Best Luxury Hotels in Ile de France

If you saw the final episodes of HBO’s Sex and the City TV series, you’ll recognise Hôtel Plaza Athénée as the splendid establishment in which Carrie Bradshaw stayed. The character was wowed by the view from her suite balcony, and you will be too as it’s opposite the capital’s most iconic emblem. The front elevation features wrought-iron balconies planted with colourful flowers and is found on Avenue Montaigne, close to designer boutiques. After a spot of nearby shopping, you can unwind in the hotel’s Dior spa and dine in its Michelin-starred restaurant.

Sitting in the centre of old historical Paris, on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, The Bristol was the first hotel to be labelled a ‘Palace’ (French terminology for a hotel a cut above five-star). Opened in 1925, and now one of the Oetker group hotels, its marble foyer, crystal chandeliers, 17th-century tapestries, and Louis XV and XVI style furnishings, resonate affluence. The hotel has an award-winning spa, a sixth-floor swimming pool with panoramic views across Paris, and two Michelin-starred restaurants. Just 14 miles from Orly Airport and 18.5 miles from Charles de Gaulle Airport, the hotel also offers charging points for electric vehicles, should you decide to hire a car during your stay.

Centrally placed, and close to the Place Vendôme and Palais Garnier, many of the big Paris attractions can be reached in a pleasant 15-minute stroll from the hotel. When you wish to explore further afield, a number of Metro stations are just metres away. A magnet for many A-list celebrities, from tennis grand slam winners to chart-topping singers, the hotel offers the very best of five-star accommodation, dining and amenities. Rooms and suites are set off in pleasing contemporary styling with attractive, elegant adornments. The main restaurant has a one-star Michelin rating, while breakfast and brunch can be enjoyed in the glass-ceilinged Les Orchidées, or the relaxing La Cheminée.

This five-star spa hotel located perfectly encapsulates contemporary luxury with Parisian spirit and flair. Located at 18 rue Clément Marot, a few steps from Avenue Montaigne, La Demeure Montaigne, offers guests an intimate experience in which they can make the charming private mansion their home from home during their stay. No detail is overlooked at this exquisite abode, which is also home to a gastronomic restaurant, hidden bar and Thalgo Institute. Its 93 rooms and suites are just as stylish as the rest of the hotel and the Eiffel Suite has a confidential location offering guests the utmost in privacy. Gourmet and seasonal dishes are served at the discreet restaurant whilst guests can enjoy fine wine, champagne and cocktails in a relaxed yet trendy atmosphere. The spa is a collaboration with the marine cosmetics brand Thalgo and is a cocoon of tranquillity in the heart of bustling Paris. This beautiful city bolthole offers unassuming luxury and high-class service right in the heart of Paris.

Stay in the regal building that was once home to Prince Roland Bonaparte. It’s listed among France’s “Monuments Historiques” and has an enviable location opposite the Seine and facing the Eiffel Tower. As such, rooms (all with seating areas, marble bathrooms and Guerlain toiletries) have an outlook of one or both of these landmarks, with private balconies providing the opportunity for the most romantic of selfies. The hotel group has its roots in Asia, so you’ll find plenty of aesthetic and cultural influences, particularly in the food. And the dining at Shangri-La Paris is something very special, with two refined restaurants, one of which is Michelin-starred.

Located in the Golden Triangle of Paris, The Four Seasons Hotel George V occupies a 1920s art deco hotel which is chic and welcoming. The hotel’s 244 rooms and suites are spacious and historic, some of the suites even boast views of the Eiffel Tower. The hotel also has a dedicated concierge service, newspaper service, spa and provides guests with luxury bath products. Yet the hotel stands out in its own right due to its dining options. The hotel is home to three Michelin-starred restaurants which have been awarded a total of six Michelin stars. This lineup includes Le Cinq, a three Michelin star restaurant by Christian Le Squer, it is world-renowned for being one of the best restaurants anywhere. The hotel is also home to a cosy and intimate bar which serves coffee, cocktails, and light dishes.

