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The best hotels in Paris

By Steve King

For a long time I kept a secret guiltily. Not a guilty secret but a secret I felt guilty about keeping. The secret was the Hôtel Henri IV , overlooking the raked-gravel paradise that is the Place Dauphine on the Ile de la Cité. It was cheap and shabby but inexpressibly glamorous – a remnant of an elegantly careworn Paris that has, in the course of my own lifetime, been either polished beyond recognition or dissolved in a fast-flowing, irresistible current of money. The Henri IV was sold some years ago. Maybe I shouldn’t feel guilty about having kept it a secret. Simply spreading the word wouldn’t have been enough to save it. And in truth it was probably never quite as squishily ripe with promise as I remember it to have been. Yet isn’t that the point about hotels in Paris? The good ones are more than the sum of their parts, even when the parts are heavenly. The really curious thing is that, however many Henri IVs the city loses, it always seems, year after year, to gain even more of them.

How we choose the best hotels in Paris

Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve.

The best hotels in Paris 2024 at a glance:

• Best for families : 25 Hours Hotel
• Best for views of the Eiffel Tower: SO Paris Hotel
• Best hotel near the Louvre: Le Meurice
• Best affordable stay: The ReMIX Hotel
• Best for couples: Maison Proust
• Best for luxury: The Ritz

For more recommendations, see our pick of the best family friendly hotels in Paris , and our edit of the best hotels with a view in Paris . For a more affordable stay, we've rounded up our favourite cheaper hotels in the city, along with a selection of some of the best Airbnbs in Paris to book right now.

The Ritz Paris Arrow

Featured in our Gold List of the best hotels in the world 2024

César Ritz opened this limestone bastion of French hospitality in 1898 and, in the course of running it, he and his wife, Marie Louise, who would take over the business, flipped the industry on its head. It was the first hotel in Paris with telephones, the first to offer private baths, and the first to install electricity throughout the property. It was also one of the first places in town where women could come without chaperones and meet friends for five o’clock tea. From the start, The Ritz Paris has been a Grand Siècle-style hotel with a modern soul and, much as in 1898, change is afoot. It’s said that when he was too ill to dine out, Marcel Proust had chicken and potatoes sent over from The Ritz Paris – now those hallowed kitchens are home to their first female head chef, Eugénie Béziat. Chef Béziat was born in Gabon to French parents and spent her childhood in Africa, so the flagship restaurant, Espadon, features dishes such as chicken yassa, a Senegalese speciality, and barbecued lobster with cassava semolina. Meanwhile, down a warmly lit hall is Bar Hemingway, named for the American novelist who scrimped for a cocktail a week at The Ritz. Last spring, longtime head bartender Colin Field (inventor of the Clean Dirty Martini, served with an ice cube of olive juice) stepped aside, and his protégé Anne-Sophie Prestail, has come in from the wings. Jo Rodgers

Address: 15 Pl. Vendôme, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,718 per night.

First in: 1, Place Vendôme, Paris Arrow

Best for: Privacy

Paris has plenty of dream hotels with Studio 54-style wait lists and storied suites with legendary patrons of yore that keep visitors coming. What 1, Place Vendôme brings is a stealth wealth elegance that’s as quintessentially Parisian but infinitely more homely (especially for those accustomed to butler service). This is the first hotel from Swiss fine jewellery and watchmaker Chopard and the Scheufele family who have owned the brand since 1963. A members' club as much as a hotel (it’s only accessible to guests and their visitors) it is a hushed enclave amid the City of Lights’ irrepressible motion. Located above the Chopard boutique (naturally), guests enter through one imposing blue door plus another in smoked glass, unbranded except for an enigmatic cursive ‘C’. Inside, there’s no lobby, just the grandeur of an 18th-century fireplace, the sweeping curvature of a stone staircase encircling a single lift, and a towering aquamarine Murano glass bead installation by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel.

The original hotel’s 29 bedrooms have been reordered into just 10 rooms and five suites. All are distinctly different – from the classical drawing room style of Rubis to the modernist Pop Art flavours of the attic-level Astronomie suite. Top of the pile is the Appartement Chopard, a double-height, Versailles -worthy confection of fantasy with a four-poster bed and its own hammam. From his outrageously alluring jet-black, gold, and brushed steel bat-cave of a kitchen, chef Boris Algarra, sets the fluid culinary stage by offering breakfast, day and night menus that run consecutively 24/7. You eat when you want and, in the absence of a contained restaurant,  where  you want – be that library , living space or room. Katie Baron

First in: Le Grand Mazarin, Paris Arrow

Best for: Exploring Le Marais

The latest love letter to France from hoteliers Maison Pariente, Le Grand Mazarin has distilled the spirit of Le Marais with notable panache. The arrondissements’ lively LGBTQ+ scene, noted art galleries and fashionable boutiques are all within strolling distance of the hotel, and their influence spills over into the aesthetic and the crowd. Bespoke murals and frescoes have been created by Parisian artists Jacques Merle and Sophie Pega and the interiors - all velvet pouffes, clashing prints and painted wooden furniture- have the signature maximalist eccentricity of designer Martin Brudnizki (also responsible for fellow new-kid-on-the-rue La Fantaisie, in Faubourg-Montmartre).

Rooms are spacious, warm and cosy - all with tapestry canopies over the beds that are already proving delightful Instagram fodder- and the service is friendly and laid back. The hotel’s restaurant, Boubalé is overseen by Michelin-starred Israeli chef Assaf Granit, serving a unique and deftly-orchestrated menu of joyous Ashkenazi cuisine, and it is already a buzzy neighbourhood haunt, alongside it’s wonderfully moody bar and secret basement ‘cabaret.’ Le Grand Mazarin is a much-needed addition to Le Marais, for its undeniable charm and style, make it a destination, not just for tourists, but for Parisians themselves. Marie-Claire Chappet

Address: 17 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £595 per night

Hôtel Madame Rêve, Paris review: a light-filled city-centre sanctuary Arrow

Best for: Nostalgia

Post offices are – or at least used to be – inherently romantic places, and none more so than the central post office in Paris. Not only was it as vast and grand as any of the galleries in the nearby Louvre Museum, it was also open 24 hours a day. Its closure for renovation seven years ago was an inconvenience that over time became a matter of consternation to residents. What would become of this beloved landmark? Alors . You should have seen the looks on faces of passers-by – the double-takes, the eyes widening in astonishment – when Madame Rêve, which occupies a substantial portion of the post-office building, opened this past autumn. A seductive honeyed glow emanates from the discreet corner entrance. Through the windows of its ground-floor café are visible a stupendous space of boiserie panels, acres of golden velvet, a forest of columns rising to 26ft-high ceilings. These tantalising hints of splendour are matched by the transcendent outlook from the hotel’s top-storey restaurant, La Plume. The rooftop terrace, directly accessible from the restaurant, is an ideal place from which to survey a rapidly changing neighbourhood – one referred to as ‘the New Golden Triangle’. And perhaps most marvellous of all, a smaller version of that much-missed old post office has reopened almost directly below. Sophie Knight

Address: 48 Rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £528 per night

Four Seasons Hotel George V Arrow

Best for: Michelin-starred dining

Situated off the Champs Elysées, this landmark hotel is a swish experience from the outset – staff in winter coats greet you by name every time you come and go, and the lobby is a flutter of pink ferns and white marble. The bedrooms are a sea of gold – thick curtains with cream tassles, swirly carpets and gold-trimmed frames. The Four Seasons are renowned for being brilliant with families, and there’s nowhere in the hotel little ones aren’t welcome, including all three of the Michelin-starred restaurants . Le Cinq is the hottest table to secure with three Michelin stars – Parisians book months in advance to taste chef Christian Le Squer’s ‘foie gras like a pebble’, a truly beautiful trio of pebble-like pate poached in iodised vinegar broth. But there are two more stars to choose from – one at Italian Le George which serves fluffy focaccia and crispy saffron arancini, and another at L’Orangerie for the fish and plant-based tasting menu. Downstairs, the basement spa is an instantly tranquil escape that feels a long way from the hussle at the foot of the Eiffel tower just a short walk away. A dream Parisian pied-a-terre. Tabitha Joyce

Address: 31 Av. George V, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £2,151 per night

Hotel Rochechouart, 9th arrondissement

Best for: An affordable price

Strolling through the Pigalle neighbourhood and into this eight-storey Art Deco relic, there’s a distinct sense of a time when the Twenties roared. A late-night hotspot on boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart, the hotel’s Jazz Age incarnation drew in travelling artists, intellectuals and a smattering of stars. It’s now part of Orso, a new collection of hotels run by industry veterans Louis and Anouk Solanet (also behind Hotel Wallace below), and the sultry theatrics of the era make a welcome comeback. The couple teamed up with Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen Architecture to revive the building’s legacy with modern touches. Some of the finest original details were restored, from the Thirties blue mosaic floor in the restaurant to the marble staircase and glass lift.

Upstairs, 106 rooms were given an autumnal, woody touch with shades of bronze, ochre and terracotta. Decorative details, from the burl-wood headboards to the curved armchairs and alabaster suspension lamps, thoughtfully whisk guests to another time. The Sacré-Coeur looms large from northern-facing bedroom windows (and in some cases, balconies) but is visible to all from the rooftop bar. On the ground floor, an old-world brasserie with plush banquettes serves up comforting Parisian classics, from chicken-liver pâté to roasted pork belly with crisp frites and the signature crêpe cake – a family recipe guests invariably try to coax out of the staff. One floor underground, the old Mikado club of the 1920s has returned as a dimly-lit speakeasy, where a trendy set sip cocktails on plush velvet sofas while a DJ spins electric beats in the corner. Next door, blue-hued Citrons et Huîtres is where locals perch at red metal tables on the pavement, throwing back fresh oysters from Brittany and chilled Champagne. LT

Address: 55 Blvd Marguerite de Rochechouart, 75009 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £150 per night

JK Place Paris Arrow

Best for: Private members club vibes

Could this be designer Michele Bönan’s finest hour? The Florentine interiors guru has always gone the extra mile in his work for Italo-Israeli hotelier Ori Kafri’s small but growing JK Place stable, which launched in 2003 with the much-imitated Florence bolthole before opening equally suave outposts in Rome and Capri . This is the group’s first hotel outside Italy, a 29-room conversion of a maison particulier in Paris’s Saint-Germain district. Bönan has raided galleries, antique shops and the Saint-Ouen flea market to create an eclectic collection of post-Cubist canvases, African chairs, classical busts, David Hicks sideboards and Balmain and Hermès sketches. Spread across five floors and three interconnected buildings, the smart rooms seem to demand cufflinks. They come with perks that help to soften the muscular rates, including free minibars with organic juices and single-origin chocolate, and bathrooms so big you could take afternoon tea in them. With warm service from a largely Italian team, the place feels more like a private-members’ club than many actual private-members’ clubs. Downstairs, the glass-roofed Casa Tua restaurant serves up good southern Italian food, while a small pool – the highlight of the dinky basement spa – invites lazy lengths before Negronis at the bar.  Lee Marshall

Address: 82 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £860 per night

First in: Hôtel Dame des Arts, Paris Arrow

Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world

Best for: A new take on a classic

Nobody could say that Paris’s Left Bank is unknown or unloved or crying out to be rediscovered. Yet it’s true that in recent years most of the city’s new hospitality hotspots – bars and restaurants as well as hotels – have popped up on the other side of the river. One of the most endearing things about Hôtel Dame des Arts is its commitment to its Left Bank location. The Mid-century Modern aesthetic works brilliantly well in this particular building, in this particular street, in this particular corner of the 6th arrondissement. It channels a Nouvelle Vague vibe without veering into pastiche or cliché. The design, by Raphael Navot, is subtly seductive, all about the lively interplay between curved and straight lines, hard and soft textures, and glossy and matte surfaces. The classic-with-a-twist approach is reflected differently in the restaurant’s menu, a beguiling Franco-Mexican fusion with pan-Asian influences, which literally puts a fresh zing into old-school brasserie standbys. The Dame has another ace up her sleeve, however. The views get better and better as you get higher and higher, and those from the rooftop bar are, on a sunny afternoon, just about as good as it gets – which in this city is very good indeed. Steve King

Address: 4 Rue Danton, 75006 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £548 per night

Becky Lucas

CNT Editors

Olivia Morelli

Abigail Malbon

Le Pigalle Arrow

Best for: Buzzy nightlife

This little Parisienne in the heart of once-sketchy, now super-cool Pigalle (on the on the border of the 9th and the 18th arrondissements) is well thought through. It’s from the group behind Instagram-famous Les Roches Rouges on the Côte d'Azur , so we knew it would be. The rooms, which are small, are kitted out with Art Deco furniture and shelves stacked with well-curated photographs. There are turntables and a selection of vinyl as well as pre-mixed Negronis and Manhattans in bottles in the mini bar. There’s no denying the neighbourhood is lively at night – the hotel is on a strip just south of the Metro that’s full of strip clubs and sex shops, but also fun bars such as Dirty Dick and Lipstick. Downstairs in the lobby, as well as a marble-topped co-working space, there’s a red velvet curtain which pulls back to reveal a velvet banquet, neon sign and pole. Find young couples recovering from hangovers over a breakfast of avocado toast with cream cheese and croissants that’s served until 4pm. For those seeking a cool sleepover within walking distance of a fun night out, this is the place to stay if you’re partying in Paris. By Tabitha Joyce

Address: 9 Rue Frochot, 75009 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £178 per night

Maison Proust Arrow

Best for: Couples

It’s easy to imagine renowned French author, Marcel Proust, teacup poised, trading witticisms amongst friends – Parisian high society countesses, painters, actresses and writers – in the sublimely elegant salon/bar of this 23-room romantic boutique hotel, tucked away on a tranquil street in the Marais. Opened in November 2022 – timed for the 100th anniversary of Proust’s death – nothing here is left to coincidence. Each of the lavishly furnished Belle Époque-style suites, masterminded by design guru Jacques Garcia, is named after Proust’s famous fin-de-siècle circle. And what a gang! Renoir, Manet, and Monet for the dreamy-eyed; Baudelaire, for the extravagant, Zola for the down-to-earth (there are 19th-century paintings galore and over 2,000 vintage volumes), as well as two floors devoted to sparkling-witted salon-hosting aristocrats, for madeleine cake addicts. The third hotel of the independently-owned Maisons Particulières Collection, every detail from the fabric-lined walls (birds, flowers, luxuriant palms) to the swoon-worthy Moroccan-style heated pool exudes unpretentious luxe at its best. Lanie Goodman

