11 Best 5-Star Hotels in Paris

Ah, gay Paris. One of the most dynamic cities in Europe and one most often associated with love, art, haute-cuisine, and the theatre. Less-known, perhaps, is the fact that Paris boasts some of the finest hotels on the continent.

In this post, we’ll introduce you to some of the 5-star hotels in Paris, some of which you may even know, but we’ll bring you some new pros – and even cons – of these fine establishments to assist you in planning your trip to the City of Love.

We’ll provide you with addresses and any other details available about these 5-star hotels in Paris and give you a clear indication of the physical location of the hotels relative to the center of the city.

These and other benefits will help ensure that your stay at one of the luxury hotels in Paris will undoubtedly be everything you had hoped for.

Best 5-Star Hotels in Paris 

1. Hotel Shangri-La

Listed in the French “Monuments Historiques,” the palace hotel is a magnificent building just across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, less than 656 yards away.

Former home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, a descendant of the French Emperor Napoleon, the luxury hotel is the essence of style and comfort.

If it’s location and comfort you want, the Shangri-La has it in spades, and a visit will have you feeling like royalty.

Getting around Paris can be exhausting, particularly if you’re going to be doing a lot of walking as many of us do, covering as much ground as possible when available.

A luxurious hot bath or shower is just the ticket when your feet are aching, and a beautiful room or suite finishes the day off perfectly.

All rooms and suites (other than signature suites) are decorated in shades of blue, ecru, and white, in keeping with European Empire and Asian aesthetics.

The rooms have a living room with a desk, and a marble bathroom with heated flooring, offering a bath and a rainfall shower and complimentary toiletries from the house of Guerlain.

Your room will feature custom-made furniture with crystal finishing and offer drapes and other soft finishings of the finest quality, as befits a ‘palace’ guest, placed there by interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon.

On the practical side, rooms are all equipped with a laptop safe for added peace of mind, but you may be assured that although discreet, security is taken very seriously.

Michelin-starred Chef Christophe Moret believes that 5-star hotels in Paris must produce the finest fare together with impeccable service and oversees the two restaurants that the Shangri-La offers. Appropriately, as the owners are Hong Kong Chinese, an Asian menu accompanies the traditional – though exquisite – French one.

You are sure to love the breakfast options, which are very varied, with Continental, American, English, Vegan, Asian, and Gluten-free options all on offer to prepare you for battle before you hit the Parisian streets and sights.

Wellness and leisure services include a fitness room and indoor swimming pool, the latter of which is located in Roland Bonaparte’s former stables. In-room spa experiences are also offered, and an hour in the Turkish Bath is something you’ll not want to miss.

You’ll find the Shangri-La to be close to the heart of Paris, and the Eiffel Tower is just a short walk away over the Seine, while the Musee Du Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Arc De Triomphe, and Jardins du Trocadero are also close by.

The nearest Metro/bus station is Léna, on President Wilson Ave, but take special care against pickpockets on Parisian public transport – the cutest kids are often hardened decoys.

The Shangri-La is the epitome of swank, and you will love your stay here. Elegant in the extreme, with superb service that often goes the extra mile, this is one establishment that could be considered a 7-star hotel in Paris.

2. Hotel Le Royal Monceau Raffles

As one of Paris’ premier 5-star hotels, the Hôtel Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris (to use its full name) is ideally located in central Paris, very close to the Arc de Triomph, just 546 yards away.

Founded in 1928 by André Junot and Pierre Bermond, the hotel has hosted an array of illustrious guests, amongst whom Walt Disney, Josephine Baker, and the Aga Khan are but three.

Historically significant was the signing of the birth certificate of the State of Israel between Golda Meir and David Ben Gurion on the premises.

Since then, the hotel has seen several changes, including a complete refurbishing by the world-renowned designer Philippe Starck, who has designed everything from boats to watches, but his best-known work was the Louis Ghost Chair and the Hotel Le Royal Monceau Raffles.

