Brazil at the Littré

Le Littré’s new Brazilian “ambassadors”, Adriana Reis and Paulo Panayotis, joined us in Paris for a tourist escapade before flying to London.

These journalists, who came to meet the director of the Littré hotel, are the founders of the Brazilian journalistic tourism portal O que Vi Pelo Mundo, which means “what I have seen around the world”.

Adriana Reis, journalist, editor and co-creator of the portal, studied in Bordeaux in 1994. She previously worked as an international correspondent for TV Record and as a reporter, producer, editor and international coordinator.

Paulo Panayotis, of Greek origin, was born in Brazil and is the founder of Oquevipelomundo. As a journalist, reporter and international coordinator, he uses his experience to offer an educated Brazilian public eager to travel, advice and journalistic content on different hotels, restaurants, museums and more generally the cultural aspect of a country.

In search of valuable tips, good addresses and recommendations, Adriana and Paulo were very frequently solicited by travel enthusiasts. They decided to put their precious addresses gathered from all over the world at the disposal of the Brazilian population with high purchasing power. Their passion for travel and their previous enriching professional experiences led them to develop a profession.

What Brazilians like about the Parisian Hotel Le Littré

Large, spacious and bright rooms are synonymous with comfort for Brazilians. Culturally, they have a disposition to dress up for any occasion, which is why they arrive in Paris with bulky luggage. The rooms equipped with a dressing room at the Littré hotel are perfect for this type of clientele.

The location, between Saint Germain des Prés and Montparnasse, is ideal. The Left Bank is indeed the favorite bank of the Brazilians.

Often little spoken by Brazilians, English is not a mandatory language in Brazil. To learn a second or even a third language, you must have a scholarship, reserved only for the most gifted, which will give them access to the French and British alliances. Thus, a concierge service with the ability to speak Portuguese is extremely valuable.

At the Hotel Le Littré, Brazilian tourists are the heart of our international clientele, with whom we have built relationships. Our multilingual concierge service is attentive to their needs. Interacting with our concierges is essential; Brazilians appreciate and value proximity.

The interview of Brazilian journalists in the heart of a Parisian hotel

After an interview about the history of the hotel, its return to the forefront after the COVID-19 crisis, and the changes to be faced in the hotel sector, it’s the globetrotter journalists’ turn to answer our questions.

• How would you define Brazilians and what can you tell us about Brazil?

In Brazil, there are major differences within the country in terms of climate, culture and ethnicity. In summer, the North of Brazil can reach almost 35° while the South is close to 0°. From an ethnic point of view, Brazilians living in the North are indigenous while those in the South, close to Argentina and Uruguay, are Italians, Europeans in general. We are witnessing a cosmopolitan Brazilian population.

The Brazilian Eldorado is undoubtedly Paris, the city of love and romance, which never ceases to make many tourists dream every year, who even book their stay on credit to admire the sublime Iron Lady from the rooms of the Hotel Littré. Indeed, the majority of Brazilians have a low standard of living, not allowing them to travel, so travel is considered a luxury.

Very warm, it is a people who like to welcome others and to make discover its culture and the tourist places. Physical contact is omnipresent, gestures of affection are the custom when meeting people. There is a strong closeness, which spreads easily.

• What do you appreciate in Paris?

The Littré hotel of course and its excellent quality-price ratio. We particularly appreciated the variety of the breakfast!

We appreciate everything. Paris is a beautiful city, always on the move, with lots of new things to discover. For us, all flights are to Paris.

• Tell us a professional anecdote?

When we were correspondents in London, we went on vacation to Greece, to Santorini. That’s where we heard about Lady Diana’s death on TV. We gathered our things and left as quickly as possible to cover this dramatic event.

We had the opportunity to access privileged places and meet privileged people, such as the Queen of England, Princess Diana, President Nelson Mandela. We know respectively 40 and 70 countries around the world.

• What do you like best about your job?

“Freedom,” Paulo tells us. “It’s the ability to do what I want every day, to explore and meet people. For me, eye-to-eye contact is and remains irreplaceable.

As a journalist, it is very important to meet people face to face in order to form an opinion, and analyze their verbal and non-verbal communication. It allows us to see who we can trust”.

“We are constantly on a quest for knowledge, a journalist never stops learning. I enjoy the diversity of places, stories and encounters.

What I want to know about Le Littré is what lies behind its walls. If the walls have ears then I listen carefully to the stories the institution holds.”

• What does travel bring to you on a personal level?

There is a phrase that says that “Traveling is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”. Our friends in Brazil who do not travel tell us that we are very rich culturally. Indeed, our job allows us to have access to a great diversity of cultures, people, we learn a lot from others, we evolve.

“If you want to be happy, travel with two bags: one to give and one to receive.” Goethe

• What are your upcoming projects?

Starting tomorrow, we continue our tourist program in London, before returning to Paris to go back to Brazil. Being at home is also good after a long trip. We will resume our project in Burgundy which was started before the Covid, which could not be realized. We would like to set up a project with the Littré for the period of the Olympic Games.

Today, the hotel industry is more than ever confronted with economic issues. The challenge for Le Littré, for other hotels in the capital and in the world, is to keep the human aspect at the heart of its concerns.

Indeed, “What makes the difference between two 5-star hotels is not the quality of the infrastructure in the rooms and common areas, but the people behind the infrastructure. It’s the human element that makes this customer service so personalized and warm, just like the Brazilian culture.” Paulo Panayotis.