Paris is undoubtedly the home of the romantic hotel. From reimagined historic mansions to futuristic skyscrapers, Martin Brudnizki-designed interiors to a spa by Dior, the French capital is the ideal destination for a weekend escape with a loved one. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea”. We couldn’t agree more. These romantic hotels in Paris promise to set hearts fluttering.
Romantic Hotels in Paris
Louis XIV’s Château de Versailles, just outside Paris, is famous the world over for its gilt grandeur and gardens. So, when luxury hotel group Airelles opened a 14-bedroom property in the palace grounds, it had quite the reputation to live up to. And it doesn’t disappoint, restored to its 18th century sumptuousness by designer Christophe Tollemer. Here, ceilings soar, crystal chandeliers glitter and gold mirrors adorn the walls. A grand staircase sweeps up to the bedrooms, each one meticulously decorated with true-to-the-period fabrics, ornate furniture and artworks.
With Alain Ducasse overseeing the menu you’ll eat like royalty, whether breakfasting with views across the sun-dappled Orangerie gardens or feasting in the grand dining room. It’s the little touches that make this place special, like the period uniforms worn by staff; the silver platters of Ladurée macarons for guests to nibble on; or the ‘Miroir Majestueux’ treatment in the hotel’s Spa Valmont, which was inspired by the beauty rituals of Marie Antoinette herself. The icing on the cake? Your stay includes exclusive after-hours access to the Palace of Versailles and the Trianon, accompanied by a private guide. Airelles Château de Versailles now offers once-in-a-lifetime paid-for experiences, too, including horse rides through the grounds and the opportunity to explore the picturesque Chevreuse Valley in a chauffeur-driven 1960s Jaguar, surely making it one of the most romantic hotels in Paris.
12 rue de l’Indépendance Américaine, 78000 Versailles, France
airelles.com
The meeting of luxury Italian house Bulgari and the City of Light is a match made in hotel heaven. Set on Avenue George V in the ‘Golden Triangle’, the glamorous Right Bank enclave, the Bulgari Hotel Paris has one of the capital’s most prestigious addresses. Italian architectural studio Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel have used marble, silk wall coverings, granite, tapestries, polished eucalyptus woodwork to create a series of incredibly chic spaces.
Il Ristorante – Niko Romito offers an Italian menu that’s stunning in its simplicity and authenticity, while you’ll find a sophisticated Parisian crowd sipping cocktails in the backlit ivory onyx Bar. The two-level spa is designed to emulate the baths of ancient Rome, its pool lined with glittering mosaics, and the nine treatment rooms clad in Vicenza stone. Nearly every one of the 76 rooms and suites has a private loggia overlooking the internal garden or a balcony with views down Avenue George V. The lavishly decorated two-floor penthouse is the pièce de résistance, with its huge private garden and 360° panoramas.
30 Avenue George V, 75008 Paris
bulgarihotels.com
LVMH never does anything by halves, and this can definitely be said of Cheval Blanc Paris. The location is just so (the first arrondissement between the Marais, Ile de la Cité and the Louvre) and the Art Deco building meticulously restored by renowned architects Peter Marino and Edouard François, with no less than 600 artisans. Thick rugs, deep sofas and marble bathtubs give an air of cosy luxe to the 72 bedrooms and suites, many of which come with a bay window offering a front row seat on to the Seine. L’Appartement on the 8th and 9th floors is a showstopper, even by Parisian standards, with its private swimming pool, seven bedrooms and panoramic terrace.
LVMH ripples through the hotel, not least in the subterranean Dior Spa where even the spa slippers are emblazoned with the fashion house’s logo (it’s also home to a 30-metre pool – the largest in the city). Upstairs, Arnaud Donckele serves up a seductive French menu at the Michelin-starred Plénitude, and on the 7th floor, you can feast on Italian seafood at Langosteria, or at brasserie Le Tout-Paris. The latter is open from breakfast, but it’s at dusk, with a glass of Champagne in hand and the twinkling lights of Paris below, when the romance begins.
