Palace Hotels in Paris – Luxury Beyond Five Stars

Room with a view at hotel La Réserve

Paris does grand hotels better than almost anywhere, but a handful rise even higher. Officially designated as Palace hotels in Paris, these addresses sit above five-star status. The French government awards the title sparingly, and only to hotels that combine history, setting, service, and a certain ineffable polish that feels unmistakably Paris.

Here we look at all of the Palace hotels in Paris — the grande dames like Hôtel de Crillon, Le Bristol, Plaza Athénée, and the Shangri-La, alongside newer standouts such as La Réserve and The Peninsula. Some come with hushed courtyards, others with Eiffel Tower views or dining rooms that earn their own pilgrimages. All of them deliver the kind of stay where details are handled quietly and you settle in as if the city arranged itself for you.

Hotel de Crillon

At Le Crillon, a suite designed by Karl Lagerberg

An 18th-century palace designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel of Versailles fame forms the setting for Hotel de Crillon. The facade and proportions reflect its position on Place de la Concorde, with classical symmetry and formal detailing throughout. From here, you are between the Tuileries and the Madeleine on the Right Bank.

A five-year renovation in the 2010s did not erase the past; it clarified it. Ceilings rise, light moves more freely, and the palette becomes lighter and calmer. Marble and gilding remain, but they share space with contemporary art, tailored furniture, and a quieter kind of confidence.

Upstairs, 78 rooms and suites focus on space and comfort rather than display. Drouault duvets, Porthault linens, and expansive marble baths set the tone. Depending on the room, views sweep toward the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, or classic Paris rooftops. The Karl Lagerfeld-designed Grands Appartements bring a layer of couture drama, while the Marie-Antoinette Suite softens the mood with blush tones and a balcony over the Concorde.

Downstairs, afternoon tea is served in the Jardin d'Hiver, dinner at L'Ecrin is formal and precise, and Les Ambassadeurs operates beneath frescoes and chandeliers. When the activity on Place de la Concorde picks up, the golden-tiled pool and spa provide a calm place to step away from it.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

At Hotel de Crillon, you are on Place de la Concorde between the Tuileries and the Église de la Madeleine. The setting is historic and central, and the interiors retain classical structure without excess spectacle. You stay here for position and architectural pedigree, with a quieter rhythm inside than the square suggests.

Le Bristol Paris

The tranquil and secluded courtyard of Le Bristol

Le Bristol Paris has stood on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré since 1925, one of the enduring names of the Right Bank. The facade is classically Parisian; inside, Gobelins tapestries, antique furniture, and Second Empire details establish the tone without feeling staged. It is formal, but not stiff.

At the center of the hotel is its interior garden, an unexpected stretch of green set back from the fashion houses and steady traffic outside. A renovation in the 2010s brought in more light, improved views from Eiffel Tower-facing rooms, and expanded several suites, while preserving the traditional character that defines its Palace status.

There are 188 rooms and suites. Many overlook the garden; some face toward the Eiffel Tower. All are well insulated from the street. Floral fabrics in the hotel's signature green and deep pink give the rooms identity without excess. Bathrooms are generously sized, finished in pale marble with deep soaking tubs. The Imperial Suite is arranged like a private Paris apartment, with Versailles parquet floors and garden views.

Dining carries real weight here. Three-Michelin-star Epicure sets the standard, 114 Faubourg offers a more relaxed brasserie setting, and Bar du Bristol remains one of the more composed rooms on the Right Bank for a drink. If you want traditional Palace luxury with serious attention to food and service, Le Bristol remains one of the strongest choices in the city.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Le Bristol stands out for consistency and depth rather than spectacle. The garden-facing rooms soften the Right Bank setting, and the strength of its dining program adds real substance to a stay here. It suits guests who value traditional Palace service delivered with confidence and without showiness.

Shangri-La Paris

Shangri-La Paris boasts the best and most dramatic views of the Eiffel Tower

Shangri-La Paris occupies the former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte in the 16th Arrondissement, above the Seine and directly facing the Eiffel Tower. The building retains its historic structure — high ceilings, original moldings, broad staircases — while the rooms and suites are finished in restrained tones of cream, blue, and gold.

Many rooms look straight toward the river and the Eiffel Tower. At night, you see the lights from your window without needing to step outside. Despite the scale of the building, the mood inside is controlled and calm. Corridors are quiet, rooms feel private, and service is attentive without formality for its own sake.