Address: 26 Rue de Picardie, 75003 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £867 per night

La Fantaisie, Paris hotel review Arrow

Best for: Innovative fine dining

How do you prize open your own pocket of Paris, a city with its myriad of secrets and cliques? La Fantaisie is the starting point. A homage to the bon viveurs and epicurean cognoscenti of Paris’ 9th arrondissement, it leverages a rooftop terrace ; lush courtyard garden (a rare verdant thing in the densely-packed heart of Faubourg-Montmartre); sensational dining and the sensorial pleasures of the vibrant Rue Cadet. The 63-room, 10-suite haven was built on the site of the more sedate L’Opéra Cadet, and is the second hotel for the family-run Leitmotiv Group (its first opened in Megève in 2017). Maverick Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn runs the culinary show in the pescatarian Golden Poppy restaurant, all-day café and Bar Sur Le Toit with menus marrying her native Brittany with the Californian coast where she now spends half her time; think banana pancakes with smoked osciètre caviar and deliciously piquant charred Pasilla margaritas. Design is by legendary Swedish interior designer Martin Brudnizki, whose style of glamorous yet irreverent arts-and-craft maximalism and perfectly pitched mini detours into contemporary kitsch (this is the man who styled Annabel’s ) brings a rich and highly tactile breed of optimism. Not solely a bolthole for hedonists, holistic health is omnipresent: the spa has a thermal pool and state-of-the-art infrared chamber. Katie Baron

Address: 24 Rue Cadet, 75009 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £404 per night

Maison Delano Arrow

Best for: Quiet luxury

While much of the city's top hotels shout with grandeur, Maison Delano whispers sweet luxuries. There’s been a lot of talk about quiet luxury of late, but this feels like it. Despite its flashy Faubourg Saint Honoré neighbours – Hermès, Gucci and Cartier are all within mere steps – the 18th century mansion is surprisingly discreet. The Delano name is one that’s well known within the hotel world. It was  the name in Miami in the 1990s, when the Art Deco South Beach hotel Delano was the place to be seen alongside Madonna and Prince. For its first opening outside of the US, the mood is paired back and neutral while contemporary art by names like George Terzian and Damien Hurst adorn the walls throughout, and the sweetest citrus fragrance lingers in the air. Hidden behind black lacquer doors, rooms are spacious, crisp and airy, with sleek wooden floors, white fluffy cloud-like beds and remote-controlled Japanese toilets in the bathrooms. The mansion’s original grandeur is on full display in much of the 19 suites – most notably he Grand Historic Suite with its chandelier adorned gold high ceiling. The centrepiece of the hotel is the courtyard restaurant La Chambre Bleueone, headed up by Michelin Star Chef Dani García. The leafy open-air setting is enough to make you want to book a table – which guests need to do as it’s one of the most popular restaurants in Paris right now. Lauren Burvill

Address: 4 Rue d'Anjou, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £511 per night

Cheval Blanc Paris Arrow

Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world

Best for: A visit to the Dior spa

It seems fitting that Cheval Blanc would open its first urban hotel where so many of its clients reside — and where better than within the landmark La Samaritaine? With nearly 600 artisans involved in the restoration and works by global artists exhibited throughout the space, Cheval Blanc Paris feels like entering a living museum, one where you can very comfortably spend the night. Almost every one of the 72 sleek rooms – most of which are spacious suites – overlooks the Seine; the seventh-floor Art Deco brasserie meets cocktail bar, Le Tout-Paris, is the place to be seen before escaping to the subterranean spa helmed by Dior. Their first-ever spa cruise on the Seine is one of our favourite things to do in Paris . Kasia Dietz

Address: 8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,896 per night

Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle, Versailles Arrow

Best for: Luxury

Set within the gates of Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle provides an unrivaled exclusive glimpse into the lives of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette—every silver spoon, antique armoire, and gilded portrait tells the tale of life pre-French Revolution. The 14 rooms and suites take their cues from a more opulent era, with opulent chandeliers and marble fireplaces setting the tone; meanwhile, dinner takes a theatrical turn, with waitstaff decked out in period costumes and a five-course meal serving up the Sun King’s favorite dishes (all helmed by Alain Ducasse). Ask for the “king’s wake-up call,” to the tunes of classical music and a bubble bath accompanied by crystal glasses of orange-scented milk, and you might be spoiled for life. Kasia Dietz

Address: 12 Rue de l'Indépendance Américaine, 78000 Versailles, France

Prices: Rooms from around €2,000 per night

Bulgari, Paris review Arrow

Best for: La dolce Paris

Think of this quietly decadent hotel on avenue George V as a portal, or possibly even a break in the space-time continuum – one that can spirit you from Paris to Rome in the time it takes to order a croissant. Between the Gio Ponti artwork, plush Maxalto furniture and even the dozen signature Italian pastries on offer, there’s more than a hint of the bel paese suffused into this high-polish Parisian hideaway. Close to Le Bristol and the Plaza Athénée on the so-called Golden Triangle, it’s the sort of place where patrons in Prada glasses might convene for an aperitivo at the backlit onyx bar to discuss the latest show at the Palais de Tokyo while nibbling on plump Castelvetrano olives and crumbly focaccia rings. Swiss businessmen swim morning laps in a semi-Olympic pool glimmering with malachite and gold mosaics.

There’s a certain pristine perfection to the place, which was a decade in the making. Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel led the renovation of a Seventies post office, extending the window openings over two floors – a nod to the Renaissance palaces designed by Andrea Palladio – and constructing the façade with the same pale ashlar masonry as Paris’s most recognisable monuments, including the Louvre and the Trocadéro. The food and drink, developed by science-driven chef Niko Romito and former Ritz mixologist Leonardo Zanini, is precise but unfussy – expect luscious spaghetti e pomodoro preceded by fizzy tequila cocktails. The Bulgari feels like a crisply sumptuous cocoon; a slice of high-fashion Italy that somehow fits just right into one of the world’s great hotel quarters. Betsy Blumenthal

Address: 30 Av. George V, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,900 per night

Le Meurice Arrow

Best for: proximity to the Louvre

Paris’ first palace-status hotel, Le Meurice is a gilded city spin on Versailles – an institution and ornate refuge from the rue Rivoli crowds. Since its 1835 opening, the hotel served as an epic shorthand for Parisian history – Picasso married here, Salvador Dalí lived here, and Queen Victoria stayed here in 1855. Its splendid Haussmann façade overlooks the Tuileries gardens, with a sweeping panorama from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, and bejewelled Louis XIV wall peacock inside. This is where Philippe Starck’s fabulously jarring modernity creeps in – note his Dalí-inspired sweeping ceiling art in the Restaurant Le Dalí and his transparent plastic chairs spread across the decadent Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse. Rooms and suites vary in size and splendour, all echoing (to a more modern pitch) the 18th-century spirit governing the ground floor. Amaury Bouhours is at the helm of the two Alain Ducasse restaurants which, with French classics and Mediterranean dishes, pull in a curious mix of coiffed locals and global movers and shakers. Rosalyn Wikeley

Address: 228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,622 per night

Brach Paris Arrow

Best for: under-the-radar cool

The staid 16th arrondissement hasn’t exactly drawn visitors over the years. So it’s a testament to the cool factor of Evok Hotels that it can take a former mail-sorting facility in this bourgeois, residential district and make it le talk of Paris. After a four-year renovation overseen by designer Philippe Starck, the resulting hotel is as much about a lifestyle as a place to crash. For one thing, the buzzing restaurant draws fashionable locals starting at breakfast and continuing until the early hours with its patisserie, plates-to-share and potent drinks. A terrace bar lures the pretty people. The subterranean fitness club channels a Thirties boxing club and had a waiting list the minute it opened. Even the swimming pool has a killer sound system. The party continues in the rooms, each with its own mini concept store (the mini-bar is so 2018), stocked with pre-made cocktails by the Avantgarde Spirits Company. The design smacks of Starck’s typical sassy eclecticism: walls covered in rich rosewood and leather, African masks and Masai-style beadwork, and in the bathrooms there are potted cacti next to sinks hewn from unfinished blocks of marble. Who knew that the 16th of all places would become the city’s next hip address?

Address: 1-7 Rue Jean Richepin, 75116 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £601 per night

Hôtel de JoBo Arrow

Best for: Maximalist charm

The splendidly named Bambi Sloan, who did the interiors of this ravishing little place in the Marais , isn't quite sure how to describe herself. She says she's part designer, part storyteller. She might consider calling herself a history teacher as well. Among other things, Jobo is an amusing education in certain aspects of French life, art and culture in the post-revolutionary period. The name comes from Josephine Bonaparte, Napoleon's first wife and, briefly, Empress of France . From this position of eminence, she indulged her racy and refined tastes – leading the craze for leopard skin, for example, and for swans, and, more than anything else, for roses. All of which are not merely in evidence at the hotel but effectively define it. The result is intense but delightful - it's too witty, too thoughtfully executed to be oppressive. The decadent toffs with whom Josephine caroused in the years after the revolution called themselves 'Les Incroyables et Les Merveilleuses' . Hôtel de Jobo is both incredible and marvellous. It's also tiny. The ceilings are low, the corridors narrow and the size of the bedrooms ranges from a mere 15 square metres to a modest 40. But that's more than enough if you're Napoleon and Josephine in the early throes of fascination, with no need for anything more than a comfortable bed surrounded by roses and leopardskin and swans. By Steve King

Address: 10 Rue d'Ormesson, 75004 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £224 per night

Le Montana Arrow

Best for: Urban cool

Most ordinary citoyens have a better chance of being awarded the Légion d'Honneur than they have of getting into the basement nightclub at Le Montana, off the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Since it opened in 2009, it has set new standards in ego-crushing exclusivity and it's still turning them away in droves. The upper floors of the building, however, have evolved in interesting ways, with the recent addition of a restaurant, six rooms and a roof terrace. The bedrooms, one on each floor, are individually themed but very much of a piece, with designer Vincent Darré's fingerprints all over them - as yours will be, too, the moment you touch any of the glossy surfaces. There's the luminous Miroir d'Argent room (mirrors and brushed steel); Blanc Graffiti (inspired by Jean Cocteau's scrawled-upon studio); Bleu Acide (something to do with Montparnasse in the 1950s); Rouge David X (as in David Hicks, with the X pronounced 'eex'); Noir Métaphysique (walls painted in de Chirico-esque shapes), and Gris Paris (playful, feminine and not especially grey). All have bathrooms covered from floor to ceiling in black tiles. For easy access to a glamorous club and a spectacular roof terrace, minus the indignities of a long queue and a pre-dawn reverse commute, a room at Le Montana is money well spent. For a quiet night's sleep, you'll need to spend a little more on a pair of earplugs. By Steve King

Address: 3 Rue de Bourgogne, 75007 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £324 per night

Soho House Paris Arrow

Best for: Bijou living

Between the 9th and 18th arrondissements, in the heart of Pigalle, sits one of the most-awaited and inconspicuous of Soho Houses . Set behind the unremarkable green doors of the 19th-century building, this Soho House leans into its Parisian location, with a sprawling garden courtyard, three bars, a cabaret space, and 36 bedrooms.

It's the result of a four-year renovation that the team completed in 2021. Chintzy fabrics courtesy of the Pierre Frey archive, of-the-moment handpainted lampshades, tasselled velvets and seemingly unlimited amounts of wall sconces sit alongside the existing wall panelling, Art Deco features and other enviable original details. The third floor houses the attic rooms, with murals inspired by French poet Jean Cocteau (Cocteau grew up here as it was his grandparents' home). They are extremely cosy, with original raftered ceilings, but have all of the classic Soho House elements, such as the always-welcome trolley bar – although there isn't enough room for a freestanding roll-top bath.

On the other side of this rabbit’s warren of a building sits the rooftop, with a pool bar and terrace lined with sunbeds. It’s tiny, but this is central Paris. Down in the garden, the restaurant is where you can while away the day under the conservatory roof and graze on French classics like Croque Monsieurs and Tarte Tatin. This, topped with Cocteau’s presence in the air, really is the Parisian dream. Martha Ward

Address: 45 Rue la Bruyère, 75009 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £440 per night

SO/ Paris, between Bastille and Marais

Best for: views of the Eiffel Tower

Where can you get the best view of Paris? It's the million-dollar question. Right now, it's not from the Eiffel Tower, the top of the Arc de Triomphe, or Montmartre. It's from the 15th-floor roof terrace of SO/ Paris, a 2022 opening from the Ennismore group (the team behind the Euro-cool Hoxton hotels and Scotland's Gleneagles ). Wedged between Bastille and Marais, just across the Pont de Sully bridge that leads to Notre Dame, the property itself is somewhat out of sorts among the Parisian white-washed Haussmann buildings and slate roofs. A behemoth glassy box built in the 1960s has been reimagined by architects RDAI, the team behind a clutch of worldwide Hermès stores. Interiors lean into the mid-century vibes; specks of burnt orange and brown wood, geometric carpets and groovy geometrically shaped furniture deck out the lobby. Bedrooms are more of the same: all reeded wood, colour-block fabrics and parquet flooring. But, really, you're here for the view. Floor-to-ceiling windows show off Paris in her best light, overlooking the rooftops below, the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and beyond (it goes without saying that the higher the floor, the better the view). Breakfast is taken in that 15th-floor restaurant Bonnie, which has wrap-around glass doors that lead to a covered terrace, and you can grab supper here too: think steak frites with a price tag as sky-high as the views. A bar and club can be found on the 16th floor, although we found the service a little frosty and the decision to save the best views for the indoor fumoir curious. But it's worth it for those never-ending vistas of Paris in all its glory, best drunk with a perfectly made cocktail. Sarah James

Château Voltaire, 1st arrondissement

Best for: City insiders

When I first moved to Paris to study, aged 19, I lived on rue Saint-Roch – a 1st arrondissement street which was then largely unloved and little visited, except for financiers, a few tourists and the odd fashionista drawn to the church that hosted Yves Saint Laurent’s funeral. So there was a certain buzz when the corner townhouse at number 55 was unveiled during Paris Fashion Week as a new hotel owned by Thierry Gillier, co-founder of cult fashion label Zadig & Voltaire. What was once the brand’s showroom has been transformed into a timelessly chic bolthole by in-demand architectural duo Festen (also behind Hôtel Rochechouart) and Franck Durand, the creative director married to ex- Vogue Paris editor Emmanuelle Alt. The prevailing sense is of undone elegance; almost of being in Gillier’s home, with his art collection including a Picasso in the suite that was his private quarters.