Occupying an estate and chateau the Saint James is one of the most romantic and luxurious hotels to be found anywhere in Europe. Saint James despite its gardens and privacy is located in the central, 16th neighbourhood, which is not only one of Paris’s most exclusive areas but is also close to many of its major sites. The hotel’s rooms, suites, villas, and apartments are decadent, light, and historical with every inch of every room feeling like an 18th-century Chateau which has been skilfully brought into the 21st century. The Saint James is also home to a fully equipped fitness centre and the Guerlain Spa which offers exceptional treatments to guests. The Saint James is also home to many dining establishments like the Red and Green Michelin-starred Bellefeuille with a decadent French menu curated by the acclaimed chef Gregory Garimbay and The Library Bar which feels like the British gentlemen’s club it used to be.

Just moments away from the Louvre and the Marais, the Cheval Blanc Paris gracefully rises out of the Seine. Occupying a historic yet beautifully renovated Maison, the Cheval Blanc’s interior – designed by Peter Marino- is playful and distinctly French. The hotel’s 72 rooms and suites are intimate and luxurious, many also boast commanding views of the city. Many of the hotel’s exclusive suites even have some of the best views of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine to be found anywhere in Paris. The Cheval is home to the Dior Spa and Rossano Ferretti salon and thus it meets every beauty and wellness need of its guests. The Cheval is home to Hakuba, a stylish Japanese restaurant, and Le Tout-Paris a Michelin-starred brasserie and cocktail bar which gazes out over Paris. For a true culinary experience, guests can also dine at Plenitude, a three Michelin star restaurant which serves some of the best food to be found anywhere in France.

Gazing down upon the Place de la Concorde, Hotel Crillon provides guests with a quintessentially Parisian experience, exceptional service, and sophisticated luxury. The hotel’s suites and rooms are light and open, and their furnishings as well as the artwork which adorn their wall hark back to the great history of Paris. The hotel is home to many different dining establishments like the Nonos and Comestibles which offer modern classics and L’Ecrin which is acclaimed as one of Paris’s top fine dining restaurants. The hotel also boasts a patisserie and the legendary Bar les Ambassadeurs whose interior transports one to the dining rooms of Versailles. The hotel is also home to Sense, its signature spa which provides guests with a variety of treatment options to meet their every need.

Just moments away from the Louvre and Comedie Francais, the Nolinski is the poster boy for excellence and luxury. Its interior designed by Jean-Louis Deniot skilfully plays with dark colours and light to create a refined and distinctly discreet environment, this makes the hotel the perfect place for guests who want a peaceful and tranquil environment. The Nolinski is home to 45 spacious and exclusive suites and rooms, they are each expertly designed with every detail being accounted for. The hotel’s spa, La Coline, is a masterpiece of tranquillity as its granite flooring, wood panelling and candles make it one of the most relaxing spas to be found anywhere. The hotel has two restaurants including the Palais Royal which has been awarded two Michelin stars and whose interior was designed by the acclaimed designer Christophe Tollemer. The hotel’s cocktail bar brings together guests and locals alike who marvel at its luxury and peace all whilst enjoying some of Paris’s best cocktails.

Le Royal Monceau is an exceedingly fashionable hotel situated in the centre of Paris. Its interior is bathed in natural light and adorned with modern art pieces which give it a chic flair. The hotel’s rooms and suites are warm and homely, they are all unique and try to tell a different story about the history of Paris, this makes the rooms feel quintessentially Parisian. The hotel is home to a 1500 sq. m Spa and fitness centre which has a 23m pool, fitness coaches, saunas and a hammam. The Royal Monceau also offers guests many experiences such as cooking classes, cinema viewings in its onsite cinema and yoga classes just to name a few. The Royal Monceau boasts various dining options like the exquisite Matushi Japanese restaurant and the Michelin-starred Il Carpaccio Italian restaurant. There are also two bars: Le Bar Long, an exceptional Parisian-style bar and the tranquil Vinales Lounge.

Found between the Garden of Versailles and the Grand Triano, the neoclassical Trianon Palace was built at the turn of the 20th century. An enormous Guerlain Spa surrounded by mature gardens is a highlight here, along with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s own Michelin starred fine dining restaurant proffering views over the palace. 199 guest rooms are decorated in harmony with the hotel’s grand environs, adding in some contemporary styling. Onsite leisure amenities include two tennis courts, a large Grecian-inspired indoor pool, hammam, a relaxed brasserie and a bar. Family and pet-friendly rooms are available at this Waldorf Astoria owned property.