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Best hotels in Paris 2023: From Eiffel Tower views to luxury locations

Plumping for Parisian chic? Our experts pick their favourite places to stay in the City of Lights

Carolyn Boyd
Friday 06 January 2023 15:59 GMT
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<p>Soak up the superb views of the Eiffel Tower on the rooftop of Brach Paris</p>

Soak up the superb views of the Eiffel Tower on the rooftop of Brach Paris

The City of Lights: it’s the place to stroll down boulevards, gaze at world-famous art and sample delicious food. Rest assured, when it comes to finding a place to lay your head in the French capital once it’s time for lights out, there’s choice a-plenty to suit your taste, budget and itinerary.

As the capital of the world’s most-visited country, the choice of where to stay in Paris is mind-boggling, with thousands of accommodation options, from budget hostels and boutique hotels to luxury stays, and from B&Bs to self-catering apartments.

As a France specialist, I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotels across l’Hexagone, but nothing quite compares to the je ne sais quoi of the kind of Parisian abodes that can, in themselves, become a highlight of any stay in the French capital.

But style doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank; there are plenty of superb hotels offering great service, exquisite decor and a peaceful night’s sleep without getting into debt. It’s what we at The Independent call “real-world luxury”. So, take a peek at these before your next trip to Paris.

Best hotel for shopping: Grands Boulevards

Neighbourhood: Central Paris

From London’s Experimental Cocktail Group comes Hotel des Grands Boulevards, a chic property located in a 300-year-old manor house close to some of Paris’s best shopping streets. Wonderfully discreet, it’s reached via a secret corridor and has its own quiet courtyard and terraces.

The 50 rooms have been created by Parisian designer Dorothée Meilichzon, and have handmade beds from Brittany with satiny, 300-threadcount sheets, while some rooms offer bathtubs big enough for two. There’s also a French-Italian restaurant and a terrace cocktail bar with views of Paris. The best bit? Despite its buzzing central location, the bedrooms promise complete silence.

Best hotel for cocktails: The Hoxton Paris

Neighbourhood: Bourse-Sentier

Hoxton Paris is popular for its Moroccan-inspired cocktails

One of the latest additions to Paris’s design hotel scene is a British export. The Hoxton, Paris, which opened in summer 2017, brings with it superb Moroccan-inspired cocktails in Jacques’ Bar. Decorated in florals and velvets, with full-height windows, it makes all-day cocktails a perfectly acceptable prospect.

The hotel itself is located in an 18th-century mansion, and the French outpost of the biggest of the expanding Hoxton Hotel collection. Spread over three buildings, it offers 172 bedrooms in four very British-named categories – shoebox, cosy, roomy and biggy – with decor featuring parquet floors, elegant cornicing, bold feature walls and geometric-tiled bathrooms. The standout design feature is its 15 elegant staircases, two of which are more than 300 years old. Elsewhere, the decor incorporates other features of the original building, such as tiles and mosaics, and exposed timber roof beams.

Best hotel for classic style: Pavillon des Lettres

Neighbourhood: 8th arrondissement

Each suite at Pavillon des Lettres is named after a famous writer

This soothing hotel is a must-stay for book-lovers, as its elegant decor is dedicated to great works of literature. Each of its 26 rooms and suites is dedicated to a different letter in the alphabet and, in turn, a great scribe, from Hans Christian Andersen to Emile Zola.

Some rooms offer views of the Eiffel Tower, but all feature calming neutral tones and hand-stencilled texts from the writers’ great works. It’s located in the 8th arrondissement, so it’s a short stroll from the Champs Elysées.

Best hotel for history: L'Hotel

Neighbourhood: Saint Germain

Oscar Wilde died in the building where L'Hotel is now located

Literature-lovers will delight in this bijou hotel, tucked away on the Left Bank. Once upon a time, it was a flea-bitten doss house where Oscar Wilde breathed his last breath, shortly after uttering the words “This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death.”

