Name: Christophe Laure
Title: Area general manager Paris, IHG/general manager, InterContinental Paris – Le Grand
Company, city: IHG; Paris, France
Number of employees: 580
Recent project: The opening of the first Indigo Hotel in France last September, the Hôtel Indigo Paris Opéra, just next to the InterContinental Paris – Le Grand
First job: Valet at a car park in Monaco
Little-known fact about you: I am a member of the Harley Owners Group.

Your Business

Essential business philosophy: To quote Paulo Coelho, “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. It is lethal.”

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Be ahead of your customers’ expectations.

Yardstick of success: Dedication!

Christopher Laure as a Traveler

What is the most important item you take when traveling? My running shoes

How do you spend your time on board? Reading

What is your favorite restaurant in the world? The Café de la Paix, of course!

What is your favorite destination in the world? Madrid

About InterContinental Paris – Le Grand

The InterContinental Paris – Le Grand is located near the Opera House and other Paris icons like the Louvre. What are some of your favorite sites in Paris and near the hotel?
I truly love the Opera House, the Madeleine Church and the Tuileries Gardens, a real haven of peace.

Tell our readers about the history of the hotel and the building.
This “travelers’ hotel” built more than 150 years ago has lost nothing of its original splendor. The blond stone of its façades, the deep purple drapes, the mirrored reflections, the gilding in fine gold all have preserved the magnificence of an era when, to attract foreign guests, a Parisian hotel was duty bound to resemble a veritable palace.

During the spectacular grand opening on May 5, 1862, the Empress Eugenie did not exaggerate when she exclaimed, “This reminds me of home! I feel like I am in Compiègne or Fontainebleau.”

Today, with 470 guestrooms and suites and 19 event rooms surrounding the majestic atrium La Verrière, the Grand Hôtel de la Paix, now the InterContinental Paris – Le Grand, has ever remained a place of welcome, exchange and encounters. We can imagine the hotel being a theater with its backstage and front of the house, a décor that changes over time, its public and actors, each in place and ready to play their well-rehearsed part when the curtain goes up.

What amenities are available for business travelers?
And what can travelers expect in the future from the property? Business travelers appreciate the club lounge, our “hotel within the hotel”; the iPad concierge; and the free Internet. Guests can expect new experiences — that they were not expecting, experiences which will fulfill their inner needs.