Like many great Paris hotels, there’s an in-house pet – in this case the GM’s French bulldog, Bobby. Spaces here seem to be for locals as much as hotel guests: the low-lit, baroque-style La Coquille d’Or bar, with its scallop lights that are subtly echoed throughout the property; the inviting living room; and the under- stated Brasserie l’Emil, an almost rustic setting for oysters or steak bleu , with its tiled walls and marble bar. The 32 rooms – the smallest at 226 square feet – are like smart little apartments, with dusty-pink velvet sofas, bean-to-cup coffee machines and white bathrooms. Nothing here feels forced, which partly explains why it is already a key address for Parisian insiders. And on the rue Saint-Roch, of all places. Shivani Ashoka

Address: 55 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £549 per night

St James Hotel, 16th arrondissement

Best for: Chateau grandeur

If ever there were a reason to camp out in the elegant but sleepy 16th arrondissement, it’s for this property, Paris’s only officially designated château-hotel. Occupying what was once the site of the city’s first hot-air balloon landing field, this neoclassical former home of President Adolphe Thiers became the site of the Thiers Foundation, a school and academic residence, in 1892. In the 1980s, the space was transformed into the Saint James Club of Paris, a London-style private hangout. The hotel came about a decade later, with the decor handled by legendary designer Andrée Putman. Since then, it’s undergone two other radical transformations, most recently by Laura Gonzalez, whose affection for mixing antiques with modern furnishings has turned it into a romantic Parisian abode once again.

Soaring volumes, decorative frescoes and contemporary nods to old-world elegance abound, from the grand entrance to the library bar. That extends upstairs to 50 bedrooms and suites done up with nature-inspired wallpaper, custom-designed carpets, stunning chinoiseries and a warm palette of earthy greens, mustards and terracottas, alongside a mish-mash of motifs and Pierre Frey fabrics. Chef Julien Dumas plays exclusively with seasonal ingredients (sourced largely from the hotel’s organic garden) for an inventive menu at Bellefeuille restaurant, kitted out like a winter garden. The most notable change comes one floor down with the addition of a three-room Guerlain spa , inspired by Greco-Roman thermal baths. It all seems decidedly more château than hotel, and entirely unlike any other getaway in Paris. Lindsey Tramuta

Address: 5 Pl. du Chancelier Adenauer, 75116 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £603 per night

Kimpton St Honore, 2nd arrondissement

Best for: Revitalists

What is it with hotels and department stores in Paris? Within months of the Cheval Blanc appearing next door to the famous La Samaritaine last year, Kimpton’s first French property opened in what was once the department store’s luxury outpost on the storied boulevard des Capucines. Designed by La Samaritaine architect Frantz Jourdain in 1914, its Belle Epoque façade is still a showstopper, with its wrought- iron balconies and arched bay windows that once housed elaborate product displays. Inside, many of the original features remain: the imposing spiral staircase, balconies and monumental period lifts that have been restored but aren’t in use. The scheme by local design darling Charles Zana is sympathetic to the history, and feels like a Parisian pied-à-terre meeting the Art Deco style of Thirties luxury hotels.

There’s a creamy elegance to the 149 bedrooms and suites, all parquet floors, Carrara marble and Chanel-inspired black-and-white curtains. If the design feels quintessentially French, from the Pierre Mesguich mosaics to archive-inspired Pierre Frey fabrics, there is also an American notion of convenience that’s true to the Kimpton brand: yoga mats, portable phone chargers, even a little sex kit. But the most un-Parisian place of all is the 190-seat Montecito restaurant that channels insouciant Palm Springs, with its green-walled terrace, seaside colour scheme and Cali-Mex menu created by Paris-based food writer Carrie Solomon. With a modest but inviting pool and a spa from French cosmetics company Codage, there’s a sense that this American brand has done right by a Parisian icon. LT

Address: 27 - 29 Bd des Capucines, 75002 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £546 per night

Le Bristol, 8th arrondissement

Best for: Understated elegance

Le Bristol, one of the greatest grande dame hotels in Paris, is undeniably grand, but for all the polished marble, Louis XVI fauteuils, showcases by Paris’ premier jewellers and stupendous flower arrangements, the place feels delightfully warm rather than stuffy, correct rather than stiff, and refreshingly untroubled by corporate diktats. And look out for the fluffy white Burmese cat draped over the concierge desk – this is Socrate, the hotel mascot. Located close to the Elysée Palace – at the quieter end of the chic rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it was built as a hotel in 1925 and today is owned and run by the Oetker Collection (whose other hotels include The Lanesborough in London and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes). A top-to-toe facelift was finished in 2018, with further renovations completed during lockdown in 2020 – but the overall style remains untouched: classic, conservative, chintzy and understated. Pale boiserie walls are hung with gilded mirrors, luxuriant Manuel Canovas and Pierre Frey fabrics, rooms are filled with antique furniture and chandeliers, and bathrooms are awash with marble. The loveliest rooms – each different – are the 36 that overlook the 12,900 sq ft enclosed garden, with its geometric lawns, clipped boxes, magnolias, azaleas and honeysuckle. There’s a brilliant La Prairie spa, a delightfully retro pool, plus four Michelin stars under one roof – legendary fine-dining restaurant Epicure is often lauded as one of the world’s best. Le Bristol is as quintessentially Parisian as hotels come – no wonder this was where Woody Allen chose to shoot parts of Midnight in Paris .

Address: 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,803 per night

Hotel Providence, 10th arrondissement

Best for: Bohemian design

Once slightly seedy neighbourhoods most notable for being close to the Gare du Nord and Gare d’Est, the 9th and 10th arrondissements have long been smartening up their act. On a surprisingly quiet stretch of this part of town, bohemian Hôtel Providence is fighting hard for the title of coolest design hotel in the area – and with stiff competition from neighbours The Hoxton and Hôtel des Grands Boulevards . Bedrooms here are swathed in the kind of patterns interiors junkies wish they were bold enough to include in their own home: palm print; black with striking gold leaf; intricate needle-work designs like a Moroccan Berber rug; solid, bold indigo. Bigger rooms are furnished with velvet sofas in deep jewel shades to collapse into after a day of exploring, and some have a balcony overlooking the peaceful street below. All have stylish bathrooms with monochrome metro tiles and double sinks, and rainfall showers. Downstairs, the floral bar spills onto the street outside, where guests drink rosé glacé .

Around the back, a cosy room near the kitchen is the setting for breakfast – although our advice is to get your fill of sensible foods here (there’s plenty of yogurts, fruits and cereals, and an ice bucket of individual green juices) and then head around the corner to Du Pain et des Idées for croissants and pain au chocolat (it’s one of the best boulangeries in the city, so why not?). Also in the area find game-changing bar Experimental Cocktail Club and Big Mamma Group outpost Pizza Popolare, French cousin to Shoreditch’s hottest table Gloria . By Sarah James

Address: 90 Rue René Boulanger, 75010 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £300 per night

Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, 2nd arrondissement

Best for: Proximity to theatres

In 2007, the Experimental Group – actually three perfectly respectable former school chums – transformed the Paris bar scene with their sweetly raffish Experimental Cocktail Club. More recently they went into hotels, first with the charming Grand Pigalle, then with the equally perky Henrietta in London. A few years later they opened Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, which may be the most irresistible of all.

Grands Boulevards is at once a historical term, referring to Baron Haussmann’s transformative thoroughfares; a Métro station; and, for many Parisians, words likely to conjure up a rather unkind image of wide-eyed yokels from beyond the périphérique pouring into and out of the theatres in the area. You really ought to join them. This is one of the most diverse and dynamic parts of the city, from those much-loved theatres to the glorious covered arcades and teeming textile workshops.

The would-be flâneur couldn’t choose a more convenient or prepossessing base than Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, an 18th-century townhouse converted into 50 rooms, a restaurant and three bars. Interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon riffs with textures, shapes and colours in her distinctive, delightful way.

None of the rooms are vast but there isn’t a dud among them: with their luscious greens, blues and pinks , they’re at once simple and sensuous. And the group continues to deliver on its experimental promise: whatever you order to drink, expect to be pleasantly surprised. If in doubt, start with the Experience 1: vodka, elderflower syrup, lemon juice, lemongrass and basil. By Steve King

Address: 17 Bd Poissonnière, 75002 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £254 per night

Hôtel Plaza Athénée, 8th arrondissement

Best for: Sex and The City fans

Sheer luxury hits you in its grandest form at the Plaza Athénée, one of the best hotels in Paris. Immortalised as the glamorous backdrop in the season finale of Sex and The City , the hotel has 145 spacious rooms and 43 suites, all impeccably furnished – some in Louis XVI and Regency style (six floors) and others in Art Deco style (two floors). Some rooms overlook avenue Montaigne, others face on to a peaceful internal courtyard, where an ice-skating rink is erected in winter. Rooms are beautifully decorated, with elegant furnishings, marble bathrooms and every comfort imaginable: from plasma screen TVs and high-speed Internet access, to a pillow menu, hypo-allergenic linens, and the Berluti Service, bespoke grooming for the well-being of your shoes. The sleek bar serves some of the best cocktails in Paris, all perused on mini hand-held digital screens by an improbably glamorous clientele.

Address: 5 Av. Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £1,424 per night

Hotel Panache, 9th arrondissement

Best for: Living like a local

Surely a stay in Paris should mean an inexpensive hostelry, with quirky stairs and a receptionist who points you in the direction of the best tagine or moules , located next to a thrift shop piled with back editions of Tintin et les Egoutiers . And so it is here, in the spirited 9th arrondissement, created by Dorothée Meilichzon, who started off designing toys. The unusual flat-iron shape of Panache's 19th-century building means that each of its 40 bedrooms has a slightly odd configuration, with everything a little askew, prettily Deco-tiled, dove-grey bathrooms and bevel-edged mirrors positioned to coax a sense of symmetry. All is perfectly quiet until (and this is a moment to cherish) you fling open the windows of your room in the early evening and people-watch from a little balcony overhanging the sweet clamour of the streets radiating from the corner below: locals walking their Jack Russells, antiquarian booksellers hurrying back from the nearby Passage Verdeau, all the café conversations of the Grands Boulevards district. Panache also has a mosaic-decorated restaurant serving Middle Eastern-inspired small plates, with a female sommelier who modishly recommends delicious natural or raw wines supplied by dedicated French growers whose hard-working, summer-dusty hands are sometimes photographed for the bottle labels. Then a stagger up those lopsidedly long-winding stairs to bed. There is little here not to love. By Antonia Quirke

Address: 1 Rue Geoffroy-Marie, 75009 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £164 per night

Amastan Paris, 8th arrondissement

Best for: A standout bar

Glimpsed from its quiet street behind the Champs-Elysées, this elegant little hotel could easily be mistaken for a private townhouse, which is exactly what the owner, Paris-based entrepreneur Zied Sanhaji, had in mind for his new project. Beyond the discreet entrance that leads to the reception is the lobby – a gorgeously assembled, high-ceilinged space with petrol-blue parquet floors and a gargantuan bookcase lined with leather-bound classics. But the real hub is the cheerful bar, flood-lit with natural light all day, and its leafy courtyard garden for summer soirées. The 24 bedrooms vary from small but cosy to big, attic-like spaces with private balconies. In all, uncluttered simplicity prevails, with white and blue contrasting walls, contemporary walnut desks and immaculate white bed linen; bathrooms are sensible and decked out in marble, some with standalone bathtubs, all with large showers. Generous breakfasts - fresh fruit, cheese platters, smoked salmon and baskets of croissants - are served at one long, high table in the bar. The hotel also has a small pop-up shop stocking a range of art, jewellery and homeware from lifestyle brands such as Lola James Harper and NOCC interior design. After midday, the bar morphs into Anouk, an informal restaurant for light meals (chicken-liver mousse with whisky-spiked jelly; avocado toast; passion-fruit cheesecake). And you'll be back again after dark for a flashy signature cocktail, such as the G&T infused with goji berries or squid ink. By Lanie Goodman

Address: 4 Rue Jean Mermoz, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £219 per night

C.O.Q Hotel, 13th arrondissement

Best for: Laid back minimalism

The acronym actually stands for Community of Quality, and the idea is to showcase French creativity in a laid-back, guesthouse atmosphere, a concept masterminded by the owner, entrepreneur and first-time hotelier Michel Delloye. Don't be misled by the name: it has nothing to do with the puffed-up Gallic rooster, le coq , the emblem of French pride. There's nothing remotely showy about this place in the 13th arrondissement. The 50 bedrooms - dreamed up by young interior designers Pauline d'Hoop and Delphine Sauvaget of Agence Favorite - are a study in sober elegance, with deep-blue walls, 19th-century portraits in gilt frames, and accents in mustard, rust and pink. Go for one of the bigger rooms with balconies and baths instead of showers, or a deluxe ground-floor room, hidden away on a terrace around the back. Quirky Made in France goodies - from tricolour men's underwear to watches - are on sale in the lobby, where visitors can help themselves to a glass of Bordeaux while browsing. And with 20-odd French vintages stocked in the honesty bar, guests tend to make themselves at home in the cosy winter garden, lined with woven rugs and brocante finds. Breakfasts are bountiful - freshly squeezed juices, charcuterie, cheese and granola - but ask for the sublime, soft-boiled organic egg, served with baguette strips for dipping. By Lanie Goodman

Address: 15 Rue Edouard Manet, 75013 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £189 per night