Now, though, on the walls of that very same room (number 16), interiors guru Jacques Garcia has created a magnificent fresco of a gold and green peacock, while the rest of the room features historic prints and photos of Wilde, as well as the fajmous scribe’s desk. Elsewhere, the tiny bar makes for a wonderfully cosy spot to be served a cocktail by the velvet-waistcoated bar staff. Dita Von Teese is a fan, and so – apparently – is Johnny Depp.

Best hotel for fun: Hotel 123 Sebastopol

Neighbourhood: Paris City Center

The French love a theme, and this fantastic movie-obsessed hotel is just a few metres from the famous cinema Le Grand Rex. Every detail is cleverly thought out, from its reception desk beneath an illuminated billboard to the cinema posters in the lobby.

The 63 bedrooms vary in style and have been designed by such cinematic glitterati as film-score composer Ennio Morricone and César-award-winning actress Elsa Zylberstein. The minibars are stocked with complimentary soft drinks.

Best budget hotel: Mama Shelter East

Neighbourhood: Saint Blaise

The Mama Shelter brand launched in 2009 with this, their original hotel. Since then, the budget-style group has gone global, with branches from Rio to Bordeaux.

That’s not to say it lacks that French vibe; as the original, this was designed by Philippe Starck, who gave his quirky Midas touch to the whole place. The 172 bedrooms aren’t enormous, especially the entry level ones, and they’re deliberately designed to be cocoon-like with black and grey decor. But, with all mod cons, it’s the perfect place to crash when the City of Lights has worn you out.

Best luxury hotel: The Saint James

Neighbourhood: 16th arrondissement

If you’re going to push the boat out with something a little different, this slightly bonkers 49-room hotel, part of the Relaix & Châteaux group, is the place. Set in the elegant 16th arrondissement on a former airfield that was used to launch hot air balloons, this theme is carried through into the hotel’s Wonderland-esque decor, with rooms sporting bold toile wallpapers and lavish fabrics.

Elsewhere, it features a glamorous red-carpeted staircase and copious animal print, as well as a chandelier-lit restaurant.

Best hotel for fashionistas: Hotel du Petit Moulin

Neighbourhood: Marais district

The Hotel du Petit Moulin was designed by Christian Lacroix

Fans of Christian Lacroix will love this four-star boutique hotel in the Marais; the fashion designer has brought his flamboyant style to the 17 rooms. All are decorated in a unique style, including polka-dot carpets and zebra-print fabrics, giving a nod to the history, culture and art of the area. On the doorstep there’s a host of hip boutiques, as well as restaurants and bars (though the hotel’s own bar is the ideal place to kick off your evening with an aperitif). Lacroix isn’t the only celebrity to be linked to the property – the building was Paris’s first bakery, and Victor Hugo used to buy his baguettes here.

Best hotel for romance: Le Bourg Tibourg

Neighbourhood: Marais district

Le Bourg Tibourg abounds with whimsical opulence

This bijou four-star hotel in the hip Marais District is another of Jacques Garcia’s works. This time, he’s made what is a tiny space into something of an Aladdin’s cave of decor. The place abounds with whimsical opulence: chandeliers, antique furniture, lavish fabrics and wallpapers all in deep reds, with accents of purple, green and grey.

Rooms are cosy, but it’s a delight to snuggle into the comfortable beds and watch a classic French film (available from reception), complete with popcorn. Staff are welcoming without being overbearing, and the hotel is a hop, skip and jump from some of the Marais’s best restaurants and bars.

Best hotel experience: Kube Bar & Hotel

Neighbourhood: 18th arrondissement

Not many hotels can lay claim to their own ice bar but this is the main attraction at Kube, where you can sip vodka cocktails in glasses made of ice, in -10C temperatures. The theme doesn’t end there; on arrival at the hotel, you’re welcomed into the reception, set in a large glass cube in the courtyard.

From there, everything’s designed to be modernist and fun. Its 40 open-plan, minimalist rooms offer all mod cons, including plasma TVs, CD and DVD players. The hotel is a short walk from Gare du Nord, so it’s a great location if travelling with Eurostar.