The indoor pool sits beneath a glass roof that brings in natural light even on gray days. The spa offers a full program of treatments, and the restaurants balance French technique with Asian influence, reflecting the brand's origins while remaining grounded in Paris.

For travelers who want a direct Eiffel Tower view from a historic palace setting, Shangri-La Paris delivers that perspective with clarity and space.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

At Shangri-La Paris, the Eiffel Tower is part of the daily outlook. You are just in the 16th Arrondissement, slightly removed from the busiest corridors, with more space around you. The scale is grand, but the interior tone remains controlled and private.

La Réserve Hotel & Spa

Reserved, classic elegance is what La Réserve offers

La Réserve feels more like a discreet private residence than a hotel, hidden behind a row of trees on Avenue Gabriel between Rue du Faubourg Saint‑Honoré and Avenue Montaigne. Housed in a 19th‑century Haussmann mansion overlooking the tops of the Champs‑Élysées gardens, it has just 40 rooms and suites, all decorated in rich fabrics, deep colors, and classical moldings that nod to its past as a private home.

Inside, the atmosphere is hushed and deeply residential: butlers on each floor, fireplaces, parquet floors, and carefully chosen antiques make it feel like you've borrowed a very luxurious Paris apartment.

Guests can retreat to the small spa and indoor pool, curl up with a book in the library, or dine at Le Gabriel, the hotel's Michelin‑starred restaurant. If you like the idea of a Palace hotel that feels intimate and club‑like rather than grand and bustling, La Réserve is an obvious contender.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

La Réserve feels the most intimate of the Palace hotels. With far fewer rooms than its peers, it operates more like a private mansion than a large institution. Service is highly personalized, and the atmosphere is hushed even by Palace standards. It suits travelers who prioritize discretion, scale, and privacy over visibility.

The Mandarin Oriental Paris

A Parisian rooftop landscape viewed from the upper terra at the Mandarin Oriental Paris

Contemporary design defines the Mandarin Oriental from the outset. The interiors favor clean lines, controlled palettes, and a quieter aesthetic than many of the traditional Palace hotels nearby. The hotel is on Rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st Arrondissement, a short walk from Place Vendôme, the Jardin des Tuileries, and the Louvre.

Rooms and suites are modern and restrained. Clean lines, pale palettes, and subtle Asian design influences shape the interiors without excess detail. Many rooms face the courtyard or interior streets, which keeps them quieter than the address might suggest. Some upper categories add terraces and rooftop views across Paris.

The spa includes a sizable indoor pool and a full range of treatments, and the dining program draws both hotel guests and Parisians. The overall tone is contemporary rather than traditional Palace.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

The Mandarin Oriental Paris suits travelers who prefer modern design over historic ornament. Its location is ideal for those who plan to spend time between museums and high-end shopping, and the contemporary aesthetic makes it feel distinct from the more traditional Palace hotels nearby.

Four Season Hotel George V Paris

Rooftop dining views at the George V Paris

The Four Seasons Hotel George V occupies a 1928 Art Deco building just off the Champs-Élysées on Avenue George V, within the "Golden Triangle" bordered by Avenue Montaigne, Avenue George V, and the Champs-Élysées. The setting is firmly Right Bank and firmly established. Inside, large-scale floral arrangements, marble surfaces, crystal chandeliers, and classical furnishings define the public rooms, which are arranged more like formal salons than a contemporary lobby.

Rooms and suites are spacious, and many include balconies with views toward the Eiffel Tower or across the surrounding avenues. The interiors follow a traditional Louis-style approach: carved headboards, layered drapery, patterned carpets, and substantial marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs.

Dining carries unusual weight here, with three Michelin-starred restaurants operating within the hotel. The scale of the property also means full-service facilities and a visible, well-trained staff presence throughout.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Four Seasons Hotel George V appeals to travelers who prefer traditional grandeur delivered at full scale. The Golden Triangle location places you close to couture houses and flagship boutiques, and the depth of its dining program makes it particularly strong for guests who plan evenings around the table as much as the room.

Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris

Central Courtyard water feature at Le Royal Monceau, photo by Mark Craft

Contemporary art and Philippe Starck's redesign set Le Royal Monceau apart from the more traditional Palace hotels. Mirrored surfaces, curated installations, and unexpected visual details shape the public spaces and shift the mood away from classical formality. The hotel is on Avenue Hoche, a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe and Parc Monceau, behind a 1930s Art Deco facade.

