Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris Review

Some hotels make an impression. Others, like Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, leave an imprint. From the moment I stepped past its grand 1930s Art Deco façade, the city’s buzz softened to a hush. Here, beneath the canopy of Avenue Hoche, indulgence doesn’t shout—it seduces, unfolding slowly through mirrored corridors, curated artworks, and cinematic spaces that seem to shimmer between eras.

This is not a hotel that leans solely on history. Under the creative vision of Philippe Starck, Le Royal Monceau reimagines what palace luxury can be—playful yet opulent, intimate yet theatrical, with every element designed to invite curiosity. Whether it’s a guitar waiting in your suite or a corridor that reflects your every step, this is a place where art doesn’t just hang on the walls; it lives and breathes all around you.

Setting the Scene

Positioned just moments from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées, Le Royal Monceau is Paris at its most polished, yet with a streak of rebellion. The lobby alone feels like an exhibition: art pieces lean nonchalantly against mirrored walls, while oversized lamps and quirky sculptures create an atmosphere more gallery than grand hotel.

Rather than overwhelming you with heritage, the design draws you into a conversation between past and present, indulgence and irreverence. There’s no stiff formality here. Instead, you’re greeted with a kind of elegant ease, a signature of Raffles’ hospitality that feels both personal and effortless.

Suites that tell a Story

My Junior Suite was a masterclass in contrasts—rebellious yet refined, layered with thoughtful details that invite discovery. The moment you enter, the sense of space strikes you: high ceilings, soft rugs, and furniture that walks the line between art installation and comfort. A television hides discreetly behind a mirror, while handcrafted chairs and contemporary pieces reflect Starck’s unmistakable touch.

Signature to every suite is an acoustic guitar resting casually against the wall—a playful invitation to create your own soundtrack to the stay. On the bedside table, a selection of books curated by the hotel’s Art Concierge adds intellectual texture, bridging the gap between Parisian culture and personal reflection.

The bathroom, meanwhile, is its own statement. A free-standing bathtub catches the light just so, positioned beneath soft illumination that feels almost theatrical. Walk-in showers double as design showcases, lined with gleaming surfaces and Clarins My Blend products, offering a Parisian twist on the traditional amenity set. In some suites, the addition of Japanese Toto toilets—a nod to precision and modernity—adds yet another thoughtful layer.

Every corner of the space feels intentional, yet never overly polished. It’s this balance between effortlessness and exactitude that makes the suite feel less like a hotel room and more like a personal atelier, designed for moments that linger.

Culinary Journeys

Dining at Le Royal Monceau feels like stepping onto a stage where every course is part of the performance. At Matsuhisa Paris, helmed by the legendary Nobu Matsuhisa, the experience is as much about the energy of the room as it is about the menu. There’s a quiet drama to it—the soft glow of lighting, the sheen of lacquered surfaces, the hum of conversation rising and falling like a tide.

The yellowtail sashimi arrives first, translucent slices layered with jalapeño and kissed by yuzu sauce—a perfect balance of heat, acidity, and delicacy. The rock shrimp tempura follows, each bite encased in a golden crunch, glazed with a spicy sauce that lingers just enough to make you reach for another. But it is the black cod saikyoyaki that becomes the star of the night—miso-glazed, buttery soft, dissolving on the tongue like memory.

Wine pairings and cocktails here are no afterthought. A glass of crisp sake complements the umami notes, while the service guides you through the experience with the kind of ease that suggests mastery, not formality.

Beyond Matsuhisa, the hotel’s Il Carpaccio—Paris’s only Michelin-starred Italian restaurant—serves soulful dishes that feel both heartfelt and refined. Truffle-laced pastas, slow-braised meats, and intricate desserts by Pierre Hermé ensure that every meal closes on a note of indulgent perfection.

The Spa

In a city known for its spas, the My Blend by Clarins Spa at Le Royal Monceau manages to feel distinctly its own. Tucked beneath the hotel, it unfolds like a hidden gem—its 23-metre indoor pool glowing beneath mirrored ceilings, the turquoise water shimmering like liquid silk.

What sets this spa apart is not just its setting but its personalised approach. My treatment began with a thorough skin analysis a balance of clinical precision and indulgence—which guided my therapist in crafting a bespoke regimen using Clarins’ high-performance serums. The massage was intuitive, a choreography of firm strokes and featherlight touches that left both body and mind suspended in calm.

Outside the treatment rooms, wellness here extends into every detail: complimentary herbal infusions, a state-of-the-art gym, and meditation spaces designed for quiet reflection. This is not a spa as an afterthought, it is a spa as an integral, immersive part of the stay.

Art at the Core

Perhaps what most distinguishes Le Royal Monceau is its unwavering commitment to the arts. The hotel’s Art Concierge service is more than a curated list of exhibitions. It is an invitation to immerse yourself in the creative pulse of Paris. Whether arranging private gallery visits, museum tours, or studio meet-and-greets, the concierge brings the city’s artistic soul to your doorstep.

On-site, the hotel features its own gallery spaces, with rotating exhibitions that lean toward the contemporary, offering guests direct engagement with modern creatives. The concept store within the property furthers this dialogue a curated selection of rare objects, design pieces, and limited-edition finds that transform the typical souvenir into something meaningful.

The spirit of art weaves itself into everyday moments here. It’s there in the private cinema, where champagne and Pierre Hermé popcorn accompany intimate screenings. It’s in the playful placement of sculptures, the casual lean of framed photography against mirrored walls. This is a hotel that doesn’t just display art—it lives it.

Final Impressions

Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, it excels at being unapologetically itself artful, audacious, and indulgent without ever being predictable. It takes the familiar luxury playbook and rewrites it with a dose of Parisian wit and creative flair.

As I stepped back out onto Avenue Hoche, the pulse of the city resumed, but I carried with me something more lasting than a memory. The hotel’s blend of avant-garde design, culinary brilliance, and cultural immersion had left its mark not just on the stay, but on the spirit. A place where art meets hospitality and where every experience feels, in the best way, like a personal discovery.