplicity and beautiful imagery.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make this project happen.

Please try out the new splendia.com and give us your feedback so that we can continue to improve. Happy surfing!

Elie de Coignac, CEO & Co-founder

PS: You are currently on the beta version of the Splendia blog. We will update it real soon, stay in touch!

I’ll hand you over now to some members of the team so that they can give you some insider tips. (more…)

Do you know So Chic Wines? Famous for its Rhone Valley Grand Crus, this company is constantly innovating and focusing on providing the best customer experience through an original process of designing its bottles.

Once again, they are surprising us with the launch of their brand new Very Chic Collection.  Three vintages have been carefuly selected: Chateauneuf-du-pape, Gigondas and Vinsobres with each of the wines being chosen for its unique terroir and authentic character.

With their internal design team, the company has created a modern design and developed a unique user experience by proposing three tubes for testing their wines before indulging yourselves with the luxury of a whole bottle.

You can either buy a single bottle, a testing package (one tube of each of the three wines) or a full luxury package including one bottle of each.

We can’t wait to try out their next exciting new product lines!

For more information about this brand, please click here.

Bar le Forum (For couples, business, friends / not for families)

Bar le Forum, picture by Jean Villain

Have you just walked down the Champs-Elysées, taken photos from every possible angle of La Concorde, spent hours in Le Louvres or in the “Grand Magasins” (Printemps, Galeries Lafayettes…)? Then the Bar le Forum, next to La Madeleine, is for you (click here to see it on Google Maps). Founded in 1918, this Bar is considered to be the oldest American bar in Paris. Favorite hideout of the employees of the American Ambassy, they have an almost unlimited selection of cocktails (226 cocktails & 123 whiskies to be precise).  This bar is also famous for having won numerous international cocktail competitions and for creating some quite unique mixes.

The waiters are the best I ever met. Their know-how and professionalism is amazing and they will offer you the exact drink you fancy if you politely ask them to help you. The music is jazzy without being loud, the leather seats incredibly soft. If you are going there, ask for the table at the end of the bar, on the left, next to the two 50 year old jukeboxes. For more information about Bar le Forum, click here.

Kong Bar/Restaurant: (For fashion followers / not for families)

Picture from leguideduluxe.com

Being in Paris, you can’t miss the Philipp Starck touch! Maybe you are staying at the Mama Shelter hotel and you already have had enough of Starck… But I guess you wouldn’t mind discovering another unique place with a stunning view over Paris.

After a visit to Le Louvres or Notre Dame de Paris, you may be in urgent need of relaxing before continuing your adventure. Facing Le Pont Neuf (click here to see it on Google Maps), Kong has one of the most beautiful views of Paris imaginable (without having to wait for two hours under the Eiffel Tower…). An intriguing mix of design, classicism, French and Asian touch, Kong offers you a restaurant, a bar and some soothing lounge music by Béatrice Ardisson.

If you just want to have a drink, you probably won’t get a table on the top floor. However, if you have some time and would like to enjoy the fusion cuisine, why not try the restaurant.  My advice? Make sure to book a table in advance and ask specifically for a table on the top floor… that way you are sure you’ll be able to enjoy that oh so lovely Parisian skyline. For more information about Kong, click here.

Mathis Bar: (For young couples & friends / not for families)

Entrance of the Mathis (bar on the right)

While going down the Champs-Elysées after a long hard day of shopping or if you fancy going somewhere special after dark, you might want to stop by the Mathis Bar. (To see it on google maps, click here).

Ideally located at 3, rue de Ponthieu in the 8th district of Paris, this bar is hidden behind a discret and “difficult” door right after the entrance of the Mathis hotel (by the way a nice hotel for spending a trendy week-end in Paris).  Open all day long, do not expect it to be quiet after 10 PM. At night, this bar becomes the most exclusive place of the capital. Opened by Gérald Nanty in 1996 with the help of Françoise Sagan, the Mathis has never stopped being the rendez-vous of the intellectual elite of Paris. You may end up next to Edouard Baer or Bertrand Delanoë without even realizing it. Just one thing, if you are more of a show-man than an intellectual leader, you might find yourself staying outside… (it already happened to Madonna and to John Malkovich) Read this interview of Gérald, the owner for some extra details (in French).