Best Luxury Hotels in France

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.

When you pay four figures a night for your accommodation, you expect nothing less than the very best of five-star everything. At La Reserve Paris Hotel and Spa, you get just that. Situated on the fashionable Avenue Gabriel, the hotel verges on the ambience of a private gentleman’s club. Built during the 1800s, and providing stunning views across the Paris skyline, the interior was completely redesigned by hotel designer Jacques Garcia. With its modern feel, yet traditional look, the décor and furnishings allude to the personal service which is so much a feature of the hotel.

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 17th-century stately mansion home will be your base, should you choose to stay at La Maison des Têtes (so named, because 106 small stone heads adorn its frontage). The building, a listed historic monument evocative of the German Renaissance, became a Relais and Chateaux hotel in 2015. Its rooms, with wood panelling and beamed ceilings, are in keeping with Alsatian tradition, yet carry a contemporary elegance too. Its Restaurant Girardin received a Michelin Star in 2022, thanks to Eric Girardin’s creative cooking and there’s a brasserie with a cast iron wood stove, as well as original stained-glass windows.

This hotel was actually constructed on the city’s fortified walls in the pretty Little Venice district. Rooms have a grand or cosy style, featuring brocades, wooden beams, classic four-poster beds with drapes and gilt-covered antique furnishings, all very conducive to a flamboyantly romantic getaway. Some bedrooms are more modern in design, with a simpler aesthetic catering to those less keen on the more fussy traditional look — so be sure to request a category that suits your personal fancy. Guests can book a table at the theatrical A l’Echevin restaurant, for gourmet meals. And in summer, there’s a sheltered riverside terrace for alfresco dining.

Indulge in a opulent break at this hilltop boutique hotel set in a village among the vineyards of Champagne, a 20-minute drive from Reims. Each of its 12 individually designed rooms are named after iconic historical figures and take on a Napoleonic style with antiques and chandeliers. Outside, you can take in the views as you dine on the terrace, soak in Norwegian hot tubs, or work up a sweat in the sauna. Inside the glamorous chateau, is the Les Vignes bar and restaurant, with cheese, charcuterie and lighter bites delivered to rooms on request.

A charming riverside hideaway, Hostellerie De Levernois is a rustic white mansion, surrounded by six hectares of parkland and century-old trees. Ingredients from its vegetable garden are used in the creation of Bistrot du Bord de l’Eau’s dishes, all of which are cooked in the original 18th-century kitchen. Choose wine from a selection of around 1000 bottles, kept in the property’s cellar. Rooms boast period features such as wooden beams and exposed stone walls, complemented by upmarket French country chic decor. The Relais & Château property is just three miles from the station and minutes from the highway, yet feels wonderfully secluded.

Nestled on a wooded hillside, this 18th-century Norman manor house overlooks the Seine estuary. Lush lawns with loungers and a pool lead down to the beach road. Drinks can be taken here, out on the terrace with water views, or inside by a roaring fire. Dinner is taken in a beamed, Michelin-recommended restaurant. There’s a spa, and 12 bedrooms have rustic-chic decor with panelled walls or patterned wallpaper depicting French country scenes, Persian-style rugs, elegant antique furnishings and sleek stone bathrooms. The manor was named after the impressionists who had a penchant for painting on this hill.

Now a five-star ultra-boutique hotel, this was once the home of painter Henri de Saint-Delis, and dates back to the 17th century. It houses just nine very special rooms, which, despite the building’s heritage, boast a sleek contemporary style. Each comes with a steam shower, some have balneotherapy bathtubs. Gourmet breakfasts can be taken in your room, on the patio, with meals served in the dining room and picnics available on request – the culinary emphasis is on homemade and organic dishes at Hôtel Saint-Delis. The attentive staff will be happy to arrange treatments from a French massage champion, horse and carriage rides, kite-surfing and painting lessons.

Once an actual palace, this impressive residence facing onto Grande Plage, was erected on the orders of Napoleon III. It is every bit as palatial by nature as by name, with high ceilings, antique artworks, ornate detailing, chandeliers and regal furnishings. But floral prints, mod cons like blackout shutters and high-quality textiles ensure the 153 bedrooms also feel cosy. Amenities at this historic landmark residence include the Guerlain spa, indoor and outdoor pools, a playground, an outdoor eatery and the one Michelin-starred silver service restaurant Villa Eugénie (named after the wife for whom Napolean had this property built).

The 20 rooms at the Hôtel Parc Victoria have been decorated uniquely and thoughtfully with an Art Deco leaning. The main building is Victorian era, with suites – some boasting verandas and private gardens – also located in the lush park of its grounds. There’s a games room and library, plus a large pool in an almost tropical setting. Chef Guillaume Applaincourt is at the helm in Les Lierres restaurant, showcasing ingredients indigenous to the region, like Val d’Aran caviar and Lalbenque truffles, with local lobster, langoustines and fish among the menu’s many highlights.

Ideally located beside the bay, this five-star resort has amenities for those of all ages: a kids club, water sports, hair and beauty treatments, a boutique, outdoor and indoor heated saltwater swimming pools and four restaurants. Designed in the Belle Époque style it has plenty of original features and panoramic sea views. The Thalasso Spa is perhaps Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes’ highlight, with sea-themed treatments, a hammam, sauna and a toasty seawater labyrinth which can be walked or swum through via 194 underwater jets, currents, counter-currents, showers and bubble baths.