As a result of the refurbishment in 2008, you’ll find a vibrant, modern hotel with up-to-date amenities, clean lines, and a warm to neutral color scheme that is clean and inviting without being pretentious.

Rooms and suites are open and wonderfully un-cluttered and feature a flat-screen TV and a private bar, refrigerated, of course. A shower (or bathtub), bathrobes, and the Clarins range of toiletries grace the modern bathroom.

If you care to work, read or correspond with the outside world, an executive desk is included in your room.

Dining is sublime, with one of the finest Japanese restaurants in Europe – Matsuhisa Paris – running under the guiding hand of chef Hideki Endo and offering Asian, French, and Latin American cuisine.

You will be floored by Matsuhisa Paris’ signature black cod, though each dish is better than the last, so come prepared.

The award-winning Italian restaurant II Carpaccio is also available to bring a taste of southern Europe to Paris under a beautiful glass ceiling. The main restaurant’s breakfast includes a buffet, continental, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.

Sometimes a day off between bouts of museum visits, long walks, and sightseeing is just what you need, and the ‘My Blend by Clarins’ Spa, with its yoga and pilates classes, complete with trainers, is a fine place to spend it.

A cozy swimming pool is available to you, as is a Hammam, or Turkish Bath, which should iron out those ‘creases.’

The Charles de Gaulle – Etoile Metro Station is just 400 meters away. It can take you to almost all of Paris’ attractions, but within easy walking distance for those without disabilities are Cathedrale Saint Alexandre Nevsky, Arc de Triomph, Av. Des Champs Élysées, the beautiful Parc Monceau, and more.

3. Hotel Plaza Athenee

Conveniently situated for high-end shopping along the Av. Montaigne, the Plaza Athenee is precisely what you would expect from 5-star hotels in Paris.

Delivering crisp, highly efficient service in all branches, from cleaners to concierge service, and providing thick, fluffy towels in the immaculate rooms, the Plaza will have you thrilled to have chosen this hotel. (Maid service twice a day is just one example of the service)

Marble bathrooms and an eclectic décor style (Louis XVI and Regency style on the first six floors and art deco from interior design duo Clair Bétaille and Bruno Moinard on the seventh) offer a glorious stay.

You will be given a choice of five pillow types to guarantee a good night’s sleep, before which your minibar, with a selection of 80 personalized drinks, will help round off a hectic day in Paris.

Billed as a palace hotel, the Hotel Plaza Athenee boasts five top restaurants offering superb cuisine, as one expects. Less expected was the strangely limited choice of breakfast: American.

We prefer a little more variety, but you are, of course, not limited to eating in the hotel. There is a delightful cocktail bar that gets things going in the evening and more than compensates for any breakfast woes.

One thousand nine hundred red geraniums adorn the hotel façade, giving every balcony a little romantic privacy from the busy street below, and what a street it is!

Av. Montaigne boasts the finest Haut Couture in the fashion capital of the world – sorry, Milano – and runs from the Eiffel Tower at one end to the Champs-Elysées at the other.

Sit on your own balcony, watching the fashionistas below, or stroll across the Seine via the Pont de L’Alma to the Musée des Égouts de Paris (the Sewer Museum, which really sounds much better in French!) and a little further, the Eiffel Tower.

The Paris Museum of Modern Art is just across the river – on your side – from the Eiffel Tower, and the Museum of Asian art is not much further.

Luxury hotels in Paris are all very central, and the Hotel Plaza Athenee has the added attraction of being right in the fashion belt. You can explore all of the Parisian sites from here, either on foot or using the public transport system.

4. Hotel Maison Souquet

Hotel Maison Souquet lies to the northeast of the Arc de Triomph and closer to the magnificent Basilica Sacré Coeur, in the fashionable suburb of Montmartre, well known for its nightlife.

If you plan to make the most of your nights in Paris, the famous Moulin Rouge is just two minutes’ walk from the hotel.

