15 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Paris
Paris is home to some of the best luxury hotels in the world. Our guide explains what makes each so special, so you can pick the perfect place for your next trip to the City of Light.
Paris, like most of the globe’s most popular and alluring cities, can appear intimidating. There are so many corners to explore (or should we say arrondissements?) and so much joie de vivre to experience that choosing a home base for your trip here can feel like sorting through a glamorous haystack for a needle. The French pride themselves on exceptional hotels and hospitality, so it’s no surprise that the French Ministry of Tourism created a special designation for the top properties, the Distinction Palace, also called Palace hotels.
While every corner of Paris is worth exploring, making it one of the best places to visit in Europe, first-timers should stick to a smaller area so as not to spread themselves too thin. Return visitors may also want to choose a specific arrondissement to spend their time in — one where they can focus less on the inaugural landmarks and more on experiencing the local way of living.
This list of the best luxury hotels in Paris spans the 1st arrondissement to the 20th to help you narrow down your search, whether it’s your introductory stay in Paris or your 50th trip.
In This Article
15 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Paris
Historic Hotels: The Best Grande-Dame Hotels in Paris
Ritz Paris
The Ritz Paris is arguably the most iconic hotel in Paris — and perhaps one of the most globally famous hotels. The Ritz Paris legacy began right away. Opened in 1898, it was the first hotel in the world to feature electricity on every floor, from the common spaces to the private rooms. The Ritz went on to act as the home base for elites, socialites, writers, and movie stars on a global scale, including Gianni Versace, Jean Cocteau, Ernest Hemingway, and Coco Chanel (who actually lived there for more than 30 years). It also hosted fashion shows and movie sets, including An American in Paris and Love in the Afternoon, which added to its esteem as a destination hotel.
Today, the 142-room hotel in the 1st arrondissement continues its legacy with regal rooms and opulent suites that uphold its original Victorian-inspired interiors. Vintage furnishings, antique art, intricate chandeliers, and canopy beds complete the look. The dreamiest in-room amenities include marble fireplaces, hammams, private terraces, and even a private elevator.
When you’re not lounging in your personal space fit for a queen or king, head to one of the famous on-site bars and restaurants. Bar Hemingway is named for its former frequent patron and has become famed for the author’s favorite drink to order there: the dry martini. Espadon restaurant boasts one Michelin star for its seasonal and soulful French cuisine by chef Eugénie Béziat. The Ritz Bar is anything but a lobby bar, as its cocktail program revolves around the biodynamic calendar and zodiac.
Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Dorchester Collection
Fashionistas should flock to Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Dorchester Collection in the 8th arrondissement, as its coveted address on Avenue Montaigne positions you at the center of one of Paris’s most regarded haute-couture hubs. The Palace hotel has been a beacon in this neighborhood since it was unveiled in 1913, and in 2001, it opened a new chapter when the Dorchester Collection acquired it. The 154-key property has renovated rooms and suites flooded with natural light and decorated in Art Deco style. Rooms start at 270 square feet, and extravagant suites top out at nearly 5,000 square feet.
Hôtel Plaza Athénée pays tribute to its stylish storefront surroundings on Avenue Montaigne with a Dior Spa, a glamorous retreat that uses proprietary techniques for treatments that include light therapy, Hydrafacials, and body masks. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée, evokes a stately banquet hall with its centerpiece Royal Table in antique Breccia pink marble under gold-gilded crown molding.
Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel
This 124-key property is famed for its fusion of 18th-century architectural grandeur and 21st-century flair; the centuries effortlessly exist as one here, thanks to Rosewood’s takeover in 2017. Hôtel de Crillon, one of the most expensive hotels in the world, has lived many lives; King Louis XV commissioned and built it in 1758 by the greatest French architect of his time, Ange-Jacques Gabriel. In 1909, the private mansion was unveiled as a luxury hotel, and in 2013, Hôtel de Crillon underwent a four-year renovation and reopened in 2017 as a Rosewood Hotel and earned the coveted Palace distinction. The neoclassical façade remains unchanged, but the rooms and suites received an indulgent upgrade, including Les Grands Appartements designed by Karl Lagerfeld. The interiors are contemporarily sleek with pops of Parisian fine art, and sumptuous details include handcrafted leather-wrapped coffee machines.
This glamorous hotel also has a Michelin-starred restaurant, L’Ecrin, that serves French fine dining. Otherwise, guests can keep it casual, yet still classy, at Jardin d’Hiver, which serves afternoon tea and Dom Pérignon by the glass. Its location in the 8th arrondissement at Place de la Concorde positions guests within walking distance of the city’s most famous sites, from the Champs-Élysées to Jardin des Tuileries.