Rooms and suites are spacious by Paris standards. Lighting is soft, furniture is contemporary, and artwork is integrated throughout rather than treated as decoration. Bathrooms are generously proportioned, often with deep soaking tubs and high-end products. The scale of the rooms, along with the less formal atmosphere, makes the hotel workable for families as well as couples.

The Clarins spa includes one of the longer indoor hotel pools in Paris, and the restaurant options includes Matsuhisa, which adds a strong international presence to the property. The overall tone is modern and design-focused rather than classical.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Le Royal Monceau suits travelers who prefer a Palace hotel with a contemporary edge. Its location near the Arc de Triomphe places you slightly outside the most crowded central districts, and the design direction makes it feel distinct from the more traditional Palace addresses.

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme

This Vendôme room with soft lighting and subdued colors is made for relaxing

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme is found on a quiet side street just off Place Vendôme, positioned between Rue de la Paix, the Jardin des Tuileries, and the shopping streets of the 1st Arrondissement. The exterior follows the classic Paris stone facade, while the interiors shift toward a more contemporary aesthetic defined by warm neutrals, bronze accents, and substantial use of marble.

Rooms and suites are understated in tone. Lighting is soft, decor is restrained, and limestone bathrooms typically include separate tubs and walk-in showers. The style is intentionally muted, which appeals to guests who prefer discretion over ornament. Soundproofing is particularly effective given the central location.

A modest courtyard brings natural light into the interior rooms, and the spa and fitness facilities provide full-service amenities without the scale of larger Palace hotels. The restaurant and bar function well for extended stays, reinforcing the hotel's more residential character.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme suits travelers who want immediate access to Place Vendôme in a setting that remains controlled and private. The design stays understated, and the scale feels manageable compared to some of the larger Palace hotels. It works particularly well for guests who value location and discretion over atmosphere.

Le Meurice

The classical arcaded facade of Le Meurice

Few Palace hotels in Paris embrace French classical decoration as fully as Le Meurice. Gilded moldings, chandeliers, and formal salons define the interiors and establish a distinctly traditional tone. The hotel faces the Jardin des Tuileries on Rue de Rivoli, positioned between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde on the Right Bank.

Rooms and suites continue that direction, with period-inspired detailing, substantial fabrics, and a mix of traditional furnishings and modern amenities. Many rooms look across the Tuileries or into the interior courtyards. The upper-category suites are arranged more like private apartments, with separate sitting areas and expansive marble bathrooms.

The restaurants and bars are central to the experience here, not secondary amenities. Dining takes place in rooms that mirror the hotel's classical tone, and the bar spaces remain active well into the evening. The overall atmosphere is unapologetically traditional, with decoration that references Versailles more directly than any other Palace hotel in Paris.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Le Meurice faces the Jardin des Tuileries and maintains one of the most traditional interiors among the Palace hotels. The atmosphere is formal, decorative, and intentionally classical. Its location places you within easy walking distance of the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, and the overall tone remains rooted in historical reference rather than modern reinterpretation.

Plaza Athénée Paris

A suite at Plaza Athénée with views of the Eiffel tower and the signature red awnings

Red awnings and flower-lined balconies signal Hôtel Plaza Athénée long before you step inside. The hotel has been closely associated with Paris fashion for decades, and that connection remains visible throughout. It is on Avenue Montaigne in the Golden Triangle, surrounded by couture houses and a short walk from the Seine and the Champs-Élysées.

Inside, the public rooms are ornate and formal. Marble floors, carved moldings, chandeliers, and rich fabrics fill the salons. The decoration follows traditional French palace style, with symmetry and gilded detail throughout. In a few areas the lines are simpler, but the overall impression remains classical rather than contemporary.

Rooms and suites continue in the same direction. Upholstered headboards, detailed woodwork, and patterned textiles define the space, and views look either onto Avenue Montaigne or, in select categories, toward the Eiffel Tower.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Plaza Athénée places you squarely in the couture district, with a decorative, highly polished interior to match. The atmosphere is visible and social, and the hotel makes little attempt to soften its association with fashion and formality. It suits guests who are comfortable in that setting and who prefer a Palace hotel that feels outward-facing rather than private.

Peninsula Hotel

Views from a rooftop reception at the Peninsula

Scale defines the Peninsula Paris from the moment you enter. The public rooms are expansive, ceilings are high, and the materials — polished stone, dark wood, and precise detailing — establish a controlled, contemporary tone. The hotel occupies a restored 19th-century building near the Arc de Triomphe, just off Avenue Kléber, positioned between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine.