Maison Souquet is not everyone’s cup of tea, decorated in the dark, almost foreboding Belle Époque style, with deep velvets adorning the furnishings and rich gold, navy, and purple the principal colors in the rooms.

However, after the initial – dare we say – shock, there is a compelling drawing in if you allow, and kudos to the designer Jacques Garcia and the owners for the brave and liberating choice.

As we found out in our research, guests cannot speak highly enough about the atmosphere, service, and rooms. If you’re willing to try something very different but still exceptional, the Maison Souquet is one of the unique luxury hotels in Paris.

Set in an exclusive Parisian townhouse, with rooms that each enjoy a unique décor, the hotel is not large and naturally cannot offer many amenities. Still, it does have a spa and wellness centre and a small swimming pool.

Guest access is limited to an hour or so, depending on amenity, and there is even a Hammam available to you.

The rooms are not large but are air-conditioned with a flat-screen TV and a minibar. Bathrooms are less ornate than the rooms but compliment them cleverly.

French culinary specialties are taken at the bar, and breakfast is either American or Continental in style; and of course, there are many places to eat within a few minutes’ walk.

If you’re disinclined to walk, turn left as you leave the hotel and the Blanche Metro station is just along Rue de Bruxelles.

5. Hotel Le Meurice

Another Dorchester Group showpiece in Paris, the Le Meurice, is a hotel palace with an enviable 2-star Michelin restaurant run by chef Alain Ducasse. Meals are taken in the grand dining area, whose décor was inspired by Château de Versailles’ Salon de la Paix.

Le Dali restaurant is open for meals throughout the day. Room service is exceptional and definitely worth your while, as all kitchens fall under the purview of chef Alain and his trusty chef des cuisines, Amaury Bouhours, including those used for room service.

An admirable distinction of Le Meurice is the chef’s insistence that at least 95% of all produce is sourced from local supplies, ensuring freshness and continuity.

Rooms are tastefully decorated in the Louis XVI style with a modern twist and a marble bathroom and are another of Phillipe Starck’s masterpieces.

Views are sublime over the surrounding rooftops, giving a new perspective to your visit. The air-conditioned and soundproofed rooms are an oasis of tranquility, much appreciated after you stroll through the huge Jardin des Tuileries, just across the road from your front door.

Le Meurice is another of the 5-star hotels in Paris that are perfectly located, close to the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Place de la Concorde, Palace Gardens, and far more.

You will be able to walk to many of the sights of Paris (only 1.2 miles to Notre Dame), and there are several bus stops on your street and the Concorde Metro just to the right on Rue de Rivoli. Tuileries Metro station is just 109 yards away.

If you prefer a night in on occasion, Bar 228 offers live jazz every evening and a range of 300 different drinks if your jazz appreciation needs some assistance.

The wood paneling and leather theme culminates in sofas and chairs that wrap you in comfort, and here’s a caveat – Bar 228 is not easy to leave.

6. Hotel Lutetia

No list of luxury hotels in Paris is complete without including the left-bank’s only luxury Palace Hotel, the majestic Hotel Lutetia. The iconic landmark is situated in the vibrant Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the capital.

Opened in 1910, when Art Nouveau was all the rage, the Lutetia was designed in the Art Deco style and has delivered authentic Parisian hospitality and charm to visitors and locals alike for over a hundred years.

Fashion icon Sonia Rykiel first redesigned her own shop in the hotel in the 1980s before reaffirming the Lutetia’s art deco heritage in the Brasserie, bedrooms, and Michelin-starred restaurant.

Amazingly, sculptor Hiquily, filmmaker David Lynch and other exclusive guests actually designed their own suites.

Like many other luxury hotels in Paris, Lutetia’s guest list reads like a veritable who’s-who with Picasso and Matisse living there for a time, as did James Joyce. He wrote the indecipherable ‘Ulysses’ at the hotel.

Charles De Gaulle spent his honeymoon there, and Pierre Berge, a co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent, lived there for years.