Four Seasons Hotel George V
In 1999, the Four Seasons acquired this Art Deco landmark building from 1928. The luxury hotel and resort brand gutted the interiors while preserving the classical French façade, a beacon of its locale in the Golden Triangle of Paris. Today, Four Seasons Hotel George V is a grand traveler’s dream, with savvy amenities unique to Parisian hospitality — such as a 55-foot-long swimming pool and a subterranean stone wine cellar boasting 50,000 bottles. The Palace hotel’s ivory color palette is accented by a permanent bloom of 12,000 flowers delivered weekly to enliven the halls. There are 244 guest rooms and three restaurants that have six Michelin stars among them.
Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection
When Le Meurice opened in 1835, owner Charles-Augustin Meurice envisioned a hotel that was particularly appealing to British tourists. However, today, the 160-room property beckons to any traveler seeking the finer things in life. Le Meurice is adorned in classic and refined décor, with some suites styled by Lyon-based designers Lally & Berger. The most lauded accommodation is the Belle Etoile Penthouse Suite, with a terrace that offers a 360-degree view of the city — Eiffel Tower included. Other guest rooms and common spaces in the Palace hotel overlook the Tuileries Garden and Louvre Museum, thanks to its prime 1st arrondissement address. Also on property: the only Valmont spa in Paris; a Michelin-starred restaurant heralded by Alain Ducasse; a Cédric Grolet-led patisserie; and nightly live jazz at the lively Bar 228.
Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal
The 59-room boutique Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal is a more intimate, yet still five-star, Parisian accommodation adjacent to its namesake Palais Royal, the 17th-century former palace of France that once housed King Louis XIV. The interiors are a soothing contrast to the exterior buzz of Parisian sidewalks, with a pastel palette that evokes a natural calm after a day of sightseeing. The rooms are on the smaller side, but the suites have luxury amenities including marble bathrooms and Juliet balconies. The wellness area features a well-equipped gym, a hammam, a hot tub, and an array of bespoke body and beauty treatments. Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal’s on-premise eatery, Café 52, is casual, in traditional Parisian bistro style with charming ruby-topped tables.
Le Bristol Paris
Le Bristol Paris, an Oetker Collection property, is a true Palace Hotel; in fact, it was the country’s first hotel to receive this designation by the French Ministry of Tourism, in 2011. The 190-room hotel had just reopened after a major renovation, but it was originally unveiled as a hotel in 1925.
In addition to the traditional luxurious features expected at a five-star hotel, including two Michelin-starred restaurants and incredibly spacious rooms that start at 376 square feet, there are especially extravagant details that set Le Bristol apart. The central courtyard is a lush oasis amid the bustling 8th arrondissement, filled with native French flora, magnolia trees, and topiary. Several of the top suites at Le Bristol have verdant outdoor spaces, including the Terrace Suite, which has a fabulous rooftop hot tub. Further, Le Bristol is a wellness destination in Paris. Spa Le Bristol by La Prairie is a serene sun-drenched space that surrounds a private plant-filled courtyard. The rooftop has an outdoor sundeck and an iconic indoor swimming pool. The wood-clad pool has a nautical theme complete with a mural; you’ll feel as if you’re aboard a chic yacht. The property offers bespoke electric bicycles to navigate Paris with ease.
Modern Masterpieces: The Best New Luxury Hotels in Paris
Mandarin Oriental, Paris
Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental debuted its Paris property in 2011 on Rue Saint-Honoré, close to Place Vendôme. The Palace hotel features 135 rooms and suites, including seven duplex suites where the split-level layout — the powder room and living room are on the ground floor, while the bedroom and full bathroom with a walk-in shower and soaking tub are on a different floor — evokes an intimate pied-à-terre rather than a classic hotel room. Most rooms feature a clean palette of neutrals with sultry pops of velvet magenta or bright citrus hues, from the throw pillows to the chair tucked into the writing desk.
The Mandarin Spa is a brand signature, and the Parisian property is no different, as it blends the hotel brand’s heritage with its Parisian locale to create a harmony of East-meets-West signature treatments. The on-site Parisian bistro is ideal for all-day French dining, and Bar 8 is both a guest and local favorite watering hole for its chic oval bar illuminated by sultry lighting.
Cheval Blanc Paris
Located in the 6th arrondissement, Cheval Blanc Paris embraces the ethos of “a New Paris,” where the art of simultaneously living “bold and delicate” coexist. The 72-key hotel opened in 2021, welcoming guests into a sleek, contemporary accommodation along the Seine, where views sprawl from the river to Île de la Cité. The hotel’s Art Deco details include patinated bronze and white marble chandeliers and plaster bedside lamps that follow the natural straw hues of each room and themed suite. The boutique property hosts four restaurants: two boasting four Michelin stars between them (brasserie-style Le Tout-Paris and contemporary French at Plénitude), as well as fine-dining Italian and Japanese spots. The Dior Spa features a curved infinity pool, hammam, sauna, and snow room to help guests find and bask in their Zen.