Rooms and suites are among the most technologically equipped of the Palace hotels. In-room tablets control lighting and curtains, dressing areas are generous, and marble bathrooms include both soaking tubs and walk-in showers. The design is modern and structured, softened by warm fabrics and layered textures so the spaces do not feel austere.

Facilities operate at a similar scale. The spa and indoor pool are substantial, several restaurants function independently of the guest rooms, and the rooftop terrace offers wide views across Paris toward the Eiffel Tower. The overall operation feels international in scope while remaining firmly set within Paris.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

Plaza Athénée places you squarely in the couture district, with a decorative, highly polished interior to match. The atmosphere is visible and social, and the hotel makes little attempt to soften its association with fashion and formality. It suits guests who are comfortable in that setting and who prefer a Palace hotel that feels outward-facing rather than private.

Mandarin Oriental Lutetia

The view from the rooftop terrace at Hotel Lutetia

Hôtel Lutetia is the only Palace hotel on the Left Bank. On Boulevard Raspail in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, it is directly across from Le Bon Marché. Opened in 1910, the building combines Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, including its well-known glass roof. The hotel has hosted writers, artists, and political figures over the decades, and its history is visible without dominating the experience.

Recent renovations increased room sizes and updated the interiors with oak floors, neutral tones, and custom furnishings that allow more natural light into the spaces. Rooms and suites face either the inner courtyard or Boulevard Raspail, and upper-level Signature Suites add terraces and broader views across the Left Bank.

Brasserie Lutetia is the hotel's main restaurant and remains a steady presence throughout the day. Bar Joséphine serves drinks beneath restored frescoes, and the Akasha spa includes a 17-meter pool along with sauna and treatment rooms. The facilities are full-scale, but the setting remains firmly Left Bank rather than Right Bank grand.

⚜️ Paris Insiders View

At Hôtel Lutetia, you are in the center of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, across from Le Bon Marché and within walking distance of the Luxembourg Gardens. The hotel carries early 20th-century architecture and a visible history, but daily life here feels connected to the neighborhood outside. If you plan to spend most of your time on the Left Bank, this address keeps you in its natural orbit.

How to Choose Among Palace Hotels in Paris

The courtyard at hotel Le Crillon

The Palace designation already tells you the service level will be high. But, it does not tell you how the stay will feel. The differences between these hotels are less about quality and more about setting, scale, and style.

Start with location. Some Palace hotels sit in the Golden Triangle among couture houses and flagship boutiques. Others face the Tuileries, overlook the Eiffel Tower, or anchor the Left Bank. Where you wake up each morning will shape how you experience the city.

Next, consider scale. A hotel like La Réserve operates on a smaller, more contained footprint. The George V and The Peninsula function at a much larger scale, with extensive facilities and visible staff presence. Neither is better; they simply operate differently.

Finally, look at interior character. Some Palace hotels fully embrace classical French ornament. Others present a contemporary, restrained aesthetic. The Palace designation does not dictate style.

Choosing well comes down to understanding where you want to be in the city and what kind of surroundings you prefer to return to at the end of the day.

FAQs – Palace Hotels in Paris

WHAT IS A PALACE HOTEL IN PARIS?
A Palace is a hotel recognized by the French government as operating above the standard five-star level. The designation is reserved for a small group of hotels that demonstrate exceptional service, distinctive architecture or history, and a consistently high level of overall experience. Not every five-star hotel qualifies.

HOW MANY PALACE HOTELS ARE THERE IN PARIS?
France has a limited number of Palace hotels. The list is intentionally small and can change over time, since the designation is reviewed every five years rather than guaranteed permanently. As we write this, there are 31 Palace hotels in all of France, 12 of them in Paris. See the official list of Palace hotels in France.

ARE PALACE HOTELS WORTH THE PRICE?
Palace hotels care the ultimate splurge. They are priced at the top end of the market because they offer more staff, larger rooms, extensive facilities, and highly developed dining programs. You are paying for location, space, and a depth of service that goes beyond standard luxury hotels. Whether that makes sense depends on how important the hotel is to your stay in Paris.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FIVE-STAR HOTEL AND A PALACE HOTEL?
All Palace hotels are five-star, but only a small number of them earn this higher status. The Palace designation recognizes a higher level of service, history, architecture, and overall distinction. It signals that the hotel operates in a category above the traditional five-star classification.