Hotel Bachaumont, 2nd arrondissement

Best for: Foodies

It took three years to retune this one-time grand hotel, more recently a clinic, occupying a huge Haussmannian chunk of rue Bachaumont. The location is fantastic for Paris lovers who are just as into the hip food scene as they are the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre. The trade-off for such a central stay is that the rooms are Paris-standard stingy in size, although you do get handsome design by Dorothée Meilichzon involving lots of mirrors, her signature upholstered headboards and smart Pierre Frey fabrics. If you jump straight into a suite, or at least a deluxe double, and give the noisy street-side rooms a miss, you won't feel hard done by. Otherwise, the smaller rooms make perfectly good crashpads from which to enjoy the buzzy restaurant and bar, masterminded by the Experimental Cocktail Group. These spaces are on either side of a glazed passageway, tricked out with Phaidon and Taschen wares and trendy little cacti. More of Meilichzon's covetable textiles give the lofty dining room a grown-up, fashion-y appeal, although it's a young crowd who flirt over the roast-chicken rillettes, steak tartare and lamb shoulder to share. The vibe is still cool at breakfast when witch-house tunes drift around as creative-industry types attack Alain Milliat fruit juices, very buttery scrambled eggs and home-made chocolate-and-hazelnut spread. Stay a few days and make yourself at home in this car-free rue Montorgueil neighbourhood, which is almost entirely composed of bakeries, food and wine shops, bistros and bars. By Sophie Dening

Address: 18 Rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £200 per night

Nolinski Paris, 1st arrondissement

Best for: Film noir aficionados

The French, while loftily affecting to despise American culture, have always been obsessed with certain of its manifestations – jazz, for example, and film noir, which they loved so much they named the entire genre. Perhaps it's the very intensity of their love that prevents them from making many decent films noirs themselves. But when they do get it right - think of Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï – the results can be sensational. I mention this because Nolinski, in a fine six-storey Haussmannian building on the Avenue de l'Opéra, moments from the Comédie Française, is rather like that. Its designer, Jean-Louis Deniot, fresh from his success with the Chanel spa at the nearby Ritz, has woven an intriguing nest from elements gathered with magpie relish from all over the world. (Many are for sale to guests - putting the 'boutique' back into the boutique hotel.) Nevertheless, there's a distinct preponderance of mid-century urban America about Nolinski – brassy, varnished, hard-edged, angular. And yet a certain Frenchness also inheres. One example: every room has a mini-bar housed in a cabinet designed in imitation of a safe – a bank safe of the kind a robber would crack in a film noir – inside which, among the spirits and sodas, guests will find a bottle of jus de cassis . Which is as quintessentially French as a mini-bar designed to look like a safe is American. A Le Samouraï moment: a collision of two worlds, from which both emerge not only unharmed but enhanced. By Steve King

Address: 16 Av. de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £610 per night

Le Roch Hotel and Spa, 1st arrondissement

When Le Roch ('rock' not 'rosh') opened, the local parish priest and the headmistress from the school around the corner dropped by to say hello. They must be pretty chic pastoral types; certainly they're tending their flocks in a very smart neighbourhood adjacent to the Place Vendôme. But somehow the gesture seems just right. Le Roch, despite its velvety textured swishiness and its fancy address, has a winningly unaffected aura. You sense it the moment you step inside off the rue Saint-Roch – a quiet byway hidden among the grand thoroughfares that dominate this part of the city. There's an easy flow from lobby through to library, bar, dining room and courtyard. The space is small enough to seem intimate, big enough to seem buzzy – an agreeable balance that characterises the hotel as a whole. Designer Sarah Lavoine's rooms are elegant but not flamboyant, imaginative but not ostentatious. She has a particular fondness for bleu de canard and subtle Moroccan elements: zellige tiles in the bathrooms and thick, contemporary Berber carpets that feel great underfoot. Staff are enthusiastic and on-it. There's no attitude but bundles of know-how. Guests can order their own personalised range of bespoke skincare products, whipped up by cult brand Codage following a consultation and delivered to the hotel 48 hours later. By Steve King

Address: 28 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £627 per night

Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain

Best for: A standout swimming pool

After closing its doors during the pandemic, Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain underwent a serious interior makeover within its 17th-century structure. Bedrooms are modern and bright; our suite was full of trendy furnishings – a lounging chair, comfy velvet sofas, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and huge statement lamps fill the sitting room, with furnishings in natural shades blending with the duck egg walls and warm white curved panelling that runs throughout the hotel. Monochrome marble bathrooms come with a rainfall shower and a bathtub big enough for two. Should you book into a suite, breakfast can be enjoyed on the private balconies that overlook the pretty streets of the left bank Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood.

The highlight – best enjoyed in the comfort of a hotel robe and slippers – is an underground spa built into sandstone brick archways with a hydrotherapy pool and a refreshing smelling steam room. There’s also a 24-hour gym and yoga studio for keen beans.

The ground floor restaurant, Les Parisiens, has become a destination in its own right, filled with Parisian business men and well dressed locals dining on Michelin-starred chef, Thibault Sombardier’s delicious French menu.  By Sophie Knight

Address: 5 Rue du Pré aux Clercs, 75007 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £452 per night

Monsieur George, 8th arrondissement

Best for: Velveteen glamour

George Washington never went to Paris. The farthest he ever got from home was a short visit to Barbados . Yet the Parisians held him in sufficiently high esteem to erect two fine statues in his honour and to name a street after him, each of them in a notably posh part of the capital. Now the street dubbed rue Washington in his memory has a hotel in a converted townhouse at number 17 that bears his name too: Monsieur George, a delicious bite-sized macaron of a place. Credit for the hotel’s deliciousness must go to its interior designer, Anouska Hempel, a woman of many talents and exceptional energy. Among her claims to fame is nothing less than the invention of the boutique hotel – an era-defining phenomenon that sprang into existence when she opened Blakes in London in 1978. Blakes was full of mirrors, velvet and exotic flourishes suggestive of a well-travelled, sophisticated, possibly rather decadent way of life. And so is Monsieur George.

The mirrors, the velvet and the exotic flourishes are very much in evidence – and it is testament to the enduring strength of the Hempel aesthetic that it all still works so nicely, that it all still seems so fun and fresh, sexy and chic. The rooms at Monsieur George, let it be said, are not large. Rather compact. Ask, therefore, for one of the suites, either the Marly, in the courtyard to the rear, a sort of miniature mews house with the bedroom upstairs and lots of clever partitions and screens; or the Franklin, on the sixth floor, an utterly unexpected white-on-white affair beneath the eaves, an essay in monochrome minimalism, more monastic than presidential – and only the more delightful for it. SK

Address: 17 Rue Washington, 75008 Paris, France

Prices: Rooms from around £313 per night

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The 51 Best Hotels in Paris

By Lindsey Tramuta and Sandra Ramani

The very best hotels of Paris encourage lingering. Whether you’re in the City of Light for business or pleasure, there’s a hotel here to suit your style, mood, and budget—and to tempt you to stay longer. They occupy every kind of space, from repurposed historic mansions to barges on the Seine river, everywhere from the beating heart of the city to up-and-coming neighborhoods. And just when you think there couldn’t possibly be another new hotel to enhance the experience, one comes along to the Paris landscape alongside tried-and-true institutions to make a lasting impression. No matter what you’re looking for in this trip, our list of Paris's best hotels has you covered. Feel like you can’t choose only one? That’s reason enough to return.

For more recommendations, see our pick of the best family friendly hotels in Paris , and our edit of the best hotels with a view in Paris . For a more affordable stay, we've rounded up our favourite cheaper hotels in the city, along with a selection of some of the best Airbnbs in Paris to book right now.

Read our complete Paris travel guide here .

Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind. This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

The best hotels in Paris 2024 at a glance:

• 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

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Le Pavillon de la Reine Arrow

The Marais neighborhood’s Place de Vosges has often been called one of the most beautiful squares in the world, so it’s a good thing that this family-owned hotel’s ivy-covered, 17th-century façade fits right in. The insides are pretty photo-worthy, too: past the extensive private garden courtyard—a fairytale come to life when all lit up—the interiors by Didier Benderli of Kérylos Interiors mix Old World touches like original antiques, marble fireplace mantles, and richly-colored oil portraits of aristocratic faces with contemporary-styled furnishings and clean lines, resulting in a vibe that’s both plush and un-fussy. Take note: The 56 rooms and suites each feature a different style and décor, so be sure to ask in advance if you prefer antique over modern, or vice-versa.

Hôtel Providence Arrow

This place is made for falling in love—with Paris, above all. Hidden away on a side street in the ever-evolving 10th arrondisement, this 19th-century townhouse has been impeccably crafted under the direction of Pierre Moussie, known for his upscale bistros, including the nearby Chez Jeannette. Bespoke doesn’t begin to cover it: every finish, fabric, and fixture has been hand-picked from a mix of contemporary, vintage, and flea-market finds, resulting in a atmosphere that’s at once refined and playful.

Pavillon Faubourg Saint Germain Arrow

In the beating heart of historic literary Paris, this retro-chic five-star on the left bank cleverly plays up the writers and philosophers who have spent time both in the Saint-Germain neighborhood and the hotel’s previous incarnation. Books published by Gallimard, whose headquarters are a short walk away, abound in cozy lounges, from the moody library to the fireplace salon, and in guest rooms, setting an artistic tone throughout the hotel. All 47 rooms and suites feel like little apartments, each with Haussmanian high ceilings, crown moldings, plush 70s-style furnishings, parquet floors, curvaceous angles and decorative pieces (mirrors, pillows, bedspreads, wall lights, and more) and a slightly different color palette. Keeping with the retro-chic aesthetic, double basins in the bathroom are set within a custom-designed wood and brushed brass cabinet while the Terrazzo floor shifts nicely from the Chevron floors. Of course, the most spectacular of the rooms is the top-floor (aptly-named) Joyce Suite—nearly 753 square feet of space with exposed wood beams, two bathrooms, and unobstructed views over the rooftops of Paris. 

Hôtel Madame Rêve Arrow

Located on a discreet corner near Les Halles in what was once Paris ’s only 24-hour post office, Madame Rêve Hotel is where well-heeled guests spend the night in stylish rooms with monument views, or at the hotel’s 10,000-square-foot rooftop and restaurant, primed for peak summer socializing. This is as central Paris as you can get: Walk south a mere four blocks to the Seine and the newly reopened La Samaritaine department store; east to the spectacular Bourse de la Commerce Pinault Collection and Les Halles; west to Palais Royale and the Louvre . Essentially, you can’t sneeze without bumping into 1,000 years of Paris history and culture. The pedestrian thoroughfare rue Montorgueil is also nearby for all your artisanal desires, be it a box of chocolates from À la Mère de Famille or a specialty pastry from Fou de Patisserie. Guests here range from tattooed fashion designers to white-haired entrepreneurs in pink Saint Laurent sneakers. The 82 rooms give off Bond-meets-Balmain vibes, with onyx desks and tables, tan leather chairs, and sumptuous linens—and, if you choose wisely, views of the Eiffel Tower . Enjoy a sexy, dimly lit dinner at La Plume, a Franco-Japanese offering that’s definitely the property’s pride and joy. 

Stacey Lastoe

Kimberly Wilson

Matt Kirouac

Ritz Paris Arrow

César Ritz opened this limestone bastion of French hospitality in 1898 and, in the course of running it, he and his wife, Marie Louise, who would take over the business, flipped the industry on its head. It was the first hotel in Paris with telephones, the first to offer private baths, and the first to install electricity throughout the property. It was also one of the first places in town where women could come without chaperones and meet friends for five o’clock tea. From the start, The Ritz Paris has been a Grand Siècle-style hotel with a modern soul and, much as in 1898, change is afoot. It’s said that when he was too ill to dine out, Marcel Proust had chicken and potatoes sent over from The Ritz Paris—now those hallowed kitchens are home to their first female head chef, Eugénie Béziat. Chef Béziat was born in Gabon to French parents and spent her childhood in Africa, so the flagship restaurant, Espadon , features dishes such as chicken yassa, a Senegalese speciality, and barbecued lobster with cassava semolina. Meanwhile, down a warmly lit hall is Bar Hemingway, named for the American novelist who scrimped for a cocktail a week at The Ritz. Last spring, longtime head bartender Colin Field (inventor of the Clean Dirty Martini, served with an ice cube of olive juice) stepped aside, and his protégé Anne-Sophie Prestail, has come in from the wings. — Jo Rodgers

Hôtel Dame des Arts Arrow

The Quartier Latin is, of course, a famously artsy part of Paris—one with strong cinematic associations. But you needn’t have stumbled out of a screening room at the nearby Le Champo rubbing your eyes with one hand and clutching an issue of  Cahiers du Cinéma in the other to appreciate what designer Raphael Navot has done with Hôtel Dame Des Arts. It’s all about the interplay between curved and straight lines, hard and soft textures, glossy and matte surfaces—you’ll inhale its essence the moment you step inside. Style-wise, the 109 rooms are similarly got-up in a way that is at once spartan and spoiling, chic and subdued. The in-house restaurant serves up elevated contemporary Mexican cuisine with fusion of French, Mexican, and Japanese flavors, while the 360-degree views from the rooftop bar alone are a reason to book. If your faith in Paris is flagging—which does happen but seldom lasts—a visit to the rooftop of Hôtel Dame des Arts will restore it. —Steve King

Hotel Rochechouart Arrow

The carefree spirit of the roaring twenties lives on in this affordable and eminently fun eight-story Art Deco relic, with well-designed rooms, an elegant brasserie popular with locals, and a nightclub to keep the action going until late. The 106 rooms were given an autumnal, woody touch with burl wood headboards, curved armchairs or sofas, retro tiled bathrooms and alabaster suspension lamps, thoughtfully whisk guests to another time. The Sacré Coeur looms large from northern-facing room windows (and in some cases, balconies) but is accessible to all from the rooftop lounge bar. Be aware, if you don’t splurge on a suite, rooms will be compact in true Parisian style. The old-world brasserie on the ground-floor is destination among Parisians that has plush banquettes, soaring ceilings, and comforting Parisian classics like chicken liver pâté and roasted pork belly with crisp frites.

Molitor Arrow

Paris is a city of pools—in fact, it's home to 38 public swimming spots—but none have the history of the Molitor. The bikini debuted here, and they say the water is so clear you can make your morning coffee with it. After a $100 million investment, the Molitor has been resurrected as the city's latest cool hangout. This is like staying at a beach club in the least likely of cities, where you'll meet an artsy, bon-vivant bunch looking to escape the summer heat. Perhaps the most transformative addition of all is the new hotel, most of whose 124 rooms have pool-facing portholes for prime people-watching. The mostly neutral colors (browns and creams) and modern design scheme of the interior offsets the pop-y yellows blues and whites of the pool area.Its lobby is a mélange of styles: industrial exposed ceiling, Art Deco furniture, and a graffiti-splattered Rolls-Royce—perfect to set the scene for a place that's used to making history.

