1. The two wings of the Art Deco building of Mandarin Oriental, Paris are the work of Charles Letrosne, a distinguished Parisian architect of the 1930s who also contributed to World Fairs held in the city.

2. Since the 16th century, the site of Mandarin Oriental, Paris has been a Capuchin monastery, a hippodrome, a theatre (the Cirque Olympique) and even a royal riding school.

3. The rooms and suites of Mandarin Oriental, Paris are some of the city's most spacious.  The largest, the Suite Royale Mandarin, fills 350 sq m on two levels.  Its terrace offers a stunning view of the city, including the Garnier Opera, the Grand Palais and of course the Eiffel Tower.

4. The top floor of the hotel may be privatized to create the biggest suite in Paris, measuring 1,000 square metres.

5. The 455 sq m indoor garden at Mandarin Oriental, Paris is planted with trees and flowers, including the camellia, which symbolises elegance, harmony and "perfect" beauty.

6. With its 900 square metres, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Paris is one of the city's largest hotel spas.  It includes a 14-metre long pool.

7. The imposing stone bar in the hotel's Bar 8 weighs nine tons and was designed by Agence Jouin-Manku.  Intricately assembled from stone quarried in Spain, it originally weighed 50 tons and was cut in Italy by craftsmen working round-the-clock for two months.

8. Designed and built to meet environmental criteria, Mandarin Oriental, Paris aims to be the first luxury hotel in France to be awarded Haute Qualité Environnementale certification.

9. The fan that is the symbol of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is a unique haute couture creation by Maison Lesage that took more than 200 hours to make.

10. The world capital of luxury and elegance, Paris is home to over 17,500 stores and boutiques, almost a quarter of which sell fashion, from ready-to-wear to haute couture.

11. Colette, the very first concept-store in Paris, opened ten years ago on rue Saint-Honoré and continues to surprise with an eclectic, unexpected, exclusive collection that goes far beyond fashion.

12. Paris has close to 150 museums.  Almost half the tourists who visit the city say they come for its history and museums.  The Louvre is the most-visited museum in the world.

13. Rue Saint-Honoré has been traced to the 13th century.  It takes its name from the collegial Church of Saint-Honoré.  Nearby are the Tuileries Gardens, Marché Saint-Honoré, and the world-famous Place Vendôme, museums and shopping streets.

14. Paris is an oasis of green, thanks to the innumerable parks, squares and gardens that brighten each district.  The city is proud of its "green spaces" which it celebrates each September with the Gardens Festival.