The Best Hotels in Paris
Ah, Paris
Are you planning a trip to one of the most iconic cities in Europe? Summer is here, and as both a frequent solo traveler and someone who has worked with many hotel brands both in the USA and Europe, I am sharing some of my favorite hotels in London and Paris (This is part two for Paris).
This is part two on the best hotels in London and Paris. Read my previous posts on The best hotels in London + London City Guide, as well as Paris x Olympics 2024 + my favorite luggage brands + Travel Aunties
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, finding the perfect accommodation can make all the difference, so I am sharing both luxury stays to charming boutique hotels in the heart of the city. And while the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris may delay your trip, you will get your chance to explore. As the previous head of communications at Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, and the Four Seasons UK Collection in London and Hampshire, I like to think I know a thing or two…
Shop some of my travel essentials + my children’s travel book + my Plannin Hotel Recommendations
Paris
I have visited Paris many, many times over the years, so here are my top picks, though the City of lights also offers a very wide range of hotels, though I would argue more of a mixed bag of options. Location is everything here, and room size will be a big swing depending on where you go, so as always, plan ahead and familiarize yourself with the neighborhoods. As with London, many of these are in the luxury category, even the boutique ones. Faites des voyages sûrs et merveilleux cet été et au-delà!
Four Seasons George V: One of my favorite hotels in the collection that I’ve stayed In, and offers glamour at every turn. Opened in 1928, its prime location in the chic eighth, the hotel is a true Paris icon and the first hotel in Europe to feature five Michelin stars under one roof and legendary, 50,000 bottle-strong cellar
Ritz Paris: Considered a limestone bastion of French hospitality when it opened in 1898, the famed and historic property underwent an incredible $620 million renovation in 2012 that lasted four years and reopened on June 6, 2016 to all of its original splendor. An great spot for a cocktail too.
Peninsula Paris: A former 1908 hotel transformed into the first Parisian outpost for the Peninsula brand & one of Paris’s newest Palace-grade hotels, and six in-house dining venues
Mandarin Oriental Paris: Very much a high-gloss hotel, it may not be a design for everyone, it Is uber contemporary, but it has a to-go Cake Shop located at the entrance to Camélia, so that’s a win
Hôtel Plaza Athénée: This Dorchester property is indeed a grande dame, opened in 1913, it has appeared in fashion-themed favorites like Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada
Le Bristol Paris: Grand, without feeling stuffy, with its polished marble, Louis XVI armchairs, and its at three-Michelin-starred Epicure, and lunch hot spot Café Antonia (now part of the Oetker Collection)
Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal: The property offers views over one of people’s favorite places in Paris: The Palais Royal Gardens. The 57 rooms and 11 suites are elegant and are managed more like they're part of a family-owned boutique property, so it feels like a series of apartments
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel: One of Paris’s best-loved palace hotels, and like the Ritz, had a fantastic refurb that took four years and is spectacular. Includes a bar, a barbershop, L’Ecrin restaurant, and suites by the late Karl Lagerfeld
Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection: Considered one of the first luxury hotels in the world when it opened in 1815, its suites have been redone in silk and velvet, with Salvador Dalí inspiration (it was a fave of his)
Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris: Originally opened in 1928, it also underwent an extensive re-do in the mid-2000s. Standouts include a 99-seat movie theater, an art gallery and library, and a Matsuhisa outpost from Chef Nobu
Nolinski Paris: The location and the design are unbeatable, and they come at a price point far more accessible than Paris's Palace hotels
Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin: Feels like a sumptuous 14th-century hotel, all pastels, velvet and embroidery, moments from the Seine and the Hôtel de Ville
Hôtel Dame des Arts: Located in the artsy Quartier Latin, the rooms are both chic and subdued, and also offers a lovely rooftop
Cheval Blanc Paris: Almost every one of the 72 elegant, beige and gold-hued rooms, 46 of which are suites, overlook the Seine, and has a hot seventh-floor Art Deco brasserie meets cocktail bar, Le Tout-Paris
La Réserve Paris: A beloved place for fashion editors and regular visitors to the city who want to feel like they’re staying in a private mansion, with just 40 rooms in a fine hôtel particulier designed by Baron Haussmann for Napoleon III’s half-brother the Duc de Morny in 1854.
Shangri-La Paris: A historic building that also underwent a meticulous restoration (In 1891, Prince Roland Bonaparte, grand-nephew to Napoleon, chose a prime setting near the Seine River to build an opulent palace), it also houses two restaurants, La Bauhinia and Shang Palace, the first Chinese restaurant in France to receive a Michelin star.
1 Place Vendôme: The first hotel from Swiss fine jewelry and watchmaker Chopard and the Scheufele family, this is classic Paris, but cut with a haute private edge. Located in the regal 1st arrondissement and situated amid Place Vendôme’s murmur of luxury labels.
Hôtel Lutetia: Renovated in 2018, it now looks better than it did when James Joyce wrote bits of Ulysses here, with 184 rooms and enlarged the 47 suites, adding Hermès silk throw pillows and Art Deco-style pieces
Le Pavillon de la Reine: This family-owned hotel’s ivy-covered property in the Marais neighborhood offers 56 rooms and suites each feature a different style and décor, modern or antique.
Saint James Paris: Set in a neoclassical former private residence, it went though a recent redecoration which makes it feel like a one-of-a-kind Parisian home
Hôtel Madame Rêve: A stylish stay very central and near the Seine, with a 10,000-square-foot rooftop and restaurant
Maison Proust: Tucked into Le Marais, it is designed for an international luxe clientele who appreciate beauty, art, and history
Kimpton St Honoré: Like its location in London, this is a safe bet, and is the first Kimpton property in France and sets a high design bar in a listed Art Deco building on the historic Boulevard des Capucines
Want more? Check these out from Conde Nast Traveller:
Best for families: The Peninsula Paris
Best for views of the Eiffel Tower: SO/ Paris
Best hotel near the Louvre: Le Meurice
Best for couples: Cheval Blanc
Best for peak luxury: The Ritz
52 best hotels in Paris
And for food, Eaters essentials restaurants in Paris list
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