Best Luxury Hotels in France

The opulent Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes can be found in the heart of Bordeaux’s Chartrons district. This former Calvet wine cellar is now a spectacular 5-star hotel, designed by Philippe Starck. It has 97 luxurious guestrooms and suites on offer which offer stunning city views and terrace options. Guests can indulge in Japanese specialities in the on-site, alfresco restaurant or savour a signature cocktail or sake at the splendid terrace bar. This hotel boasts serene spa facilities including a relaxing indoor heated pool complete with a sauna and Hammam. In addition to the range of treatments available, there is also a fantastic fitness centre. There are three sophisticated meeting and event spaces with catering available for up to 72 persons. The hotel’s excellent, central location allows guests to explore all that the city has to offer while providing a secluded sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Surrounded by lush greenery, but just a short walk from Petite Venise, this MGallery property is a showcase for modern art and wellness. Its L’Esquisse Spa by Clarins is spread over 500 m² with a 15-metre sunlit pool and jacuzzi, overlooking the solarium patio. Bedrooms have balconies with views of Champ de Mars Park and come with Nespresso machines and Clarins bath products. There are accessible rooms and the huge penthouse suites are perfect for families. Its K Bar is the place for cocktails; the venue is characterised by an enormous hanging copper mask art installation.

A boutique hotel in a 19th-century mansion, the San Régis enjoys a secluded setting, on a quiet rue in the ‘Golden Triangle’ of the exclusive 8th arrondissement neighbourhood. Owned by the Georges family, its atmosphere is homely, yet opulent. 30 bedrooms and 12 suites have all been individually decorated; a selection of fine fabrics, oil paintings and antique furnishings have been painstakingly curated to create a unique impression. And its restaurant, Les Confidences, takes its cue from nature, with a garden-inspired dining room and a living wall. Hôtel San Régis’ discreet entrance, unique styling and personalised service combine to ensure it’s popular with celebrities and VIPs.

This classic 13th-century castle is the perfect place for lovers of luxury to stay while exploring the picturesque Lot Valley. The chateau is surrounded by vineyards and guests will want to make sure that they sample a glass or two of the house wine while enjoying a gourmet feast in the evening. The chateau comes complete with impressive crenulated walkways as well as towering turrets, flags and drawbridge, to help set the scene for a romantic getaway and following the walking trails through the surrounding forest to admire the beehives and pretty gardens is an experience that is sure to stir the spirits.

The Canopy by Hilton Cannes enhances the city’s skyline with its exceptional rooftop terrace offering panoramic Mediterranean views and interiors by the acclaimed designer Ramy Fischer. This launch signifies Hilton’s debut in Cannes and expands the Canopy by Hilton portfolio in Europe. The hotel boasts a prime location near the port, featuring 129 rooms and suites, plus 12 apartments, many with stunning views of the old harbour and La Croisette. Unique artworks by young artists adorn each room, complementing the brand’s luxurious amenities. Guests can enjoy an indoor-outdoor heated pool, a fitness centre, and an upcoming spa. Dining options include Marea Rooftop Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, offering a menu by Chef Alexander Douglas Burger, and Café Crème Brunch Club, a Californian eatery. Canopy by Hilton Cannes serves as a communal space, and complimentary bikes encourage exploration of the glamorous city of Cannes.

Stay in a restored 15th-century building, transformed from a hospice into a five-star hotel in 2003. It’s just a few minute’s stroll from a metro station and handy for city attractions. Dine on northern French cuisine at restaurant l’Hermitage, eat Flemish food at its brasserie, l’Estaminet, or order room service at any time of the day or night. 88 rooms are arranged around an inner courtyard, with original features like stone walls and period fireplaces, bathrobes, air con and minibars. Take some time out, with access to the Spa by Hermitage Gantois, with its indoor swimming pool and hammam.

This modern, glass-walled hotel sits beside a shopping mall, just yards from the mainline train station. The highlight is a huge in-house casino, reached through velvet drapes off a hotel corridor or directly from the street. Here you can try your luck at slots and table games and watch glamorous shows or cabarets in the 1200 seat theatre. Hôtel Barrière De Lille’s nine floors include 145 rooms (some of which are fully accessible) and two restaurants; while the fourth floor accommodates its spa, Escal’Bien-Etre. Pets and kids are welcome and there’s an excellent Sunday brunch accompanied by live tunes.

