There’s something about the nicer weather that inspires a trip to Paris. Oh, who are we kidding? We’ll take any excuse for a few days in the City of Lights. We can guarantee that since you last visited Paris, maybe pre-pandemic, what’s old will be new again. New art exhibits (LVMH Foundation), new stores (here’s looking at you Samaritaine), new restaurants (hi Gigi), and new luxury hotels. The likes of Cheval Blanc, JK Place, the Bulgari and the Soho House are now, well, in the house. They join the grand dames like The Ritz, the Plaza Athénée and the Georges V. So here’s your guide to the best hotels in Paris. We hope it will inspire you to make many more trips, because a great Parisian hotel is almost as much of an experience as the Louvre itself.
The New-ish Comers
The Hotel: Bulgari Hotel
Good For:
Couples, friends, people who dress up to stay at the hotel.
Overview:
The newest Bulgari hotel is well in line with the brand attached to its name. Even before it opened, the Bulgari was destined to be one of the best hotels in Paris. Not only is there jewelry in the hotel, but the elegant decor mimics that characteristic gilded opulence synonymous with the brand. Just 76 rooms with 56 of them suites make up the hotel which is on the right bank. Unlike other new hotels, Bulgari is secretive and exclusive. Your room is bigger than most by long a shot, and the residential feel of the building makes stumbling upon new rooms or secret gardens part of the experience.
The Hotel: Soho House
Good For:
Families, couples, non-Soho House members with friends in high places.
Overview:
If you’re a member of Soho House you should put Paris on your list for this year because the new club is the perfect place to stay. Stowed away are the laptops that are frequently used by Soho House’s characteristic member base of successful millennials. In Pigalle, its about relaxing and mingling with other Parisians who can come for daytime use. There are perfect additions like the gym, bar, and spa which are Soho House standard. There’s also a Moulin Rouge- inspired cabaret where cultural leaders come to give shows or inspiring talks.
The Hotel: JK Place
Good For:
Couples, chic adults, models and movie stars.
Overview:
While the Latin quarter isn’t known for the smoke filled jazz clubs or the Moulin Rouge, JK Place draws the crowd that would be seen there. The sophisticated left bank boutique hotel designed by Michele Bonan is intimate, high end, and demure.
For interior design alone, it easily makes the list for one of the best hotels in Paris. JK Place feels like the home of an Italian art collector. Runway models wander the halls and stop for drinks at the bar, while upstairs, bedrooms are adorned with details fit for high status clientele. While it isn’t a central location, guests who care about the details can find cashmere throws and a free mini bar stocked with gourmet French chocolates.
The Hotel: Cheval Blanc
Good For:
Couples, friends, families and solo travelers.
Overview:
We’re going to throw this out there and we fully expect spirited debate, but the Cheval Blanc Paris is the most luxurious of the best hotels in Paris. They have custom toilet paper, which gives you an idea of the level of detail that went into the hotel. It should be no surprise to anyone though, because this is the flagship hotel of the LVMH group. You know when they open up a hotel in their hometown, LVMH was going to pull out all stops.
What makes Cheval Blanc one of the best hotels in Paris though isn’t stuffy service or over the top French decor. Instead, this is a welcome light-filled, contemporary modern hotel to the options in Paris with surprisingly refreshingly down to earth service to match. Cheval Blanc seems like they don’t take themselves so seriously, but their execution is flawless. You ask for something here, and you can expect to get it.
The food venues are some of the best in Paris, with Tout-Paris, Michelin-experience Le Table de Partage and Langousteria, which is a reason to eat Italian while you’re in town. Read our full review on Cheval Blanc here to get the full download on the exquisite rooms and the beauty products that you will certainly pillage.
The Hotel: The Lutetia
Good For:
Couples, friends and solo travelers.
Overview:
Right before the pandemic, the buzz around Paris town was the opening of new luxury hotel on the Left Bank. As seasoned Paris travelers know, the Saint Germain was full of boutique hotels, but had no grand scale option that could compare to the likes of the Georges V or the Mandarin Oriental Paris. That is, until the Lutetia their 100+ room hotel, within strolling distance to the Cafe de Flore.
The Lutetia’s pedigree is strong; it’s part of The Set, which includes Cafe Royal in London and Mamilla in Jerusalem. The Set is known for their high-end design, chic contemporary interiors and a knock-it-out-of the-park level spa. Check, check and check for Hotel Lutetia in the St. Germain. Read our full review on the Lutetia here.