The Peninsula Paris
The Peninsula Paris opened in 2014; however, its edifice dates back over 100 years to 1908, when the heritage façade first opened as the Hotel Majestic, and it was used as government offices at one point. Its 200 rooms, including 93 suites, are some of the most spacious in Parisian hospitality and have marble bathrooms and rain showers. It took six years of planning to realize the Peninsula Paris. The company employed some 900 French artists and craftspeople who hand-painted frescoes, hand-installed mosaic tiles, and restored centuries-old woodwork.
The Palace hotel has an international dining program. There’s French fine dining, authentic Chinese food, and a chandelier-dotted lobby lounge serving up international comforts, but the pinnacle of the Peninsula Paris’s culinary offering is L’Oiseau Blanc, the rooftop restaurant and bar that uses handpicked ingredients from a daily produce market and offers a front-row seat to the twinkling Eiffel Tower after dark. Another beloved detail: The hotel is gilded with 20,000 pieces of gold leaf.
Bulgari Hotel Paris
It’s all about service at Bulgari Hotel Paris, such as the 24/7 butlers tending to specific room categories, VIP transfers around town, and Berluti shoe-care services. The 76-key hotel opened at the heart of the Golden Triangle (Avenue George V, the Champs-Elysees, and Avenue Montaigne) in 2021, offering rooms stocked with proprietary Bulgari amenities and either terraces or oversize windows that bring Paris’s most iconic views directly to your sumptuous bed. The common areas ooze luxury, with silk wall coverings, eucalyptus woodwork, and, in the bi-level spa, marble and green onyx. Niko Romito helms his namesake restaurant at the property, where he presents transalpine cuisine with the best Italian ingredients.
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme
The five-star Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme is undoubtedly one of the chicest luxury outposts from the Chicago-headquartered hotel conglomerate. The 111-room, 45-suite property was designed by renowned hotel architect Ed Tuttle and opened in 2002 as the first-ever contemporary luxury hotel in Paris. Less than a decade later, in 2011, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme was recognized as one of Paris’s elite Palace hotels. Many revere the property for its discreet luxury feeling, which Tuttle famously describes as creating a “French statement, sensual without being too ornate.” Tuttle transformed the previous home of Parisian couturier Paquin into a luxury hotel complete with a premier spa, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and an enviable 1,900-square-foot private apartment.
Shangri-La Paris
Located in the 16th arrondissement, Shangri-La Paris presents brag-worthy views of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine from the majority of its 100 rooms. The hotel opened in 2010 as the first European property from the luxury Asian chain founded in Hong Kong. It now holds both the Palace distinction and Monument Historique status, earning the latter title as it is the former home of Prince Roland Bonaparte. The décor follows a French-meets-Asian style with a Rococo design and color scheme that is brightened further by natural light that floods the property. Shangri-La Paris’s gastronomic experiences are led by a cutting-edge young chef, Quentin Testart, who spices up local and international seafood with global flavors.
La Réserve Paris — Hotel and Spa
There are only 40 rooms at La Réserve Paris — Hotel and Spa, allowing the Palace hotel to truly pamper its guests and maintain an intimate environment. The hotel opened in 2015 in a 19th-century mansion that was the former residence of the Duc of Morny; the on-site library is dedicated to him. These regal roots, combined with the property’s stately décor, make it feel like an ultraexclusive stay with a wealthy relative. There are four restaurants and bars with plenty of semiprivate nooks furnished with Victorian parlor chairs that are ideal for sipping Champagne in between shopping and sightseeing.
With “spa” in its name, it’s no wonder that the hotel’s wellness offerings are among the best in the city. The spa is a subterranean expanse and an oasis that provides both relaxing and cosmetic treatments. La Réserve Paris is the city’s only spa that offers products and treatments by Nescens-Swiss, an antiaging science brand. The spa features a 52-foot pool, a hammam, and only three treatment rooms for the utmost privacy.
Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris
The Singapore-based Raffles brand is the epitome of opulence, so when the Parisian Palace hotel opened its doors in 2017, it became a beacon for luxury travelers near and far. The restored wood-forward interiors would make it seem brand-new. Still, Raffles maintained the name (and façade) of the building’s origins, as Le Royal Monceau was the inaugural hotel at this address in 1928. The property’s restaurants have earned a reputation for attracting creatives and designers for meetings over Japanese, Peruvian, and Mediterranean flavors with a Parisian twist, while its over-16,000-square-foot spa with treatments from Dr. Barbara Sturm has become a coveted hot spot for locals to de-stress.
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