Paris: the capital’s finest 5-star hotels

Le Cinq Codet, Paris 7th | Discreet Left Bank luxury

Between the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides, in the opulent 7th arrondissement, this former telephone exchange has been transformed into an elegant 5-star hotel that retains the chic of the 1930s while adopting a resolutely contemporary style. Behind the sleek glass facade, every space in Le Cinq Codet has been designed to let in as much light as possible, and the decor by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel follows the trend perfectly: each room and suite has been designed like a collector's home, with the omnipresence of art objects, photographs, paintings and Saintluc-style furniture. On the first floor, chef David Maroleau - who has worked at the Plaza Athénée, London's Ritz and Maison Troisgros - serves dinner and snacks in the intimacy of the patio.

What makes the difference? The most impressive feature is the building itself, with its Art Deco geometry almost reminiscent of the bow of an ocean liner.

Le Cinq Codet
5 Rue Louis Codet, 75007 Paris
From €275 per night.

Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, Paris 1st | A magical location in the heart of Paris

In the heart of the 1st arrondissement, a stone's throw from the Palais Royal gardens, the Louvre and rue de Rivoli, rises this superb 5-star hotel, a veritable emblem of Parisian chic: a listed façade, an elegant, subdued lobby featuring large sculpted busts, and decor by Pierre-Yves Rochon - a leading palace specialist who also designed the sumptuous interiors of the St. Regis in Rome and the Four Seasons Megève. Pastel hues, predominantly lime green (as a discreet reminder of the garden's vegetation) and in the 68 rooms and suites, plenty of light, creamy tones enhanced by green or wine-colored seats, marble bathrooms featuring Diptyque welcome products, and sometimes even a balcony with a breathtaking view over the rooftops of Paris, or the peaceful Place de Valois.

On the first floor of the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, you'll find the contemporary lines of Café 52, the hotel's restaurant, where chef Maxime Raab - who has worked in the kitchens of Fouquet's - proves with every dish that it's possible for a hotel to also be home to an healthy restaurant. And to relax, there's a Holidermie spa with a large hammam and a fitness room.

We particularly like?

• The location in the heart of Paris, just a stone's throw from the Louvre, Rue Saint-Honoré, the Tuileries and the banks of the Seine...
• The refinement of the intricate, quintessentially Parisian elegance
• A two-level wellness area: hammam, fitness room with Technogym equipment and private showers on level -1, complemented by two large treatment rooms and a hairdressing salon on the 1st floor
• 5-star service : palace-style "Clefs d'Or" concierge service, 24-hour room service, "blanket" service to prepare the room for the night, etc.
• Family spirit: a princely welcome for children, who are provided with toys, games and scooters, and can sleep in connecting rooms

Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal
4 Rue de Valois, 75001 Paris
From €390 per night in a double room

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme, Paris 2nd | The contemporary palace on Rue de la Paix

Situated between Place Vendôme and the Palais Garnier, at number 5 on the Rue de la Paix, home to countless jewellers and known to all thanks to Monopoly, the Park Hyatt, a 5-star hotel officially designated as a "Palace" (there are only 12 such hotels in Paris), is a veritable urban oasis in the heart of the city. The first impression upon entering the lobby is olfactory, with a fragrance developed especially for the hotel by perfumer Blaise Mautin. The neoclassical decor is designed by Ed Tuttle, a formidable architect who passed away in June 2020, and who was responsible for the decoration of several Aman-branded establishments, including the legendary Amanpuri in Phuket. In the 156 rooms and suites, everything is elegant and sober, with high ceilings, lacquered furniture, marble, limestone-walled bathrooms... Not to mention a luxurious spa and a Michelin-starred restaurant, le Pur', run by Jean-François Rouquette.

What makes the difference? The winter lounge with its cosy fireplace, and the hotel's indoor garden, where you can relax in fine weather.

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme
5 Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris
From €650 per night.

L'Hôtel, Paris 6th | The confidential address in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Legend has it that this establishment, soberly named "L'Hôtel", was the very first boutique hotel in the world to open its doors, and that it welcomed the famous writer Oscar Wilde within its walls. A man of taste, for an establishment that is no less so, with a chic, boudoir spirit typical of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, featuring the unique style of decorator Jacques Garcia. In the lobby, marbled columns, antique furniture, sumptuous tapestries and original works of art, and in the 20 rooms that wind around a period spiral staircase, spaces that resemble Parisian apartments, with terraces and views over the rooftops of Paris. On the first floor, sip one of the bar's amazing cocktails while awaiting the reopening of the once Michelin-starred restaurant, whose renovation looks very promising..

Good to know? A rarity for an establishment of this size, L'Hôtel houses a swimming pool and hammam in its cellars, accessible by reservation only.

L'Hôtel Paris
13 Rue des Beaux-Arts, 75006 Paris
From €300 per night for a double room.

Hôtel Grand Powers, Paris 8th | The nugget of the Golden Triangle

In the middle of the Golden Triangle, near Avenue Montaigne and a stone's throw from the Champs-Élysées, you'll find this former 1920s hotel, tastefully and elegantly renovated by Alexandra and Julie Marang. The building is a blend of Art Deco and Haussmannian style, a perfect marriage of chic femininity and hushed discretion, reflected in the lobby, the Café 52 restaurant and the 50 rooms and 12 suites: one color per floor - carmine red, petrol blue, celadon green - period fireplaces and doors, magnificent ceiling moldings, marble bathrooms and a television cleverly hidden behind a mirror. The Grand Powers is a great address for local connoisseurs looking for an intimate cocoon, far from the glitz and gilt of neighboring palaces.

What makes the difference? The intimate spa with jacuzzi, available on request on level -1.

Hôtel Grand Powers
52 Rue François 1er, 75008 Paris
From 430€ per night

Brach, Paris 16th | The cool 5-star awakening of the 16th arrondissement

One of Paris's finest Philippe Starck-designed establishments, this 5-star hotel has been transformed into a place of hybridity par excellence. Starting with the building that houses it: a 7,000 m2 former postal sorting center, in which 59 rooms and suites have been fitted out, and which also houses the essential restaurant and cocktail bar, as well as a patisserie, a grocery store and a rooftop with vegetable garden... and chicken coop. When it comes to decor, Starck is as adept as ever at combining raw materials (wood, concrete, leather, marble), transparency, bookcases filled with books (including the latest literary releases), and a plethora of works of art. This establishment of the young Evok hotel group (Cour des Vosges, Sinner...) has rapidly established itself as one of the finest hotels in the 16th arrondissement.

What makes it stand out? The sports club, directly inspired by the boxing clubs of the 1930s, and a beautiful 22-meter swimming pool.

Brach Paris
1-7 Rue Jean Richepin, 75116 Paris
59 rooms and suites. From €400 per night.