The best 5-star hotels in Lille

1. Hôtel Barrière Lille

The pitch? The city of Lille is transformed into a port by Jean-Paul Viguier's spectacular architectural evocation, a glass and chrome cruise ship moored opposite the Parc des Dondaines. Board at the Hôtel Barrière Lille for a 5-star cruise, perched on a bridge above the Lille Flandres and Europe train stations. London is 80 minutes by Eurostar, Paris an hour. Stroll the narrow streets of Vieux Lille, 15 minutes away, take in a show at the Opéra and, for connoisseurs, take the streetcar to the Villa Cavrois, an extraordinary architect-designed house from the 1930s. And let's not forget, every year in early September, the incredible Braderie de Lille, where you can come bargain hunting and discover the city in celebration.

What's the hotel like? Accustomed to seaside resorts and mountains, Lille's 5-star Barrière hotel comes as a surprise in this urban environment. The lobby, undeniably elegant, vibrates with gentle efficiency and discretion. A corridor leads to the casino's bolder, larger foyer, with heavy velvet curtains announcing the gaming rooms and a theater-performance hall that regularly hosts star concerts and musical revues. The public areas of the Hotel de Lille are more restrained, adorned with works of art inspired by local monuments, suggesting a regional heritage that contrasts with the international glitz of the casino wing.

The fourth-floor spa, decorated by Pierre-Yves Rochon, offers a sauna, hammam, herbal tea room and fitness center. Guests can enjoy a Cinq Mondes kobido facial massage, a Tahitian monoi scrub or the Diane Barrière signature treatment, which detoxifies and reboosts the body over the long term. A business center and meeting rooms are available for conferences and seminars.

What are the rooms like? The hotel has 125 rooms and 17 suites spread over nine floors. Even the smallest is quite spacious (26 m2), with king-size beds and leather seating. The suites are larger than the average for other 5-star hotels in Lille. The interior design is by Pierre-Yves Rochon, best known for his classic projects such as the Savoy in London and the George V Palace in Paris. Despite a color palette mixing mauves and olive greens, the large windows allow the exterior to steal the show from the decor, offering views of the city's bell towers, belfries and turrets, or the vegetation of the park opposite.

The table? Big white plates and large bay windows, the main restaurant, Les Hauts de Lille, attracts local businessmen and women and guests with just enough contemporary touches on classic dishes, in 3-, 5- or 7-course menus inspired by the seasons. The more casual brasserie, La Terrasse du Parc, offers regional flavors and salads overlooking the park, or in an eccentric dome-shaped capsule. In summer, you can even enjoy barbecues on the terrace.

The room is at its best at breakfast, with a delicious hot and cold buffet, or during the late afternoon Sunday brunch. Three other bars welcome cocktail, party and sports enthusiasts.

Hôtel Barrière Lille
From €180 per night
777 bis Pont de Flandres, 59777 Lille

2. Le Clarence, 5 stars in Old Lille

Ideal for exploring Old Lille, less than a 10-minute walk from Notre-Dame de la Treille, the Grand Place and the Vieille Bourse, you enter Le Clarence through its enclosed courtyard, and discover a former 18th-century mansion built at the request of the Countess d'Hespel. Once inside this 5-star Lille hotel, you'll find a harmonious blend of history and contemporary features: paintings and statues by French and foreign artists adorn the common areas; a surprisingly intimate library room can double as a private dining area inside the restaurant; and the property also benefits from its own spacious garden.

The owner is a Baudelaire enthusiast, and each of the 19 rooms in the main building is decorated with an extract from his poetry. All are unique, one featuring a travel theme with a stylized flattened globe adorning the wall and elegant furnishings. Others have a more classic design with four-poster beds. Let's be honest, they could do with a little refurbishment, but the hotel has undertaken some work and is now offering 6 new rooms in the Le Pavillon annex. On the gourmet restaurant front, 1 Michelin star has been awarded to the oak-panelled La Table, where chef Alexandre Miquel, originally from Béthun, expresses his passion for local produce and chocolate. In summer, choose the terrace overlooking the garden of Lille's 5-star hotel.

Le Clarence
27 keys from €180 per night
32 Rue de la Barre, 59800 Lille

3. L'Hermitage Gantois

Long before it became Lille's first 5-star hotel, this Flemish building was a 15th-century hospice, whose façade still boasts a large stained-glass window. Inside, the walls have preserved a former hospice room still intact, as well as a 17th-century chapel. All this coexists harmoniously with contemporary art pieces, vast courtyards, a glass roof and a modern brasserie. As for the bedrooms, some are a little dated, blending modernity with slightly older touches: exposed wooden beams, wood panelling on the walls around the bed.

At L'Estaminet Flamand, enjoy regional cuisine under the redwood ceiling, before extending your relaxation to the spa with pool and sauna, where you can enjoy Olivier Claire, Comfort Zone and Nougatine treatments. As part of Marriott's Autograph collection, guests can expect all the comforts and services of the international brand, while enjoying the local style steeped in Lille's rich history.

L'Hermitage Gantois
From €190 per night
224 Rue Pierre Mauroy, 59000 Lille