Maison Proust Arrow

Themed hotels devoted to literary giants may be nothing new. Happily, the uber-stylish 23-suite Maison Proust belongs to another rarefied category, designed for an international luxe clientele who appreciate beauty, art, history, and—why not?—love. In other words, not just for book snobs or self-proclaimed esthetes. And it’s perfectly okay if you’ve never read a single page of Proust. The subtle conjuring of the French novelist is more about the Belle Époque atmosphere, as glowing with exquisite detail as the writer’s haunting seven-volume masterwork  In Search of Lost Time . When you step inside this gorgeously restored six-story townhouse, set back on a quiet street in Le Marais, guests are immediately caught up in the enchantment—an enveloping whoosh of exoticism—where, in the blink of an eye, you gaze in wonder at the sumptuously furnished Belle Époque salon/bar and slide a century back in time. —Lanie Goodman

Château Voltaire Arrow

Previously the administrative headquarters for Zadig & Voltaire spanning three buildings from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the hotel is fashion designer Thierry Gillier’s first foray into the hotel industry. He tapped the right talents to bring his interpretation of Parisian elegance and hospitality to life, including the designers behind Festen Architecture known for skillfully updating historic spaces and designing hotels that feel more like private residences (such as  Les Roches Rouges and Le Pigalle). There’s no standard room given that the property is composed of three different buildings from three different periods. But some details are shared, from fringed velvet furnishings, nature-inspired rugs, seashell light fixtures (which nod to the 16th century ornamentation on the hotel’s listed façade), bespoke headboards, solid oak wall lights, manor-style woodwork, and a soft, earthy color palette. The minibar is a compelling decorative  touch on its own, set inside a dedicated cupboard and features an array of local, gourmet snacks, antiqued wine and cocktail glasses, and an anniversary edition of the 1935 Illy espresso machine for your morning and afternoon coffees. 

Saint James Paris Arrow

Set in a neoclassical former private residence and surrounded by a sizable structural garden, Paris’ s only château-hotel underwent a radical decorative transformation last year—courtesy of Laura Gonzalez, who made it feel like a one-of-a-kind Parisian home once again. The 50 rooms and suites are perfect examples of Gonzalez’s maximalist design style: Think nature-inspired wallpapers, ornate moldings, and plush fabrics in mixed colors and textures. The wellness program also got a total reboot and was relaunched in 2021 as a three-room Guerlain spa, with large vaulted spaces, a stone staircase, and an aesthetic reminiscent of Greco-Roman thermal baths .

InterContinental Paris Le Grand Arrow

The ornate, Beaux-Arts frame of the InterContinental Paris Le Grand has been around since 1862, when the building was first inaugurated as Le Grand Hotel. Since then, its reputation for grandeur, along with its prime location—just across the avenue from the gilded Palais Garnier, home to the Paris Opera—has made it a magnet for international royalty (Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra, King Edward VII of England) and regular, if well-heeled, folk alike. But it's the buttoned-up Café de la Paix, housed on the ground floor of the hotel, that should shimmy to the top of your to-do list: Not only is the foie gras first-rate, but if you sit out on the terrasse long enough, you might start to soak in the genius of Émile Zola or Guy de Maupassant, just a few of its former patrons.

Kimpton St Honoré Arrow

In the shadow of the  Palais Garnier , the hotel immediately draws onlookers with its preserved Belle Epoque façade, trimmed with turquoise metal, embellished with stylized floral patterns, marble panels, copper and wrought iron balconies, and arched bay windows that once housed product displays when it was a department store (more on that below). On the inside, soaring volumes and historic decorative touches serve as chic eye candy. This 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. Much of the historic (former department store) interior remains intact; the imposing spiral stairway, interior balconies, mezzanine-level alcoves and monumental period elevators. But the design scheme throughout, led by local design darling Charles Zana, elegantly updates the Art Deco style of 1930s luxury hotels through French artisans to contribute to the Parisian pied-à-terre esthetic. Perhaps the most un-Parisian place in the building is the 190 seat Montecito restaurant designed by Humbert & Poyet that channels Palm Springs insouciance; the main dining room is built around a patio with a photo-worthy green wall, and furnishings pop in a refreshing seaside color palette. The Cali-inspired menu has dishes you’re not likely to find at other Parisian hotels such as fish tacos, crab cakes, and huevos rancheros for breakfast.

Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal Arrow

The Palais Royal Gardens are many people's favorite place in Paris. Their number two? The Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, the only one in the area with views over the gardens. The 57 rooms and 11 suites, Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed confections of light greens, powdery pinks, velvet, leather, and silk, are managed more like they're part of a family-owned boutique property; really, it feels like a series of apartments, complete with elegant, understated design schemes, and just enough space to feel like you're at home. It's affordable luxury in one of the very best locations in the city. Another happy surprise is Le Lulli Restaurant, a fine dining option set in a beautiful, garden-inspired dining room.

Le Bristol Paris Arrow

Yes, Le Bristol is grand—the polished marble, the Louis XVI armchairs, the boiserie -paneled walls—but it has never felt cold or stuffy. I tend to go for Paris Fashion Week, and any sense of froideur is eliminated with one stroke of Fa-raon, the fluffy white Burmese cat and unofficial hotel mascot (he’s since had a son and heir, called Socrate)—usually draped over the concierge’s desk. Le Bristol has had a stylish insouciance ever since it opened on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in 1925, and it held on to its gilded soul after a six-year facelift that was unveiled in 2018 by its owners, the Oetker Collection. Suites are about chandeliers, Pierre Frey fabrics, and a very pure devotion to comfort overlooking the wonderfully serene enclosed garden by Arabella Lennox-Boyd, with its geometric lawns, fountains, and osmanthus topiaries. Eric Fréchon’s macaroni with black truffle and duck foie gras at three-Michelin-starred Epicure is a thing of wonder, as is Café Antonia, where the fashion crowd all seem to order the green bean, artichoke, and hazelnut salad. The spa by La Prairie does possibly the best massage in Paris.

Hôtel Lutetia Arrow

When this landmark hotel on Paris’s bohemian Left Bank was unveiled in 1910 it became an instant hangout for Hemingway and Joyce, then Matisse and Camus. Last summer, its glass doors reopened after a spectacular four-year restoration by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who also designed the Mandarin Oriental across the Seine. Determined to honor Lutetia’s glamour, Wilmotte cut the room count down to 184 and enlarged the 47 suites, adding Hermès silk throw pillows, Art Deco-style pieces by Poltrona Frau and Statuario marble in the bathrooms; the bigger rooms have balconies with views of the Eiffel Tower. Yet in keeping with Lutetia’s social legacy, special attention was given to the public spaces. The famous bar that lured in the luminaries is now Joséphine—named for Baker, also a regular—with a menu that includes Champagne-topped vodka cocktails and croque caviar toasted sandwiches. Star chef Gérald Passédat dishes up marinated langoustines and oysters soaked in aloe vera at Brasserie Lutetia, while exquisite millefeuille is served inside the sun-flooded Saint Germain salon just as in Hemingway’s day, but now under a graffiti-colored glass roof by conceptual artist Fabrice Hyber. With Paris’s hotel scene skewing more boutique by the minute, Lutetia’s masterful restoration reminds us that this has always been a grande dame city at its core.

Hotel Les Deux Gares Arrow

It’s hard to imagine that a single corner of the French capital has been left unexplored by hoteliers over the past decade. But, as proven by Adrien Gloaguen’s latest spot in unsung Little India, there are still overlooked pockets to be happened upon. When he first visited the site, then a glum two-star number, and saw the skyline views over the train tracks linking two of the city’s main stations , he knew that he could make something special of it—and that the right person for the job would be British wunderkind Luke Edward Hall. The interior designer’s first hotel project is full of joy, with nods to the past everywhere but also contemporary excitement. The Haussmann-style corner building is awash with bold color combinations, which is what drew the creative crowd who booked out the place even before it opened. “It’s my own, very personal and playful take on Parisian style,” says Hall. French antiques sit next to mid-century lamps; checkerboard contrasts with leopard print, and there are seventies geometric carpets alongside Art-Deco details. Edward Hall also transformed the tired bar across the street into the Café Les Deux Gares. The bistro already has a following of locals and food writers who feast on a lunch menu of plates, such as succulent pork loin with beetroot, washed down with natural wines. It takes a bold move to persuade savvy travelers to loiter near the stations, but the duo behind this hotel have cracked it.

Mandarin Oriental, Paris Arrow

Transport yourself out of Paris with this high-gloss hotel, where the past—charming, though it is—doesn't trump the present. You might call it another elegance; but it makes sense that this would be the case at a Mandarin, where the codes for 'luxury' are different, where guests and staff alike swear by impeccable service from start to finish; stylish modern decor; and high-class dining and spa options. The unapologetically modern Thierry Marx overseeing Sur Mesure and Camélia is another way to bridge the divide: having him on board is a clear nod to the local culture and culinary prowess, but his inventiveness and diverse culinary background matches the hotel's contemporary spirit. Another feature that sets Mandarin apart? The to-go Cake Shop located at the entrance to Camélia, one of the only properties in Paris that has this on offer.

Le Roch Hotel & Spa Arrow

Reflecting its surrounding area—where the Tuileries gardens, Place Vendôme and iconic Colette boutique mingle with residential buildings and neighborhood schools and churches—Le Roch tempers high design and haute cuisine with a relaxed, unassuming vibe. The first hotel project for designer Sarah Lavoine, known for her Parisian boutiques and lifestyle product collections, the tucked-away hotel opened in 2016 (pronounced “la rock”) and nails the home-away-from-home feel.

Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin Arrow

Le Grand Mazarin is the fourth in a budding collection of high-profile properties from Maisons Pariente, which includes Crillon-le-Brave in Provence, Le Coucou in Méribel and Lou Pinet in Saint-Tropez, and the first urban hotel for the group. Atmospheric could suitably describe all of the group’s hotels but Le Grand Mazarin is the most eclectic and maximalist of them all—a result of the Swedish designer Martin Brudnizki’s singular touch. And while it would be fair to assume the hotel’s name or location were somehow inspired by Louis XIV's famous minister, Cardinal Mazarin, the connection is related instead to a feature of his time—the literary salons that proliferated during the 17th century and saw the era’s greatest thinkers, performers, and artists gather in lavish locales to dialogue and indulge. It’s hard to beat chef Assaf Granit’s award-winning team when it comes to food and wine, and a Wes Anderson meets Alice in Wonderland literary-salon vibe is most apparent in each of the 50 guest rooms and 11 suites; some of which boast private balconies with views of the BHV/Marais and the neighborhood.

Brach Arrow

The staid 16th (arrondissement) hasn’t exactly drawn visitors over the years. So it’s a testament to the cool factor of Evok Hotels that it can take a former mail-sorting facility in this bourgeois, residential district and make it le talk of Paris . After a four-year renovation overseen by designer Philippe Starck, the resulting hotel is as much about a lifestyle as it is a place to crash. For one thing, the buzzing restaurant draws fashionable locals from breakfast until the early hours with its patisserie, plates to share, and potent drinks. A terrace bar lures the pretty people, as does the rooftop vegetable garden, which doubles as a place to picnic and take in views of the city. The subterranean fitness club channels a ’30s boxing gym and had a wait list the minute it opened. Even the swimming pool booms with a killer sound system. The party continues in the rooms, each with its own mini concept store (the minibar is so 2018), stocked with pre-made cocktails by the Avantgarde Spirits Company. The design smacks of Starck’s typical sassy eclecticism: walls covered in rich rosewood and leather, African masks and Maasai-style beadwork, and potted cacti next to the bathroom sinks hewn from unfinished blocks of marble. Who knew that the 16th, of all places, would become the city’s next hip address?

Nolinski Paris Arrow

The Nolinski feels almost too cool—in a good way—for the neighborhood. The Jean-Louis Deniot interiors balance an aristocratic look with playful touches (take the Grand Salon, which matches polished-brass Deco-style tables with an electric-teal piano). This is high-comfort too: a candle-lit spa awaits you downstairs, and you'll find a deep bathtub in your enormous bathroom. Almost everything is available for purchase, in case you fall so in love with the linens you need them at home. The location and the design are unbeatable, and they come at a price point far more accessible than Paris's Palace hotels.

Hôtel Panache Arrow

This boutique charmer, set in a triangle-shaped 19th-century building at the intersection of two bustling streets. Designer Dorothée Meilichzon has crafted the lobby restaurant and lounge with lots of—dare we say it?—panache, with light from the oversized windows shining on mosaic floors, cushy navy and rust velvet seating, and book shelves that seem to glow from within.

The Peninsula Paris Arrow

After sitting empty for decades, a former 1908 hotel has been transformed into the first Parisian outpost for the Hong Kong-based Peninsula brand—and one of Paris’s newest Palace-grade hotels. Four years of work by a stable of skilled artisans has resulted in airy, refined public spaces, where a muted cream palette is accented by restored original wood, decorative stone work, and 40,000 pieces of gold leaf. And with six in-house dining venues, you hardly have the venture out: Standouts include LiLi, serving Cantonese cuisine (including a range of dim sum); the sixth-floor L’Oiseau Blanc, a two-Michelin-star indoor/outdoor French restaurant themed around the early days of aviation; and Le Bar Kléber, where original 1908 oak paneling, oversized mirrors, and terrace views set a sexy scene for cocktails.

Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection Arrow

Ageless Le Meurice has always been tolerant of experimentation and eccentricity. No wonder it was Salvador Dalí’s favorite. Most of its suites, including the penthouse, Belle Étoile, have been redone in silk and velvet. Set just off the Tuileries Garden , the iconic spot—considered one of the first luxury hotels in the world when it opened in 1815—has a long history with the art world, from hosting Picasso's wedding dinner to, most famously, serving as the Persistence of Memory painter's Parisian home for over three decades. When renovating the Dorchester Collection hotel in 2016, father-daughter design duo Philippe and Ara Starck looked to Dalí for whimsical inspiration, so you'll now find classic elements like stately columns, marble-topped tables, and copper-rimmed mirrors balanced by original Eero Saarinen Tulip chairs and portraits of 18th-century personalities traced on the backs of leather seats. If you value location, are interested in design, and appreciate service that puts a premium on privacy, Le Meurice is worth the splurge. 

