Mon test : Le City Guide Louis Vuitton - Experiences Luxe
As a French house established in 1859, Louis Vuitton is the ultimate symbol of luxury ! Firstly, you think of the handbags with the famous monogram, then of the leather goods but in 1998, the brand took a new turn : they decided to launch into clothes and in the same year its marvelous City guides.
As a frequent traveler and someone who is always on the lookout for the best places during my city adventures, these are obviously the essential guides for my city trips ! It should be noted that this little guide is full of the most attractive places : from luxury 5 star hotels to little greasy spoons in original neighborhoods and you can scour the city with the exclusive selection that this little publication gives you.
Which cities ?
The world's largest cities have been scoured to find the most exclusive addresses whether it is in New York, London, Tokyo or Mexico, …. In total there are 25 cities which are lucky enough to have a publication to their name, all with a colorful cover.
Last November, I spent a few days in Tokyo. It was my 2nd stay in the Japanese capital and after having explored the essential places the year before, I was armed with my precious book to explore the city thoroughly. With more than 300 pages and 600 addresses in total, there was so much to do ! A few weeks later, it was in Hong Kong that I was able to try and test the relevant city guide.
What can be found in this guide ?
In summary, there are a few pages dedicated to the various quarters and its characteristics (perfect for choosing what suits you the most for accommodation) as well as practical advice on the city : arriving, transports, events calendar, … But the most interesting is to come : the first chapter is dedicated to the hotels, and everything is indexed by quarters : from five star to an offbeat concept and you will find the biggest luxury establishments but also a few lovely hotels and smaller hotels for amateurs of more unique experiences !
A 2nd chapter on restaurants numbers the the most trendy places in the city (like for example L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon where I had the pleasure to lunch) but also the cantinas in the quarter where you can eat simply and locally and where the ambiance and gastronomic quality is great. In Hong Kong, I discovered the Lin Heung Tea House, a traditional tea room where you can try authentic dim sums.
The 3rd chapter (and this is my favorite ^^) is dedicated to the “good things” : gourmet deli, markets, pastry chefs, cellars, … in Tokyo I discovered the best big food store which was able to convert a foodie like me! It has the perfect section to find the best specialities in the city and also the best place to try them.
The 4th chapter presents the bars, cafés and tea rooms where it is nice to have a break. I discovered little pearls in Tokyo, especially since it is une city where it is difficult to fond your way as a great number of restaurants and cafés are located on the upper floors and not necessarily visible for those who can't understand Japanese !
The 5th chapter is for ight clubbers ! The most trendy dance floors where you can settle down for a drink and listen to the jazzy notes, the best cocktail bars. It is a gold mine to organize evenings out !
The 6th chapter is for fashionistas : shopping will be a cinch for you with this guide and the most luxury fashion houses. A lot of concept stores are indexed and it is an excellent way to discover new brands and new designers without necessarily having to come back to the same world brands.
The 7th chapter is dedicated to high quality objects : antiques, art galleries, decor shops, and if you like art, decor and crafts, you find the most beautiful and trendy stores there to go shopping.
The last chapter is on art and culture where you will find essential museums but also book shops, theatre halls, … In the guide dedicated to Tokyo it is notably in this section that I discovered the Mori Art Museum where I was able to attend a contemporary art exhibition dedicated to Takashi Murakami, a Japanese artist that I have fallen in love with !
You can also use the mobile app, which is also really practical if you don't want to carry your guide with you. The obvious advantage is being able to geolocate and search for the right addresses around you. As much as the paper version is very nice to prepare for your stay in terms of being able to select your hotel and the various restaurants, bars, galleries or museums that you can definitely visit, there are unfortunately very few maps to find the various addresses which makes it rather tedious ! This is why the application is a great supplement as it has makes up for what the paper version lacks.
This is a small presentation video :
My verdict
These 2 City Guides for the cities of Tokyo and Hong Kong enabled me to test them during my stay. One thing is sure, I am looking forward to buying the Louis Vuitton guide for the next 25 cities as I have found places that I have never heard of in paper guides or travel blogs.
I was also surprised to find the most beautiful luxury places and there is also a number of places to eat, have a drink or buy some clothing or any other type of merchandise. This guide is therefore quite useful and travelers can therefore use it according to their budget.
Although the paper version is a little difficult to understand due to its lack of maps, the application is very welcome. For my next stays, I will therefore buy the paper version to prepare as much as I can and the app when I am there .
Practical information
- Cities avalaibles : Bangkok • Berlin • Chicago • Hong Kong • Istanbul • Cap Town • London • Los Angeles • Mexico • Miami • Milan • Moscow • New York • Paris • Pekin • Prague • Rio de Janeiro • Rome • Sao Paulo • Seoul • Shanghai • Singapour • Sydney • Venice • Tokyo
- Are you visiting NYC, Milan, Bangkok or Istanbul, … why not buy this 30€ luxury travel guide? To see the City Guide Louis Vuitton on Amazon
- For 9,99€, upload the app on Itunes.