The rooms are exquisite, with bathrooms of marble (not marble accouterments) and baths weighing a ton – literally – and the 2018 (U$200-plus million) revamp in evidence everywhere.

Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper noted, “Each area is ripe for a magazine cover shoot,” which captures part of the allure perfectly.

From the Hermès range of complimentary toiletries in all bathrooms to the Bang & Olufsen entertainment centers in every room, it’s clear that of the 5-star hotels in Paris, the Lutetia intends to lead from the front.

The hotel boasts 184 rooms, 40 suites, and seven signature suites, all magnificent, and a subterranean spa that would not be out of place in Caesar’s Villa.

The Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre features an incredible fitness centre, sauna, steam room, and an immaculate indoor pool bathed in natural light and enshrined in marble.

You can enjoy the famous Lutetia Brasserie or the Saint Germain restaurant for luncheon and dinner, or relax in one of two courtyards if a light meal is more to your taste. Breakfasts are stellar, with vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, and kosher options also being provided.

We recommend at least one evening be spent at either the cigar lounge or the Jean Michel Willmotte-designed jazz bar, or preferably both. You’ll delight in a visit to the Lutetia, or Lvtetia, as it appears on the building and will probably return as a regular. Many do.

7. Grand Hotel Du Palais Royal

The Grand – or Grand Hôtel Du Palais Royal, to give it its formal name – is a wonderful oasis of calm right in the heart of throbbing Paris.

Situated very close to the Louvre (218 yards) and Tuileries Gardens and just a frisbee throw away from the Palais Royal and its beautiful gardens, this Parisian 5-star hotel is an ideal place to stay next time you visit the city.

Built in the 17-hundreds, the hotel is not large, nor does it need to be, as the service is impeccable, friendly, and very efficient, something not easily matched in a larger establishment.

The 68 suites and rooms are bright and airy, with soft colors and tasteful décor in creams, gentle lilacs, and earthy tones throughout.

No assault on the senses here; the focus is on warmth and welcoming rather than opulence. We found the rooms a little small, but the space was used exceptionally well. There is no wasted space anywhere.

Chef Maxime Raab’s menu focuses on the seasonal availability of locally-sourced produce, ensuring freshness in every bite and the balanced dishes can be enjoyed throughout the day at Café 52.

You might enjoy the sweeping terrace on the discreet and quiet Place de Valois for an intimate chat or a chance to unwind.

If you plan on pampering yourself in Paris – you really should! – the Holidermie Spa provides expert facial and body treatments, which they combine with their exclusive techniques and a fine range of carefully formulated cosmetics.

There is also a Hair Salon, a Hammam (Turkish Bath), and a fitness area where relaxation and serenity go hand in hand.

8. Hotel Le Bristol Paris

Despite the red & white candy-striped awning and red-flowered window boxes at every window, Bristol’s exterior is not the most awe-inspiring in France. Still, they did what they could with a box-shaped building and concentrated on the interior.

C’est Magnifique! Marble is used tastefully in the public areas and bathrooms, and the rooms are the epitome of style, colored in cool pastels for the most part and garnished on occasion with a Louis XV chair or Louis XVI table.

We’re convinced that if you went from room to room, it would be just like walking through the pages of a high-end interior design publication, so perfect are they, balancing style and practical comfort.

If you like your luxury understated rather than brash, the Bristol will tick many of your boxes. In addition, the hotel offers a rooftop swimming pool with Eiffel Tower views.

Owned by the Oetker Hotel Management GmbH based in Baden-Baden, this 5-star boutique hotel reflects the well-known German love of precision and detail.

All rooms are provided with good views – some of the lovely inner gardens, others of the hotel’s flower-filled 13 000 sq foot courtyard, and still more offering views of Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.

The Bristol is not just another of the luxury hotels in Paris – it’s a gastronomic destination, and celebrated chef Eric Frechon will most certainly bless your taste buds with his beautiful creations.