Relais Christine Arrow

Slip away from the lively cafés and chic boutiques of Saint-Germain-de-Prés, head down a quiet side street and through a leafy passageway and you’ll find one of Paris’s best-kept hotel secrets—and the regulars are inclined to keep it that way. Opened in 1979 in a 17th-century former private mansion (that itself was built on the vestiges of the 13 th century Saint-Denis College of the Grands-Augustins Abbey), the hotel marries classic French design with contemporary materials and a fresh look dreamed up by designer Laura Gonzalez. If you want a memorable morning meal, you can have your coffee and croissant beneath the building’s vaulted cellar which doubles as the intimate breakfast room.

Hotel Bachaumont Arrow

After three years of renovations, the former Grand Hotel Bachaumont—which checked out its last guests in the ’70s—has been transformed into an Art Deco dream that’s as much a hit with locals as visitors. Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon, who’s also envisioned several of Paris’s recent boutique hotel projects, the breezy spaces are accented by black-and-white geometric tiles, marble floors, and sculptural furniture.

Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel Arrow

Like the Ritz , Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel is a case study in how to stay relevant in the 21st century. But while the Ritz carried on in the same splendid fashion as always, the Crillon blasted off in search of something new. The result is a fascinating postmodern triumph. In the end, the refurb took four years and the hotel reopened in 2017 under the Rosewood brand. The best of what was the best of the Crillon has been thoughtfully preserved, while the best of what is new (the bar, the barbershop, L’Ecrin restaurant, and the stupendous suites by the late Karl Lagerfeld) is gobsmacking in its boldness and daring. After a day out on the town, relax in the Les Ambassadeurs lounge, which draws see-and-be-seen Parisians with live music and a selection of over 100 Champagnes, or in the spa, with its indoor heated pool and treatments inspired by the beauty secrets of French grandmothers and great-grandmothers. The Crillon has long been a sentimental favorite among the French. It's a splurge, but fans of French history and style or hotel junkies with a running list of global icons to check in to won't be disappointed. —Steve King

Monsieur George Hotel & Spa Arrow

Greek magnate Umbert Saltiel religiously went to Blake’s Hotel in London , Anouska’s Hempel’s first hotel, which she opened in 1978, every week for years on end. When it came to transforming his own latest hotel, in a handsome Hausmann building in Paris just a beat from the Champs-Élysées, he wanted no one else. His son, Nicolas, tracked down the onetime Bond Girl-turned-designer, otherwise known as Lady Weinberg, and convinced her to take on the project. And as ever, she doesn’t do things by half. Her exacting attention to detail is obvious everywhere—"If you’re alive, you have to try and be the best," she says—in a riot of jade, emerald, and forest green, black lacquered paint, chevron tiles, and marble, and so many mirrors your perspective shifts as you move. A small but cleverly constructed space, the 46 rooms are spread over six floors. Décor is a mishmash of Anoushka’s travels. Moroccan in essence, offset with Indian lanterns and ikat prints from Romania; moody and sultry. Lady Weinberg is so obsessed with lighting, she added a Perspex filter to light bulbs by the bed to achieve the perfect soft glow. In the basement, cult Parisian yoga and wellness club Le Tigre doles out soothing massages, while restaurant Galanya looks to Asia with yellowtail sashimi, prawn ravioli, beef tataki, and cod with Japanese mushrooms cooked with precision. Much like the entire hotel, nothing is an accident or left to chance; it’s an orchestra of taste, all conducted by Lady Weinberg herself. It’s an opulent addition to the Parisian scene.

Cour des Vosges Arrow

On the Monopoly board of Paris , there could be no address smarter than the Place des Vosges in the Marais. It’s the city’s oldest and prettiest square: Louis XIII and Anne of Austria celebrated their engagement here in 1612; it was the site of trysts and duels during the 17th and 18th centuries; and in 1832 the great writer Victor Hugo moved into number six, overlooking the pleached lime trees and fountain-punctuated lawns. Across at number 19, the heavy unmarked door doesn’t give any clue that it conceals one of Paris’s most intriguing new arrivals. Cour des Vosges takes the now familiar home-as-hotel set-up and elevates it gloriously but discreetly. It marks a clear departure for Evok Hôtels, whose other haunts (Sinner, Brach ) are more showy and dramatic. The ultra-private, Roman-style bath on the lower level is open day and night, while four-poster beds with panels that close to shut out daylight and mini-bars loaded with pastries make this a rare Parisian bolthole that encourages lazing about.

Shangri-La Paris Arrow

In 1891, Prince Roland Bonaparte—grand-nephew to Napoleon—chose a prime setting near the Seine River to build an opulent palace, complete with an elaborate carved façade, a vaulted ceiling emblazoned with zodiac symbols, and a dramatic "Stairway of Honor" made from brass and forged steel. The cultured prince hosted many a lively gathering at his palace—a tradition of hospitality that was revived in 2010, with the opening of the Shangri-La Paris. Following a meticulous restoration, the landmark features a dome-topped marble entryway, original wood floors, stained glass windows, and hand-carved mahogany panels—plus that famous staircase. It's not just pretty, either: A favorite destination dining spot for locals, the hotel houses Shang Palace, the first Chinese restaurant in France to receive a Michelin star, and La Bauhinia, which serves an elegant East-meets-West menu (including a popular afternoon tea) under the central glass cupola.

Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris Arrow

Beginning with the blood-red awning and lamps adorning the classic façade, it’s clear there’s a little mischief at the heart of this sophisticated lady. Originally opened in 1928, the hotel that’s hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to Michael Jackson underwent an extensive re-do in the mid-2000s, during which master designer Phillipe Starck brought in a playful, contemporary flair and a focus on art. (You can even get a guided tour of the hotel's private collection.) Standouts include a 99-seat, state-of-the-art movie theater, an art gallery and library, and a Matsuhisa outpost from Chef Nobu, which serves up Peruvian-Japanese cuisine.

SO/ Paris Arrow

If you’re after jaw-dropping views of the city, big on design, and don’t mind making an under-the-radar neighborhood your home base, this is a playful and comfortable new contender in Paris's sea of design properties. The hotel shares the site with an art gallery, several restaurants, a trendy youth hostel, a bakery, and residences. If the area is on the map today it is first and foremost because of the hotel and its fashion-forward crowd that piles into Bonnie , the oh-so-sceney restaurant-bar-nightclub on the top two floors, run separately by the Paris Society group. It’s here where hotel and restaurant guests can access 360-degree views and the Olafur Eliasson site-specific mirrored work The Seeing City . Each of the 162 rooms and suites are spread out between the 8th and 14th floors and are categorized by the views they offer—but river views are where you should allocate your budget if you can. All rooms have a colorful palette with shimmering earth tones, warm wood, ceramics, and thoughtful details like coffee tables, a spirits cabinet, Bluetooth speakers in the shape of a bulldog, and a minibar stocked with locally-sourced snacks.

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris Arrow

Originally opened in 1928, in a prime location in the ever-so-chic eighth, this hotel is a true Paris icon—but from the moment you enter, it’s clear all is not as traditional as it might seem. The entryway is grand and gilded, the staff deferential and efficient (and always greeting you by name), but flashes of modern style and edgy attitude save the place from seeming staid. This is also the first hotel in Europe to feature five Michelin stars under one roof—garnered here by three distinct restaurants like fine dining Le Cinq, where French classics are reinterpreted using lighter ingredients and techniques. Fortunately, all restaurants are accented by prime vintages from the hotel’s legendary, 50,000 bottle-strong cellar, whose position 45-feet underground helped it survive the bombings of World War II.

Cheval Blanc Paris Arrow

Skip the sleepy districts that house so many of Paris’s plush hotels, and book a private perch with a bird’s eye view of the river and La Samaritaine as your fashion-forward neighbor. From a sophisticated suburban crowd to the Bobo’s of the right bank, every type of Parisian rubs shoulders with jet-setting guests in the convivial seventh-floor Art Deco brasserie meets cocktail bar, Le Tout-Paris. It’s the place to be seen before you escape to the subterranean spa or your room with a view. Almost every one of the 72 elegant, beige and gold-hued rooms, 46 of which are suites, overlook the Seine. The best spot from which to enjoy the hotel’s idyllic position is from a sunlit winter garden suite; this private perch offers views from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Eiffel Tower, as well as a glimpse into day-to-day life in the French capital, the famous  bouquinistes (or booksellers), and romantic promenades. Tucked away below ground, the brightly lit spa designed like a modern living room is helmed by another member of the LVMH équipe and star of both Parisian couture and beauty: Christian Dior.

La Réserve Paris - Hotel and Spa Arrow

La Réserve owner Michel Reybier had great success with his Geneva and Ramatuelle outposts. Yet there was general astonishment when, in 2015, La Réserve Paris sashayed into town, teaching the city’s grandes dames new tricks. It's the most beloved address in the French capital for fashion editors and the go-to for 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. Its position, on a quiet, tree-lined street moments from the Place de la Concorde , is propitious. Then you cross the threshold and—ka-boom!—it’s an explosion of color and texture in the best way imaginable. There’s brocade taffeta, velvet drapes and silk wallpapers in the richest shades of emerald and ruby. No crevice has gone ungilded. This is somewhere you'll want to come back to time and again. —Steve King

Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Dorchester Collection Arrow

Don't let the aura of sedate elegance fool you: there's always been a playfulness at the heart of this grande dame. Opened in 1913, with its signature red awnings facing the stately Avenue Montaigne, the Plaza Athénée has long had ties to the fashion world, from the days when Christian Dior named collections after the hotel, to its appearance in fashion-themed favorites like Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada. Decor-wise, that translates to classic, chandelier-heavy public spaces that give way to contemporary flashes, like the futuristic, chrome-covered banquettes of an Alain Ducasse restaurant, and the blue velvet-covered ceiling of Le Bar; and guest-wise, it means you're likely to spot some fashion editors and design house execs circling the lobby.

OFF Paris Seine Arrow

Paris's first boat hotel puts you right on the Seine for a truly unique perspective. Designed by Parisian nautical architect Gérard Ronzatti, and constructed in Normandy, the purpose-built barge (one of the largest docked on the river) evokes an over-sized catamaran wrapped in glass and steel. The hub is the sleek bar/lounge, which stretches from the main deck up to the U-shaped upper level where, in good weather, locals and guests gather around the plunge pool for cocktails, tapas, and selfies on inflatable gold swans.

Hôtel Lancaster Arrow

The creative spirit of former residents like Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, and Greta Garbo imbue the spaces of this elegant spot, which began in the 1880s as the residence of a Spanish aristocrat, and was enlarged into a hotel in the Roaring ‘20s. The private home feel lingers, with antique accents, original detailing, and portraits by 1930s Russian artist Boris Pastoukhoff (another former resident) balanced by comfy, contemporary furnishings.

Hôtel Récamier Arrow

Under the supervision of a passionate owner, a run-down two-star hotel was in 2009 revived into this sophisticated Left Bank inn that evokes the apartment of a well-traveled art and history buff. Accented by the hotel’s signature scent, the interiors by Jean-Louis Deniot are contemporary and bright, warmed by reclaimed wood tables, metallic sculptures, and original artwork and unique objets sourced from around the world.

J.K. Place Paris Arrow

Could this be designer Michele Bönan’s finest hour? The Florentine interiors guru has always gone the extra mile in his work for Italian-Israeli hotelier Ori Kafri’s J.K. Place stable, which launched in 2003 with the much-imitated  J.K. Place Firenze . J.K. Place Paris, opened in 2020, is the group’s first hotel outside Italy and a 29-room conversion of a maison particulier located among the galleries and government offices of  Paris’s  Latin Quarter. For the interiors, Bönan raided antiques shops and flea markets for post-Cubist canvases, African chairs, and discarded sketches for old Hermès collections. Spread over three interconnected buildings and five floors, the handsome rooms come with perks that help to soften the muscular rates, including bathrooms so big you could take your morning coffee in them. Downstairs, the glass-roofed Casa Tua restaurant serves up good Northern Italian food, while a small but serviceable spa pool invites lazy lengths before negronis at the bar. There’s also a gym stocked with Technogym equipment and two rooms for spa and beauty treatments, but the real sell may be that the owner of the building loans out his own bateau-mouche riverboat—which even has a cinema—for private Seine cruises. 

Generator Paris Arrow

From the moment you check in at the colorfully-painted reception, under the bright lights of the movie theater marquee-style sign above, Generator makes you feel like a guest at a long-running party. Envisioned as the next generation of hostels, the brand celebrates unique design, engaging experiences, and locally-sourced food, while offering a range of room styles and prices.

Maison Souquet Arrow

'Arabian Nights' meet Napoleon III at this heady hideaway envisioned by French designer extraordinaire, Jacques Garcia. Drawing inspiration from the building’s early-1900’s stint as a maison close (upscale brothel) frequented by well-to-do pleasure seekers, Garcia has kept the exterior understated—just look for the two red lanterns—then decked the interiors out in reams of lush velvet, Moorish tiles, antique furnishings, and oil paintings of women in seductive poses.

Hôtel Relais Saint Germain Arrow

For many travelers, this is peak Paris. Ideally located for exploring the Left Bank, this boutique four-star owned by celebrity chef Yves Camdeborde—whose much-lauded Le Comptoir sits on the ground floor—has earned loyalists with its warm service, quirky charm, and high-quality in-house eats.

L'Hôtel Arrow

The spirit of Oscar Wilde—or, at least, his love of decadence—lives on at the smallest five-star hotel in Paris. Housed in a 19th-century building (built on what was once the site of Queen Margot’s “pavilion of love”), the intimate hotel was for decades a popular hideaway for solace-seeking celebs, from Wilde (who lived at the hotel until his death) to, later, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and Jim Morrison.