8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris
chevalblanc.com
Soho House Paris is in Pigalle, a former red-light district between the 9th and 18th arrondissements that’s now one of the buzziest spots in town. Which is why, of course, Soho House is here, in an elegant 19th-century apartment building that was once the residence of artist, poet and avant-garde film-maker Jean Cocteau. Decor is flawless throughout the five-floor space, inspired in part by Cocteau’s Côte d’Azur villa (the mosaic-tiled floor in the entrance deserves a special mention). The 36 bedrooms embrace the boudoir style of 18th century France, with rich fabrics, vintage finds and exquisite period details.
There’s every manner of cosy corner to while away a few hours. On warmer days soak up the sunshine in the outdoor central courtyard or the pretty Winter Garden, where you can dine on a menu that offers all the House favourites as well as local delicacies. Or cosy in the Salle de Reception, with its cushy velvet seating and de Gournay wallpaper. For the energetic, there’s an outdoor marble swimming pool, fully equipped gym, plus a spa and wellbeing area. You can always be sure of the unexpected at Soho House, and here it comes in the form of the underground Cabaret Room, its Moulin Rouge-inspired silk ceiling, red velvet walls and curving bar a perfect setting to host DJ sets and burlesque performances.
45 Rue La Bruyere, 75009 Paris
sohohouse.com
IHG Hotels & Resorts has brought its luxury boutique brand to the City of Light with Kimpton St Honoré Paris. French architect and designer Charles Zana stayed true to the 1917 building, weaving art deco touches throughout the 123 guest rooms and 26 suites. Jewel-coloured furnishings pop against a soft palette, while restored period details add to the aesthetic – some of the rooms have those romantic, wrought-iron balconies so unique to the city. Zana is also responsible for the 10th floor rooftop bar and garden, Sequoia, a popular spot for aperitifs. Descend in one of the vintage mirrored elevators to Montecito, the light-flooded brasserie serving up a California-meets-Paris menu.
Pampering comes in the form of the small but well-appointed spa – where treatments are by French skincare brand Codage – plus there’s an indoor heated swimming pool and state-of-the-art fitness centre. Though you might prefer to up your BPM by borrowing one of the hotel’s bicycles and cycling along the Seine or through the Tuileries Gardens. As with all Kimpton properties, the hotel is pet friendly so expect to see four-legged guests, as elegantly coiffed as their owners, nibbling on dog macarons in the lounge.
27-29 Boulevard des Capucines, 75002 Paris
kimptonsthonoreparis.com
When Madame Rêve joined the Paris scene, she was a breath of fresh air. For here was a hotel, masterminded by celebrated restaurateur Laurent Taïeb, that promised sophisticated French luxury, yes, but in a wonderfully low-key way. It may be located in the iconic 19th century Louvre post office building, but blink and you might miss the discreet entrance with its petite lobby. Downstairs is a vision of dark wood, velvet curtains and gold accents (“life must be golden,” says the interior designer Andrée Putman) – a nod to the hotel’s 19th century heritage.
As you ascend, contemporary decor comes into play across the 82 rooms, including 19 suites. Furniture throughout has been custom-made; fabrics are by Pierre Frey. There are two restaurants overseen by Benjamin Six (formerly of Zuma): the café, with its open-air terrace and all-day Mediterranean menu, and La Plume, which serves a Japanese-inspired menu using local French ingredients. But it’s the fourth-floor roof terrace and sky garden ROOF that steal the show – with a panorama stretching across the Eiffel Tower, Church of Saint-Eustache and Pantheon, la vie est belle ici.
48 rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris
madamereve.com
Anything interior designer Martin Brudnizki touches turns to gold – and anticipation is building for the opening in April of Le Grand Mazarin, the latest addition to the Maisons Pariente collection. The family-run hotel group (Crillon le Brave, Le Coucou, Lou Pinet) have chosen the Marais for their new five-star address, a vibrant neighbourhood that has for centuries been at the intersection of the city’s arts and culture. Located at the corner of rue des Archives and rue de la Verrerie, near the Hôtel de Ville, the hotel is a mere stroll to all the restaurants, boutiques and galleries which make this arrondissement so alluring.