As part of the Four Seasons group, you can expect high-end understated luxury as standard at Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat. Set on a peninsula enclave, by a small fishing village, this area has long been popular for famous faces seeking an escape from the limelight, in the lap of luxury. The award-winning spa’s hydrotherapy circuit is a great way to unwind and begin your holiday, before sampling Michelin-starred cuisine at the Chef’s Table in Salon des Collections. For 360 degree views, steam bath, hot tub and a ‘Great Gatsby’ feel, book the Suite Cocteau Penthouse, one of its 74 rooms. Families can take advantage of the kids’ club and there are indoor and outdoor pools for year-round swims.

The Hotel le Negresco has been an iconic destination on the French Riviera for more than a century. The hotel boasts some of the best rooms that Nice has to offer and features trendy and modern yet elegant decor. You will be able to unwind and relax completely in the tranquil surroundings of this hotel as you overlook the Mediterranean Sea from your suite. Le Negresco has been a favourite spot of many artists and other famous people since its opening more than 100 years ago, you can stay in the same rooms as these people and experience the Louis XIV-style decor of the exceptional suites which reminds you of a time gone by.

Nestled in the heart of Nice and perched on the hillside of the old city, a convent built by the Clarisses in 1604 has been a place of tranquillity and reflection for centuries. Today, in collaboration with Studio Mumbai, Studio Méditerranée, and Festen Architecture, the convent has been restored to its former glory and transformed into Hôtel du Couvent, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Opening on 20 June 2024, Hôtel du Couvent offers 88 guestrooms and suites. These include peaceful monastic-style spaces ideal for solo travellers, sophisticated guestrooms with views of the Mediterranean Sea or a private garden, and spacious apartments with cooking and dining areas, perfect for extended stays and gatherings.

The hotel’s culinary offerings highlight the authentic flavours of Nice and its surrounding hills, with a strong emphasis on provenance. The refined dishes will be led by flavour, using produce sourced from the hotel’s own farm in Touët-sur-Var. The secular ritual of cooking and eating among loved ones will be revived in the cloister restaurant, the original refectory, the casual Guinguette café, and the bistro on Rue des Serruriers. The on-site bakery, located in the convent’s former bakery, will prepare freshly baked bread daily, using flour milled on-site in keeping with convent tradition. The wine cellar will offer a selection of 3,500 bottles. Nearby, Le Bar will provide a timeless space for guests to relax, either indoors or on the charming cloistered terrace.

The hotel’s 2.5-acre garden, almost completely hidden from the outside, provides a sanctuary for listening, relaxing, swimming, and meditating, surrounded by olive, apricot, and lemon trees, as well as over 300 other species that naturally scent the air. On Saturday mornings, the hotel will adopt a village square atmosphere, opening its courtyard to the local market, where guests and the public can purchase local products from producers and farmers from the Nice region.

This former wedding gift became a hotel in 1904, sought after by the Parisian Aristocracy during the 1920s. Now the 12-acre resort boasts 99 bedrooms, a relaxing pool terrace, a kids’ pool (part of their Summer Camp complex), an indoor pool (in the Valmont Spa) and a lane swimming pool for sportier types. There are five restaurants onsite, serving everything from Peruvian-Asian fusion food to Mediterranean buffets and antipasti. As well as a 1000 square metres spa, tennis courts, boules green and a private beach — Jardin Tropézina.

An iconic property since its inception in 1931, the Hôtel de Paris Saint-Tropez began life as a home from home for artists, musicians and movie stars. Toward the end of the century, it received an extension, including the glamorous Dolce Vita Suite. Today guests are greeted in the lobby by a chandelier made up of 3,500 ivory-lacquered aluminium petals, ebony black resin sculptures and a pool suspended 15 metres in the air. Enjoy a meal on the rooftop at chef Michele Fortunato’s table, or in Les Toits restaurant. Take drinks beside the open-air swimming pool and listen to the sound of live piano music as you savour lobster and champagne in L’Atrium.