Hôtel des Grands Boulevards Arrow

The third hotel from Paris’s charmingly raffish Experimental Group, who opened the cheeky Grand Pigalle and London’s perky Henrietta after establishing cocktail bars around the world, may be the most irresistible yet. The Hôtel des Grands Boulevards is tucked away in the 2nd Arrondissement, one of the most diverse and dynamic parts of the city. It’s where to find ornate theaters and arcades as well as whimsical textile workshops, and a healthily quirky dose of les flaneurs moving between them all. Staying at this converted 18th-century townhouse places guests properly amongst the muck, and with three bars and restaurants from which to watch the daily life unfold with an elderflower cocktail in hand, naturally. Interior designer Dorothee Meilichzon took her cues from the neighborhood when decking out the 50 rooms with textures, shapes, and colors. Petite guestrooms have luscious greens, blues, and pinks; against this palette the plump all-white beds seem like fluffy, cozy clouds. Tiny wooden stools near windows with ball-gown length drapes create the atmosphere of a Parisian parlor. Though when the bustle of the 2nd all gets a little too much, the ideal escape is on the rooftop, where gin joint The Shed serves a mean vodka with lemongrass to young locals who will no doubt be dressed better than yourself. Paris rarely feels as fun as it does from the inside of a hotel run by a bunch of bartenders.

Hôtel du Petit Moulin Arrow

Don't get confused by the vintage boulangerie signage: you're in the right place. Set in two connected 17th-century buildings—one the former home of one of Paris's first bakeries—the Hôtel du Petit Moulin feels like an insider's secret that's hiding in plain sight. The four-star charmer as been decked-out by fashion designer Christian Lacroix, so from the reception (located in the ersatz bakery) to the 17 rooms, the decor is bold, eclectic, and bursting with personality.

Mob Hotel Arrow

Taking inspiration from Paris’s largest flea market, located about a 10-minute walk away, the eclectic Mob Hotel is awash in boho chic and bursting with creative energy. The experience starts at reception, which doubles as a shop stocking everything from snacks and stylish accessories to the odd guitar, and continues out to the backyard, where the restaurant’s terrace overlooks a garden that hosts al fresco movies in the summer, and turns into an ice skating rink in the winter.

Hôtel Raphael Arrow

Family-owned and operated since 1925 (it's now watched over by the fourth generation), this boutique five-star's intimate take on luxury has garnered it a legion of regulars, including a fair share of boldface names. Though the vibe is discreet, the public spaces are hardly subtle: Oriental rugs, trompe l’oeil walls, rich wood paneling, and antiques and artwork from the family’s collection.

Hôtel Particulier Montmartre Arrow

Down a quiet cobblestoned street, past an unmarked gate, through the second door of a 19th-century mansion, and you’re home. Once the residence of people with last names like Rothschild and Hermès, this refuge has been transformed by Oscar Comtet, a young entrepreneur with a dynamic vision and keen eye, into the ultimate private hideaway.

Chouchou Hôtel Arrow

In the heart of the Opera district, just blocks from the Palais Garnier and other historic performance arts venues, as well as the iconic Galeries Lafayette department store, Chouchou aims to be both a gathering spot for locals and a place of respite for travelers. Named for a French term of endearment, Chouchou opened in fall 2020—a launch that was delayed just a few months due to the pandemic. The 63 rooms are divided into five categories, from single to suite, and vary in size and shape, but all have a thoughtful design full of eye-catching details, from parquet floors and lush textiles to bold splashes of color. Views are either of the courtyard or street (a few even look out at the Opera), and some categories come with balconies. 

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An Insider's Guide to Paris — Luxury Hotels, Vintage Shops, and the City's Best Restaurants Included

The best trips to Paris blend the new and the old. Here, a longtime Francophile shares which landmarks are worth visiting, plus a mix of classic and recently opened hotels, restaurants, bars, and more.

• Best Hotels and Resorts

Best Things to Do

Best nightlife.

• Best Restaurants

Best Time to Visit

How to get there, other neighborhoods to visit, how to get around.

First-timers come to Paris seeking Eiffel Tower views, flaky croissants, snapshots of the Mona Lisa, and a proper taste of steak frites. Even seasoned visitors of the City of Light would agree: Cravings for that postcard version of the city don’t abate easily, but there’s so much more to see (and taste, and do). 

Luckily, part of Paris' enduring magic is how expertly it weaves the living museum of itself — the can’t-miss landmarks, historic cafes, and perfectly preserved artist studios — with the momentum of what’s new. A Michelin-starred restaurant with a deep-cut Champagne list beckons just beyond the Eiffel Tower; a kaleidoscopic Wes Anderson-inspired hotel sits on the corner of the Hôtel de Ville; and late-night wine and cocktails lure in chefs and industry folk until 5 a.m. at a bar beside Place de la République. You don’t have to choose between the old and new Paris. It’s all there — you just need to know where to look. 

To that end, I’ve curated a list of tried-and-true bonnes adresses to help you plan the perfect trip to Paris, from the city’s most luxurious hotels to convivial natural wine bars, expansive concept shops, museums of all kinds (everything from Picasso to perfume), and restaurants for every occasion. 

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• It’s certainly a splurge, but there’s no place more emphatically Parisian than the Ritz Paris, where sumptuous suites and the Bar Hemingway beckon. 
• The superb lunchtime tasting menu at Michelin-starred Substance is inventive, surprisingly affordable, and conveniently around the corner from the Eiffel Tower. 
• Visit the former studio and gardens of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle at the intimate Musée Bourdelle, tucked away in the 15th arrondissement. 
• Spend your Sunday souvenir shopping at one of the world’s largest flea markets, Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. 
• Mingle with local chefs, bar owners, and other industry folk over a nightcap at Cavalier, a natural wine and cocktail hot spot just off the Canal Saint-Martin.

Best Hotels and Resorts 

Cheval blanc.

Courtesy of Cheval Blanc Paris

Perched just over the Pont Neuf in the historic Samaritaine department store, this 72-room marvel is a beacon of luxury (of the LVMH variety). The location is as central as it gets and the spa is divine (it’s Dior), plus there’s a dreamy lap pool and sauna as well as an intimate new Japanese restaurant. 

Le Grand Mazarin

Sophie Dodd/Travel + Leisure

Step into your own Wes Anderson film at this Martin Brudnizki-designed property on Rue des Archives, smack in the middle of the bustling Marais . Here, 61 maximalist rooms and suites dazzle with velvet headboards, ornate tapestries, and objets d’art . Dip down to the subterranean pool to admire the Cocteau-inspired fresco, then treat yourself to the salted chocolate mousse at Boubalé .

The Ritz Paris remains in a class of its own. Classical music plays underwater at the pool here, while marble fireplaces, sumptuous drapes, peach-colored bathrobes, and over-the-top room service transport you to a bygone Paris — one where you might still find Marcel Proust scrawling notes in the tea room, or Coco Chanel checking in on her atelier. If you’re not looking to splurge on a stay, be sure to book in at Bar Hemingway and take a stroll around the covered arcade just to bask in the hotel’s history. 

Cour des Vosges

This sublime address feels like a well-kept secret: It’s discreetly tucked away in one of the arcades around the leafy Place des Vosges, Paris’ oldest and most picturesque planned square. A spiral staircase (and a small elevator) lead to a dozen rooms and suites where exposed wood beams, curated libraries, and well-stocked bar carts welcome you home.

Saint James Paris

Fancy a visit to the French countryside, but short on time? Transport yourself there with a stay at this newly redesigned château hotel — the only one of its kind in the city — that borders the sprawling Bois de Boulogne (and the must-see Louis Vuitton Foundation ) in the ultra-private 16th arrondissement. Grab a martini at the sexy, wood-paneled Library Bar or steal away in the beautifully manicured gardens with a good book — and don’t miss the elegant Guerlain spa and lap pool. 

Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure

Visit a museum.

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to at least one museum — and luckily, the city has more than 130, dedicated to everything from impressionism to wine to the art of smoking. While droves of people will queue up for their selfie with the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, I’d encourage you to check out some of the quieter, quirkier museums — like Maison Fragonard’s perfume museum , Montmartre’s charming literary museum , or the kid-friendly fairground museum hidden in the Pavillons de Bercy — which are often located in less central neighborhoods and will bring you into more local Paris. 

When it comes to art museums, it’s hard to top Musée Picasso , housed in a 17th-century mansion with a superlative collection by the Spanish painter plus ever-rotating exhibitions. The Centre Pompidou is the city’s always-invigorating modern and contemporary art museum, which is set to close for major renovations in 2025. Musée Marmottan Monet , meanwhile, is home to the largest collection of the pioneering impressionist’s work in the world, and it's running an Olympics-inspired exhibition through September 2024. Impressionist lovers shouldn’t miss the Musée d’Orsay , a former Beaux-Arts train station where you can have a tête-à-tête with works by Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, and more. 

Two other favorites: Spread across two Renaissance mansions and a beautiful courtyard, Musée Carnavalet explores the history of Paris through street signs and other fascinating relics of its past. Across the river, a few blocks from the Montparnasse Tower, Musée Bourdelle is a light-filled wonder of works by sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, a contemporary of Rodin whose former studio and gardens are a haven to walk around. 

Eat your way through Paris’ oldest food market.

At the heart of what is now the trendy Marais neighborhood, the Marché des Enfants Rouges has been operating since 1615 and retains much of its out-of-time charm. It’s a beguiling labyrinth of food and flower stalls: tried-and-true favorites include Chez Alain Miam Miam 's famous sandwiches, the seafood-focused small plates and natural wines of Les Enfants du Marché , and the carnivorous hedonism of The Butcher of Paris . 

Tour the city’s covered passages. 

The French know a thing or two about the art of shopping, as evidenced by the sublime elegance of the 19th-century covered passageways running throughout Paris. Less than two dozen of the nearly 200 original glass arcades remain, and are now home to rare bookshops, vintage postcard stores, artisan workshops, clothing shops, and wine bars. Trusted guide companies like Viator and Get Your Guide offer walking tours that hit the highlights (Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy, Passage des Panoramas, and more), or you can choose to wander them at your own pace.  

Hit the major landmarks.

No matter if it’s your first or 50th trip to Paris, you’ll always find yourself struck by the grandeur of the city’s famous landmarks. While some demand a visit, others, like the Eiffel Tower, best reveal their magic when glimpsed from afar (Rue de l’Université and Avenue de Camoens are two excellent viewing points). The Arc de Triomphe can be checked off your list from the Champs-Élysées, but it’s worth going up at least once to take in the spectacular views over Paris. Other main attractions, like the pristine white dome of Sacré-Cœur Basilica, should factor into part of your neighborhood explorations, as you trace your way up the steep steps of Montmartre for more panoramic views, vintage shopping, and charming museums. 

If time allows, hop on the RER C train and head toward the Château de Versailles (the station is Versailles Château–Rive Gauche), where you can immerse yourself in the gilded rooms and fairy-tale gardens of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. 

Learn the art of French savoir faire from local tastemakers.

“There’s nothing like being with a local,” says Clément Le Coz, co-founder of luxury travel agency Le Coup de Foudre , which curates bespoke itineraries around fashion, fine jewelry, antiques, literature, and just about any other creative pursuit. 

“Just getting a list of tips and places is the first step, but a moment to spend there with someone is incomparable,” he adds. Along with his wife, Justina Socas, the pair of them are devastatingly elegant — their team of in-the-know locals opens up a version of Paris that’s nearly impossible for visitors to access otherwise, including private visits to the Manufacture des Gobelins (a centuries-old tapestry factory) and lunch inside the mesmerizing atelier of La Maison Charles , a historic bronze manufacturer.  

“You’re providing a piece of history,” says Le Coz. “It’s not only taking people to a private showroom or introducing them to a fashion designer; it’s explaining the significance and the story behind it.” 

Best Shopping 

This three-story concept shop in the Marais always yields some new delight, be it a chic branded burlap tote, a pink ceramic dessert plate, or a perfectly tailored button-down shirt. It’s one of my go-to spots for souvenir shopping, and you can grab a coffee at their Used Book Cafe if you’re in need of a pick-me-up. 

Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Sundays in Paris are a quiet affair, as many restaurants and businesses are closed. To make the most of your day, head to the sprawling wonderland of the Saint-Ouen , where nearly 2,000 vendors comprise the largest secondhand market in the world.

Head to Marché Paul Bert Serpette for showrooms full of fabulous furniture; to Marché Dauphine to check out the retro spaceship centerpiece, plus vintage clothes, books, and records; and to Marché Vernaison for more than 200 vendors selling souvenir-worthy bric-a-brac. Local guides can help you find the best stalls —  Paris Flea Market is a great independent tour company leading small group and private tours. 

Shakespeare and Company

John van Hasselt/Corbis via Getty Images

Finish the book you brought to Paris? Lose yourself in the city’s legendary English-language bookstore , once frequented by literary luminaries like Allen Ginsberg and Anaïs Nin. It continues to be a welcome home for contemporary writers, hosting book talks with writers like Sheila Heti and Ottessa Moshfegh on a regular basis.

This multilevel concept store is a stone’s throw from the Marché des Enfants Rouges and feels a bit more off-the-radar than Merci. It was founded by the French federation of craft professionals and showcases hundreds of their unique handmade works, from statement necklaces to ceramic tableware.

Vintage Shops

There’s no shortage of exceptional vintage stores in Paris, from the bargain-bin kilo shops of the Marais to more curated boutiques and appointment-only showrooms. Some favorites include Sous Les Pavés, Le Vintage , a three-story funhouse of "Alice in Wonderland" proportions in Saint-Michel, specializing in 1960s Italian designers (think lots of Pucci) and meticulously restored lingerie. Vintage Inspiration Paris is a pint-sized treasure trove of Yves Saint Laurent blazers and Mugler dresses and bags up in Batignolles, while En Voiture Simone and Nice Piece are beacons of good taste in the Marais, drawing in Parisian It girls and A-listers alike. 

Pharmacie Citypharma

French pharmacies are a beauty and bargain lover’s paradise, and this is the best and biggest of the lot. From affordable retinols to brightening Caudalie products and Nuxe body oil, this two-story pharmacy in Saint-Germain-des-Prés makes for excellent souvenir shopping. 

Jon Hicks/Getty Images

Chambre Noire

Arrive early to secure a spot at this canal-adjacent watering hole — and know that you might end up staying until close. Here, hip expats, in-the-know visitors, and a good dash of French folks push together tables and knock knees on small stools as they crowd around bottle after bottle of natural wine from Austria, Germany, and, of course, France. Steal a spot on the terrace if you can — and order the olives, tortilla, and mushrooms. Just make sure you’ve marked the 4 Boulevard Jules Ferry location on the canal, as their wine shop sometimes comes up on Google Maps or Uber instead. 