Brudnizki has blended French classicism with a joyful, flamboyant modernity – and a touch of humour – across the 61 rooms, including 11 suites, as well as the restaurant and bar (there’s also a swimming pool). And so, you have bold tapestries adorning four-poster beds, while print-on-print furnishings, jewel-coloured wallpapers and opulent lighting dazzles in the bar and restaurant. “We wanted the hotel to feel as though it has always been a part of Le Marais’ landscape, so we sought inspiration from the great houses of the aristocratic era, where figures from literature, art and music gathered in sumptuous residences, exchanging ideas and thoughts,” Brudnizki explains. We can’t wait.
17 rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris
legrandmazarin.com
Martin Brudnizki must be one of the busiest interior designers in the business. As well as being behind the decor of new arrivals Le Grand Mazarin and also Broadwick Soho, in London, he’s also designed La Fantaisie, which opens this May in Faubourg-Montmartre, in the heart of the 9th arrondissement. As ever, Brudnizki brings his playfulness and exuberance to the interiors, with the 63 rooms and ten suites an ode to nature with a soft palette of greens, yellows and coral, floral wallpapers and lavish upholstery used to “transport guests to a dreamlike world”, well away from the hustle and bustle outside.
This being Paris, the food is set to be stellar. The trailblazing Dominique Crenn – the first female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars in the US – returns from San Francisco to her home country to head up the kitchen. Centred wholly around local and sustainable ingredients, and in keeping with the hotel’s zero plastic, zero waste philosophy, the glass-roofed Golden Poppy restaurant will have such dishes as turbot ceviche with spiced parsnip milk and leche de tigre on the menu. The holistic spa, with its soft green armchairs and botanical mosaics, promises to be sanctuary-like, where treatments by cult French brand Holidermie have been designed to nourish the body and soul.
24 rue Cadet, 75009 Paris
lafantaisie.com
What could be more romantic than being one of the first ever guests to stay at the Hôtel Dame des Arts, which opened on 1 February. Set in a former 1950s theatre school in the heart of Saint-Germain on the Rive Gauche, the hotel has been reimagined by Paris-based Israeli interior designer Raphael Navot. Taking the history of the local artists and creatives who lived and thrived in the area, Navot has combined Parisian flair with industrial touches, creating spaces that are at once minimalist yet inviting, incorporating bespoke furniture and 700 pieces of art.
Many of the 109 guest bedrooms have an outdoor balcony, with views of the city’s iconic landmarks. There’s also a rooftop bar from which to enjoy the vistas at cocktail hour, as well as a ground floor restaurant and garden courtyard, which will see Othoniel Alvarez Castaneda serve up French sharing dishes with a Mexican twist – think Brittany oysters with spicy chilli oil and yuzu kosho seasoning, tuna sashimi on a corn tostada with chipotle or mushrooms with mole. This hotel promises ambience and elegance alike.
4 rue Danton, 75006 Paris
damedesarts.com
Laurent Taïeb, the man behind Hôtel Madame Rêve, brings another hotel to Paris with TOO. The property, which opened in October, is located right at the top of one of the Tours Duo, Jean Nouvel’s geometric, futuristic skyscrapers in the 13th arrondissement. Set between the tower’s 17th and 24th floors, the 360° views are, as you can imagine, quite extraordinary. Taïeb brought Philippe Starck in to do the design, who has played on themes of earth and sky, combining chrome and concrete with natural materials such as wicker and wood to create “the tale of a castle floating above Paris, not quite Earth-bound, a place where anything is possible.” Beds in the 139 rooms and suites are precisely angled to give guests the very best vantage point of the dramatic skyline below.
The restaurant, with its powder pink walls and gold ceiling, is set within a glass cube which balances above the hotel, setting the scene for chef Benjamin Six’s cosmopolitan menu. Skybar – currently one of the highest in Paris at over 440 ft with a huge terrace – is open until 2am; the hotel spa’s outdoor jacuzzi, which overlooks the Seine, is the perfect spot to recover from one too many kirs royale.
65 rue Bruneseau, 75013 Paris
toohotel.com
