Parisian nights: 10 of the most romantic hotels in the City of Love
The nocturnal twinkle of the Seine, the arched spines of the bridges that cross it, the wide streets with candelit restaurants – Paris makes romance easy. If you wish to refortify the city’s romantic credentials in your lodgings, the French capital is not short on whimsical and sexy boltholes for honeymoons or romantic weekend escapes. Of course, different couples have different ideas of what constitutes swoon-inducing stays, so we’ve rounded up a mixture of luxurious mansions with sumptuous spas, hotels with fine views and more characterful hideaways. Here's our pick of the most romantic hotels in Paris.
Set in the one-time mansion of Prince Roland Bonaparte, great nephew of Napoleon, the Shangri-La is a Parisian pied à terre on a palatial scale – with the most enviable Eiffel Tower views in the city. Its other treasures include a wedding-cake of a fa?ade, original function rooms that could be straight out of Versailles and an immaculately restored grand staircase. Duck-egg blue, cream and soft gold dominate the calm and classic colour scheme in the bedrooms. Each one is individually designed, decorated with marquetry desks, subtly embossed wallpaper and orchids. The best have balconies overlooking the garden, while the top suites have enormous panoramic terraces.
This magical address makes the heart sing. An extraordinary cocktail of belle époque glamour, five-star luxury and creative exuberance, Maison Souquet is the ultimate lovers’ address. A certain Madame Souquet ran a maison close (posh bordello for wealthy gentlemen) here from 1905 until 1907, and Celebrity French designer Jacques Garcia has since waved his magic wand to create bewitching, blood-red interiors spun from the finest silk, gold gilt, Venetian glass and sculpted wood. The attention to detail – down to the carefully curated 19th-century furniture, original chinoiserie and flickering scented candles of rose, tobacco and jasmine crafted by an artisan candle-maker in Lyon – is quite simply exquisite.
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Le Royal Monceau Raffles is a contemporary take on the ultra-luxe palace-grade hotel, with Philippe Starck-designed décor and fusion food offerings from Nobu Matsuhisa. The grand Art Deco awning nods to the history of the property, which opened in the 1930s, but inside the feel is thoroughly contemporary. With a loose 'Alice in Wonderland' inspiration, Starck plays with angles – think striped optical-illusion wallpaper in the corridors and a maze-like mirrored spa – without going too strong on the concept. Public spaces on ground level give on to a smart courtyard, where summery tables and chairs are arranged around a porthole looking down into the large turquoise pool.
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Bourg Tibourg, located in the fashionable Marais district, is a deliciously decadent retro retreat. The plain frontage of the hotel belies the veritable jewellery box of tasteful opulence that awaits inside. Bold colours and oriental design motifs are juxtaposed with neo-gothic décor, combined with meticulously chosen pieces of antique furniture. Expect rich, luxurious fabrics and kitsch details from Légion d'honneur-decorated designer Jacques Garcia. Patrons are also able to select a film from the hotel’s film library, mostly composed of stylish French cinema classics, which they can watch in their room with popcorn.
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This hotel has welcomed many celebrity guests throughout the years, including the exiled Oscar Wilde. The writer rented a furnished apartment here, then the H?tel D'Alsace, before his death in 1900, famously saying that he was “dying beyond his means.” Throughout the 20th century, the address continued to attract famous figures including Ava Gardener, Frank Sinatra and the Aga Kahn. The 20 rooms mix Empire style and Baroque detailing, creating a feel that is at once busy and sophisticated: think wood panels and elaborate carved wood features, grand bed heads, exquisite patterned wallpaper and antique embellishments.
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This was originally a mansion built for the half-brother of Napoleon III, and its striking stone fa?ade is suitably impressive. It was renovated in 2015 via a collaboration between the owner and Parisian superstar designer Jacques Garcia. The look is pared down, but there is still proof of the latter's signature playful blending of styles, with elements of Second Empire (intricate wall mouldings and Versailles parquet), Deco pillars in the Gabriel restaurant and contemporary art pieces. Even the smallest of the 14 rooms and 26 suites are the size of a standard Parisian apartment. There are views of the Jardin des Champs-élysées at the front of the hotel or the attractive interior courtyard at the back.
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Intimate, clandestine and deliciously private. This is that secret pied à terre in Paris you always fantasised about. Ground-floor lounges exude an exclusive gentlemen’s club ambiance with dim lighting, heavy red-velvet drapes and opulent drawing-room furnishings – if you wince at hunter trophies, skip the Petit Salon. The 1871 mansion was previously home to members of the Hermès and Rothschild families, and the house has lost none of its bourgeois-home charm, its five spacious suites differing dramatically in mood and décor. Without a doubt, the big draws are the lush walled garden with ample space for lounging around beneath trees, and the neigbouring pétanque court.
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This hotel is set in a grand 18th-century building on the corner of the pretty Place Valois. Interiors are by Pierre-Yves Rochon (also behind Four Seasons George V and Shangri-La), who has worked with the building's original features, such as the imposing spiral stairwell, to create an understated, elegant and contemporary look. Materials used are of the highest quality: fabrics and wallpaper come from Parisian designers Pierre Frey, Rubelli and Manuel Canovas, and furnishings from Philippe Lurel. Contemporary artworks are on display in the lobby, as well as busts of Voltaire and Rousseau made at the Louvre’s sculpture academy.
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The Evok group employed highly coveted Paris architect Jean-Louis Denoit to remodel this Avenue de l'Opéra hotel as if it were the luxurious house of a wealthy fictional traveller (“Nolinski”). The style of the hotel blends Belle Epoque Paris – think marble surfaces and suites named after Hemingway and Josephine Baker – with contemporary touches such as abstract art, jagged geometric lines and dazzling mirrored surfaces. The hotel's signature scent and lobby music, combined with the use of blue and green hues, helps create a feeling of being cocooned from the busy hum of the city.
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Paris locations don’t get more picturesque or charming than this. The hotel is located in an aristocratic mansion off the stunning Place des Vosges, the gorgeous symmetrical centrepiece of the Marais district. The hotel is an ivy-covered vision of archetypal French loveliness. The 17th-century mansion, constructed under Henry IV, sits in its own private garden courtyard. The lobby mixes Ancien Régime grandeur – think marble fireplaces and aristocratic portraits – with warm colours and sumptuous, soft furnishings. Some rooms feature original exposed beams and hand-picked antique pieces, while others have a more contemporary look, with bold colours and prints. Some rooms feature small balconies overlooking the picturesque courtyard.
Contributions by Eleanor Aldridge & Nicola Williams