Dine at the 3-Michelin starred Epicure, where the gastronomy is undeniably French, or at 114 Faubourg, the deluxe Brasserie – which has its own Michelin star – ably run by Patrice Jeanne.

You’ll want to stroll a lot in the area surrounding the very central hotel because it is an easy walk from Place de la Madeleine and the Champs Ulysées with all of those shopping and refreshment stops.

Of course, the avenue your hotel is on is famous for art galleries and even more shopping (is there ever too much?) with Hermès and Gucci close by.

9. Le Scribe Paris Opera

5-star hotels in Paris are very proud of their locations, and justifiably so. Le Scribe is as central as it can be, less than 2 miles away from the Louvre Museum, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower.

It is 546 yards from the luxury shopping precinct at Place Vendome and half that distance from Opera Garnier, and of course, the metro system can quickly whisk you away to the rest of this exciting capital within minutes.

A proud member of the Sofitel group – one of five of their stable in Paris – Le Scribe will strike you as more home-like than many of the other luxury hotels in Paris, with sensible, well laid-out, and tastefully decorated rooms and less gild and swank than its neighbors.

Tristan Auer and Wilson Associates redesigned the hotel in 2019, aiming to recreate the intimacy of a Haussmann residence by mixing the Men’s Club ethos of the Jockey Club, which had previously stood on the site, with the Joie de Vivre of Paris. As a result, Le Scribe is notably different, as was intended, offering a home away from home.

We found it more comfortable and less opulent than most other five-star hotels in Paris. However, you will still feel pampered in the immaculately clean bathrooms, offering Balmain toiletries and complimentary bathrobes and slippers.

Rooms are naturally lit, light in color, and laid out in a modernistic style that is welcoming rather than challenging. With space at a premium, as always in Europe, there is a perfect flow through the rooms and suites.

Le Café Scribe is a contemporary restaurant featuring a large glass roof that creates the illusion of dining al fresco, even in winter, and a mezzanine library serves pastries and teas from around the world.

Location seems to be the most important criterion for most visitors to Paris, and if you would like to add a ‘home swap’ for a visit to Paris, you could do far worse than Le Scribe.

10. Hotel The Peninsula

You will find the Peninsula hotel just 0.7 miles from Avenue de Champs-Elysees and 0.9 miles from the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is a six-story limestone building designed by architect Richard Martinet and interior designer Henry Leung.

Each room in the Peninsula is decorated with a chic cream and gray palette, inspired by the city’s haute couture heritage. The rooms are extremely spacious as it fits a bedroom, a spacious marble bathroom, a sitting area, a dressing room, and a walk-in closet.

The hotel has a 2-star rooftop restaurant on site called L’Oiseau Blanc that serves delicious and mouth-watering French dishes, but this does not come cheap.  

The facilities available at the Peninsula definitely make this hotel stand out from other luxury hotels in Paris. The hotel houses the largest luxury hotel spa in Paris and still has space for two exercise rooms, a relaxation room, two Jacuzzis, and an indoor swimming pool.

11. Hotel Raphael

This 5-star Parisian palace is located in the quiet and peaceful 16th arrondissement, just 2 minutes from the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. 

The hotel’s rooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs and minibars. 

Some of the rooms have a balcony as well, with either a view of the city, courtyard, or a picture-perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. For the view of the Iron Lady, make sure to book one of the suites or the Eiffel Tower Deluxe Room.

The hotel has a sauna, a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, and a spa. However, the only downside is that the indoor swimming pool and spa are located in the Majestics hotel next to Hotel Raphael.

Final Words on the Best Paris 5-Star Hotels

Paris’ hotel scene has a perfect mix of high-end traditional look and original experience.

Fortunately, you don’t have to research extensively to find the best 5-star hotels in Paris–we already did the hard work for you.

We hope this article helped you choose where to stay in Paris and have a wonderful time on your own or with your loved ones. Enjoy Paris and au revoir!