Cafe La Perle

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better place for people-watching than this corner cafe in the heart of the Marais. Grab a 14-euro carafe of house wine and a sidewalk stool in the early evening, then settle in to watch the parade of Parisians heading to apéro hour. Late at night, the crowd skews French and youthful, taking over the street, waving cigarettes around, and dodging scooters as they sort out their after-party plans. 

A favorite of locals and visitors alike, this Oberkampf gem is perpetually crowded. Fresh, seasonal small plates fly out of the kitchen until 11 p.m., and tables grow increasingly jubilant as magnums of wine start to crowd their tables. If you don’t mind a crowd, it’s a perfect bar no matter the weather — cozy and warm in winter, airy and flowing out onto the sidewalk in summer. 

Vinyl lovers looking for a place to groove will find it at Fréquence . While not exactly a dance bar, there are always people moving here — to what degree depends largely on the music and how packed the floor is. It’s a tiny space (which often means waiting in line to get in if you show up late), but the cocktails are reliably good, plus there’s wine and sake. The crowd thins as people rotate in and out of the downstairs smoking room. On weekends, it’s open until 4 a.m. 

Smack between Place de la République and Canal Saint-Martin, this late-night wine and cocktail bar is an industry hot spot that stays open until 5 a.m. most nights, welcoming in chefs and sommeliers who’ve just finished a shift nearby. Guest chefs whip up small plates from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; afterward, you can order cheese and charcuterie platters and oysters until the wee hours, parking yourself on the terrace in warmer weather. 

Best Restaurants 

The food around the Eiffel Tower tends to be overpriced and underwhelming — definitively not the case with one-Michelin-star Substance , which is helmed by 29-year-old chef Matthias Marc and offers a 65-euro tasting menu at lunch. Get a front-row seat to the spectacle at the chef’s counter, where he displays calm concentration and evident joy while transforming the products of his native Jura into sublime dishes (such as a transcendent gnocchi finished off tableside with Morteau sausage and vin jaune that brought me to tears). The wine list is impeccable — but if you’re feeling adventurous, trust the sommelier’s pairings. For those with time on their hands, the more immersive tasting menus — which can last three or four hours — are worth it.

Tucked down a winding private street just beside Père Lachaise, this Basque-inspired hideaway always feels like a party. In warmer weather, long tables stretch out underneath twinkling lights in what might be the city’s coolest courtyard, where locals smoke and sip on natural wine before finishing off with flan. 

Breizh Cafe

Courtesy of Breizh Cafe

It would be a crime not to eat a crepe during your trip to Paris, and you can find some of the best at Breizh Cafe . Their Brittany-style buckwheat galettes are so popular that they’ve opened up several outposts around the city — the best being their sun-soaked corner in the Marais, where they serve galettes with aged Comte, Jambon de Paris, and onions decadently caramelized in cider. 

Le Bistrot Paul Bert

Bistros abound in Paris, but none hold a candle to Paul Bert . It’s as much about the food (perfect renditions of French classics, from steak au poivre to cheese soufflé) as it is the service (our waitress was both exasperated and energetic, a delightful combination). The portions are deeply satisfying, and the wine list covers classic producers as well as up-and-comers. As such, it’s quite popular, so be sure to call ahead to book a reservation. 

Le Cheval d’Or 

A lot is happening behind the famous red facade of this freshly revamped Chinese bistro , where foodies flock for superb stuffed duck à l’orange and invigorating flavor combinations, like red pepper and rhubarb pork belly, or tofu and caviar consommé. It’s tucked away in Jourdain, a part of the 19th arrondissement that few tourists will make the trek for, so the crowd skews local and gourmand. 

Le Relais de l'Entrecôte

With so many restaurants boasting ever-rotating menus of small plates, there’s something comforting about a bistro serving up steak frites day in and day out. Le Relais de l'Entrecôte is a classic, first opened in 1959 and serving the same set menu ever since: fresh green salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette, followed by tenderloin steak in a drool-inducing secret sauce plus homemade french fries. Frankly, it’s perfect. Go for Sunday brunch, and wash it all down with their organic house red wine from Gaillac.

L’Avant Comptoir de La Terre

Few things bring a smile to my face faster than a gallon of cornichons sidling up to a big bowl of butter. That’s the permanent tableaux at Yves Camdeborde’s narrow bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés , which sets my heart aflutter on every visit (no matter: a bowl of duck hearts is quick to fortify me). The meat-focused tapas menu is hearty, the wine list always has a few treasures, and best of all, it’s open on Sundays. 

Ambika Verma/Travel + Leisure

Paris is a delight to visit all year round, but if you’re looking to avoid the crowds, consider booking a trip during the shoulder seasons (spring or fall), when the droves of summer tourists have left and holiday travel hasn’t yet kicked up. Flights and accommodations tend to be more affordable during these seasons as well, although you can often find great winter flights outside of Christmas and New Year’s timing. 

Fall has always been my favorite time to go — locals are returning from summer vacation and the city’s energy is completely refreshed. Plus, the warmth tends to linger for a bit. Winter , while typically gray and chilly, is charming, with holiday markets serving mulled wine around the city. In spring, cherry blossoms and magnolias bloom all around the capital, giving whole new meaning to la vie en rose . Summer sees the largest influx of tourists, but also promises of sunny promenades along the Seine and elaborate picnics in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. This summer will be an incredible opportunity to visit, as Paris will host the 2024 Olympic Games from July to August. 

The city’s two main international airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airport, offer easy and affordable access to Paris by public transit in under an hour. There are also plenty of taxis at the airport, and ride-share apps like Uber are popular.

Flights and accommodations are most pricey during summer and in December; I tend to fly with low-cost carrier French Bee , which is reliably comfortable and affordable (one-way flights start at just $189, plus there’s bottomless Champagne in their Premium class). 

Home to the city’s smaller Chinatown and two of its most spectacular parks, Belleville somehow has remained off the primary tourist circuit. It’s a local neighborhood, with a vibrant dining and nightlife scene. Come in the afternoon for a picnic and panoramic views in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont; stay for wine at Buttes Snack Bar and a big Laotian feast at the ultra-popular Lao Siam . Afterward, head to the famed Combat cocktail bar for a nightcap. 

Hike up to the city’s hilltop artist’s village for endless views over Paris, plus romantic hidden gardens, studio visits of famous French painters, and appointment-only vintage shopping. End the night by heading down the hill to the legendary Moulin Rouge to catch a cabaret show. 

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Art galleries, designer shops, and double-decker pharmacies full of discounted French beauty products abound in this chic and historic neighborhood, once the intellectual epicenter of the city. For culture, follow in Hemingway and Picasso’s footsteps at Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore; for retail therapy, head to Le Bon Marché , the city’s oldest (and most fabulous) department store. 

Paris is a walkable city — you’ll find yourself clocking 10,000 steps before noon most days. But if you’re heading all the way across town or just want to give your feet a break, the Métro is speedy and straightforward to use: You can purchase single-use tickets (though they are set to be phased out by 2025) or a refillable Navigo pass from an agent for longer stays. The bus network is also extensive and easy to navigate — the same tickets or Navigo pass work here, too. 

Taxis are fairly easy to come by in touristy areas, and ride-share apps like Uber work well here. Other reliable options include Bolt and G7 for reserving a taxi ahead of time.

Helpful apps to download include Le Fooding and Raisin for tracking down the best places to eat and drink, plus Google Translate , although by and large, the people in the service and hospitality industry will speak at least some English. To that point, don’t forget to say bonjour (hello) and merci ( thank you) — your effort will save you some trouble, promise.

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Check Into The Best Luxury Hotels In Paris, France

Planning a trip to the city of love make your days count with the best luxury hotels in paris you can book now..

By: Jocelyn Tan Published: Jun 25, 2022 10:00 AM IST

One of the world’s most visited cities, Paris is always a good idea if you’re looking to dip your toes into French culture. And if you’re visiting Paris, you’ll want to make that experience memorable with these best luxury hotels. By Jocelyn Tan

There are endless reasons to visit the city, but one that’ll leave us lingering just a bit longer is a couple of nights at a luxury locale. One might argue that a more economical option would serve you perfectly well on a cultural exploration around the city, but let’s face it — waking up nestled in a plush bed to a stunning view of River Seine just across your room’s terrace balcony just hits different. 

Can’t decide on one for this trip? Don’t fret, your next flight back to the City of Love is just another click away. 

The best luxury hotels in Paris to check into now: 

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Related: Here Are The Best Luxury Hotels In London

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Cheval blanc paris, le bristol paris, hôtel de crillon, a rosewood hotel, nolinski paris, le pavillion de la reine, four seasons hotel george v, paris, relais christine, saint james paris, hôtel le cinq codet, le royal monceau, raffles paris, park hyatt paris-vendome.

An experience at Cheval Blanc is always one to remember, and its Parisian outpost is no exception. The 76-key establishment is a private locale suitable for lovers, friends and family who desire that exclusivity, complete with floor-to-ceiling views of the River Seine in the soothing bedrooms.

While most Cheval Blanc properties boast a Guerlain Spa, Cheval Blanc Paris is home to a Dior spa, offering your regular treatment sessions and 30-minute “Happiness Shots” — concentrated treatments that’ll add a shine to your eyes, a spring in your step and puckering of your lips for the perfect “It girl” moment as you strut down Champs-Élysées.

• Address 8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France
• Website Website here

Le Bristol is fashioned in classic French regalia — think marble flooring and crystal chandeliers. While you won’t be able to find your modern bells and whistles here, it makes up for the contemporary touch with a supremely comfortable bed, heated bathroom floors (a godsend on cold mornings), with many rooms facing a gorgeous interior courtyard. Read our review here to find out more about its indoor rooftop pool and delicious offerings.

• Address 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France

Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood hotel reopened in 2017 after a four-year renovation project, armed with 124 rooms and suites (2 of which have been designed by Karl Lagerfeld) and a style of clean lines and an understated palette that’s pleasant to the weary eye. Butlers are assigned to all rooms in case you need something extra, and the other hotel amenities include a Rosewood spa and indoor pool, a hair salon and men’s grooming services.

• Address 10, place de la Concorde; 75008 Paris, France

Nolinski Paris has a good mix between modernity and opulence — abstract art and geometric lines are contrasted with marble and gold finishes for the perfect balance of the two. While we’re not resting our feet in the well-appointed rooms, you’ll find us in the subterranean spa, in the sauna or the Hammam, otherwise, we’ll be dipping our toes in the uber-stylish 16-metre pool . Did we mention personal trainers can be booked on request too? There’s no excuse to skip the gym even on holiday.

• Address 16 Av. de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris, France

Family-owned Le Pavillion de la Reine’s biggest pull is the attentive service they provide — the staff are always up for a chat without making too much of a fuss, so you’ll feel right at home here. The ivy-covered exterior of the 17th-century mansion and warm colour scheme transport guests right to the luxurious countryside escape without ever having to leave Paris, with each of the 56 rooms styled differently from one another. After a trip to the generous breakfast bar, borrow a bicycle from the hotel at no extra cost to discover and explore the city for yourselves.

• Address 28 Pl. des Vosges, 75003 Paris, France

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris is where you’d want to be if your idea of a stay includes feeling all sorts of aristocratic. The Art Deco locale opened its doors to the world in 1928, fashioned in opulent interiors, stunning tapestries, crystal chandeliers — you name it. Each of the 244 rooms comes in the iconic French , Louis XV-style, complete with marble bathrooms and Bulgari products to boot. In-house dining options Le Cinq, Le George and L’Orangerie have also retained their five stars in the 2022 Michelin Guide, meaning to say foodies will definitely want to make their reservations at the establishment asap.

• Address 31 Av. George V, 75008 Paris, France

Quaint spaces have a different kind of charm to them. Relais Christine is nestled in a 17th-century townhouse with only 48 rooms to spare, and the home-away-from-home atmosphere is further elevated with the endearing, magnolia-perfumed courtyard and comfortable sofas in the lounge that’s flanked by a crackling fireplace. While you won’t find a pool here, the warm, highly-personalised service, cosy rooms and Spa Guerlain more than makeup for it.

• Address 3 Rue Christine, 75006 Paris, France

Paris’ only officially designated château-hotel is located in the pleasant 16th arrondissement, just a stroll away from the gorgeous Boulogne woods and the Frank Gehry-designed Louis Vuitton Foundation. You’ll be swept away by the old-world opulence with its mixed fabrics, patterns, wallpapers, and ornate decorative objects, but the hotel has managed to keep it elegant and romantic with its use of colours and clean lines. There are many things to love about the establishment, but one space we cannot forget about is the gardens , home to a cheery gazebo bar that’s ideal for warm summer nights.

• Address 5 Pl. du Chancelier Adenauer, 75116 Paris, France

Hôtel Le Cinq Codet focuses less on the grandeur, and more so on the sleek wood panelling, plush white beds and clean lines that modern hotels across the world spotlight these days. That being said, there are some interesting layouts within the 67-room offerings that might intrigue the contemporary traveller. Four suites, for instance, come with terraces and with views of Les Invalides and/or the Eiffel Tower, while stylish duplexes that are available for booking render the place feel like you’re living in your own mini apartment in the city.

• Address 5 Rue Louis Codet, 75007 Paris, France

With Champs-Elysées and the Grand Parc Monceau, just a short 10-minute walk away, you should expect the Le Royal Monceau to be nothing less than a stay for those who enjoy the finer things in life. Art lovers can find roundups of the latest exhibitions in rooms, curated by the hotel’s very own ‘art concierge’, Julie Eugène, who’s also available for guests for advice on art and cultural excursions . If you’re looking for something else to do, the luxurious, palace-grade hotel also has its own art bookshop and a 99-seat cinema, fitted with champagne and Pierre Hermé popcorn for intimate screenings.

• Address 37 Av. Hoche, 75008 Paris, France

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome was recently refreshed together with American designer Ed Tuttle, who brings to the space sumptuous dark wood panelling and gilded accent mouldings for a touch of modernity. In your room, you’ll find Hermès and Guerlain beauty products, along with an addictive bespoke scent from Christophe Laudamiel. On the whole, the locale is popular with celebrity guests — the drive-in through the rear entrance is shuttered, so you can be assured that privacy is clearly key here at the sophisticated hotel.

• Address 5 Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris, France
• Hotels in Paris

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