I’ve been a devoted Christian Dior fan for years. Losing my job this year didn’t change my affection for the label, but it did change which pieces of the brand I can realistically buy. At least, that’s the situation for now.
So I was delighted to discover that I could experience a taste of Dior’s luxury through a massage rather than paying a huge price tag.
At Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Dior has reworked the spa, which is tucked two levels below the Paris hotel. For about €260, or roughly $325, I got a glimpse of the luxury label without spending more than $6,000 on a handbag.
Compared with my actual bank balance, it was still an indulgence, but it was one I could manage. That’s exactly what I did during my solo Paris trip last June.
Luxury labels are inviting customers to experience more than their merchandise
It turns out Dior isn’t the only company that has realized its fans want access to more than bags, shoes, and similar products.
Louis Vuitton opened its first American restaurant in November 2024 on the fourth floor of its Fifth Avenue flagship, created with a Michelin-starred chef. The menu features what the brand describes as “luxury snacking.”
Gucci and Armani have followed the same approach, launching restaurants instead of simply introducing another handbag or blazer. The economics are similar to Dior’s: a meal or coffee costs only a fraction of the price of the clothing or accessories while carrying the same name.
Prada also operated a café inside Harrods for three years. The shop closed that location this past June before moving the concept to Singapore.
What I enjoyed about Dior’s spa
Hôtel Plaza Athénée is on Avenue Montaigne, and its red awnings and rows of geraniums make it nearly impossible to miss.
Christian Dior presented his first show nearby in 1947, so placing the spa beneath the hotel is a deliberate choice rather than an arbitrary one. The location connects the experience to the brand’s history with one of Paris’s most recognizable hotels.
Inside, the spa is hidden behind arched glass doors decorated with a shell motif, and the attention to detail is evident throughout. A round table near the entrance displays Dior fragrances and beauty products arranged around fresh delphinium. Bois d’Argent and Gris Dior were lined up in orderly rows, and I sampled the scent of nearly every one while waiting.
The lounge features vaulted ceilings glowing with gold light and a marble soaking area set into the floor. Cream daybeds line the walls, each covered with a fringed Dior toile throw. My treatment room was more restrained, with warm wood paneling, a single bed made up in cream linens, and a Dior-stitched towel waiting at the foot.
I booked the 60-minute Constellation massage, a full-body treatment centered on slow, layered movements, and told the therapist immediately that I wanted deep pressure. She made the adjustment without hesitation. Like the experience at the boutique, I was offered a glass of Champagne or tea, according to my preference.
The hour focused on my back, shoulders, and legs, and my shoulders finally began to relax around halfway through. Beforehand, I had explained that I couldn’t remain face down for extended periods because of fibroids, so the therapist adapted the entire session around that limitation, giving extra time to my back and shoulders while I stayed on my side.
I also planned to use the gym. When else would I get to exercise with Christian Dior-branded medicine balls? The equipment looked sleek, was well maintained, and felt modern; I dislike hotel gyms with decades-old machines.
I spent only 30 minutes there, but it was worthwhile to complete a set of squats surrounded by so much branding. I photographed the medicine balls before leaving, mainly to document that it actually happened.
The part that fell short
The locker room was the only area where the spa didn’t fully deliver the luxury experience. It was small and plain, with no whirlpool or steam room in sight.
After an hour surrounded by Dior’s interpretation of luxury, it felt oddly anticlimactic to return there before dressing again. Every other part of the spa had been carefully considered down to the smallest detail, so the locker room seemed as though the brand had exhausted its budget.
Even so, when I left, my shoulders felt lighter than they had in months, and I hadn’t given my job search a single thought during the session.
A Dior bag announces itself to anyone who sees me carrying it. No one saw this massage. I’m still funemployed, and I still don’t expect to own a Dior bag anytime soon, but for one hour, nobody needed anything from me, and I didn’t check my phone once.