The Grand Dames
The Hotel: The Ritz
Good For:
Couples, friends and solo travelers.
Overview:
The Ritz is so French, it hurts. The design is classic Parisian, with ornate prints, fresh blue and white florals and period furniture that leaves no doubt in your mind that you are in Paris. The Ritz may just be the most iconic Parisian landmarks, of the best hotels in Paris. It’s also located right in the Place Vendome, which is you guessed it – one of the most iconic landmarks in Paris.
During Fashion Week, The Ritz is the center of where all the VIPs in fashion stay. It’s A-Listers only, where the paparazzi are stationed right outside the doors to catch a glimpse of Rihanna, Bella and Gigi. During Fashion Week especially, if you want to enter past the security team, this is where to stay. There have been many instances as well during this COVID-era that only guests of the Ritz Paris have been able to access the classic Bar Hemingway and our preference, the Bar Vendome. If you have coin to spend and want a classic Parisian experience, The Ritz is where to stay.
The Hotel: The Georges V
Good For:
Families, couples on honeymoon, bloggers looking for the perfect Eiffel Tower hotel room pic
Overview:
There are many impressive hotels in Paris, but the Georges V will always be the OG. The balcony rooms facing the Eiffel Tower should really be considered a cultural landmark, as they yield the most luxurious breakfasts you could ask for. In addition to the iconic views, you get all the famous Four Seasons perks amped up because it’s Paris. Everything is about the drama, from the floral arrangements in the lobby, to the marble bathrooms and the generously-sized rooms by all hotel standards. Because it’s the Four Seasons, they’ll also greet you by name and remember you when you return. After all, the Georges V has some of the top service, of all of the best hotels in Paris.
The Hotel: Mandarin Oriental Paris
Good For:
Couples, friends, families and solo travelers.
Overview:
When the Mandarin Oriental Paris opened over a decade ago, it was a ground-breaking modern hotel option for the City of Lights. Located on the Rue St. Honore, its location is coveted for those who want to due some major retail damage. It’s a hop, skip and jump away from the original Chanel, on the Rue Cambon, as well as Chloe and Alexander McQueen. It’s also right down the street from the Hotel Costes and The Ritz in the Place Vendome, so as central to the action as it gets.
Of note is the penthouse apartment at the Mandarin Oriental, that is the second largest in Paris. Check out our tour of the three bedroom, where Thierry Marx himself can cook for you, and you have your own wrap-around terrace in the sky. Also, as you would expect from the Mandarin Oriental, the spa is one of the best in Paris, complete with a serene pool to take in a break between shopping sessions.
The Hotel: Hotel Costes
Good For:
Couples, friends and singles, looking to mingle.
Overview:
Whether or not you stay at the Costes, all chic travelers pay homage over a lunch, dinner or late night drinks. The uber-chic super models effectively make this their office for the day, as suitors visit them from lunch through dinner at one of the coveted atrium tables. Over Paris Fashion Week, this is the place to see Gigi, Bella, Kendall and crew at the runway show after-parties.
It wouldn’t matter what they serve in terms of food at the Costes, but the food is always very good by the high French standards. The smoked salmon is actually salmon loin, served with simple creme fraiche and blinis. Classics like the lobster frites and the egg white omelet never disappoint. Over the past year, the Costes opened up a brand new wing with contemporary white-themed modern rooms, which are a contrast to the original red baroque accommodations of the classic hotel. This addition has made Costes a compelling place to stay, aside from the scene.
The Park Hyatt
Good For:
Couples, friends, families and solo travelers.
Overview:
The Park Hyatt will always be on our list of best hotels in Paris, by virtue of its location. Just steps away from The Ritz and the Hotel Costes, it’s the perfect place to base yourself on the right bank. What’s even better, is that it does not break the bank and delivers solid five star accommodations, service and food.
In many ways, the Park Hyatt Paris was ahead of its time, as it is one of the best original modern designed hotels in town. Yes, there are newer luxury hotels that have opened, but the Park Hyatt still continues to deliver five-star experience, and is easily the hotel on our list that’s the best value. Rooms and baths are generously sized by Parisian standards and the croissants at breakfast just does the trick. When you have some points to burn as well if you’re a Hyatt loyalist, this is one of the best hotels in their portfolio.