Best hotel for nightlife: Grand Pigalle

Neighbourhood: South Pigalle

Set in the hip Pigalle district under the gaze of the Sacré-Coeur basilica, Grand Pigalle was the first Paris hotel from the Experimental Cocktail Group and makes the perfect base for those in search of Paris’s coolest bars and restaurants. Rooms are cosy but offer swish decor from top designer Dorothée Meilichzon in muted greys and teal tones, with geometric patterns in tiles and wallpapers. I particularly love the cocktail-glass carpet on the hallways and stairs and pineapple door knockers. Breakfast is served in the bar area and offers delicious homemade granola.

Best hotel for a local hangout: Le Pigalle

Neighbourhood: Pigalle district

Le Pigalle is packed with local charm

Once upon a time, the Pigalle district was a bit seedy – it’s the home of the Moulin Rouge, after all – but these days it’s one of Paris’s hippest quartiers that harks back to its heyday as a boho hangout for artists and musicians. The hotel itself celebrates all that is local: breakfast features croissants from the best local bakery, the cool bar has a soundtrack curated by a local DJ, and, should you find yourself alone, there are plenty of books to peruse, supplied by a local bookshop. The hotel’s 40 rooms are decked out with vintage furniture with a mid-century vibe and feature edgy photography and art works.

Best hotel for a sweet tooth: Fauchon L'Hôtel Paris

Neighbourhood: Paris City Centre

The junior suite at Hotel Fauchon

Paris’s Fauchon boutiques are likely to inspire Willy Wonka-esque levels of mouth-watering awe, with their exquisite pastries, decadent chocolates and aromatic teas and coffees. Gourmets will be spoiled with a night or two at this hotel, the first from the much-loved French patisserie brand, which was established in 1886. With the brand’s accent colours of fuchsia pink, black and gold tastefully carried through the décor, the comfortable rooms all have mod cons – from tablet-controlled music and movies, to Bluetooth-linked speakers in the bathroom. The pièce de la resistance is the “gourmet bar”: a souped-up mini-bar rammed with free champers, chocolates and other goodies. There’s also a small spa and an excellent restaurant.

Best hotel for interior décor: Brach Paris

Neighbourhood: 16th arrondissement of Paris

Soak up the superb views of the Eiffel Tower on the rooftop of Brach Paris

Philippe Starck does a good hotel; the acclaimed French designer is responsible for the budget chic Mama Shelter, the palatial Le Meurice and dozens of other hotels worldwide – and Brach Paris is a real treat. The moment you enter the glass façade, dripping with jungle-like foliage, you’re enveloped into a sumptuous space that blends Bauhaus, modernism and surrealism; warm wood panelling and plush carpets, gentle lighting and books everywhere lend an atmosphere that is hard to resist.

Brach is set in the residential 16th arrondissement, and the hotel has spaces designed to welcome the well-heeled set: a sports club, swimming pool, and an enticing bar and restaurant. Ask to see the roof-top potager garden for its sensational views of the Eiffel Tower.

Best hotel for classic luxury: Hotel Lutetia

Neighbourhood: Saint-Germain-des-Pres

The expansive pool at Hotel Lutetia

In the early 20th century, the grand Hotel Lutetia on the Left Bank was the place to see and be seen, with stars such as Josephine Baker and Ernest Hemingway being frequent visitors. After a four-year renovation, during which architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte sliced into the building to bring light into the once-dark areas, it has been given a new lease of life and an almost other-worldly feel. Polished walnut, white marble and a midnight blue and ‘greige’ (grey-meets-beige) colour scheme combine for an elegant yet modern effect, with occasional nods to the original Art Nouveau and Art Deco style. There is a spa, with a huge swimming pool, and the hotel has it’s own brasserie.

Best hotel for swimming: Hotel Molitor

Neighbourhood: 16th Arrondissement

If a hotel break isn’t a hotel break without a dip in the pool, look no further than The Molitor in western Paris. At its heart is a magnificent 50m swimming pool, which dates from 1929. For 60 years it was the city’s most popular swimming pool, but after it closed in 1989 it lay abandoned and empty before being taken over by graffiti artists. It reopened as a five-star hotel in 2014 and now offers 124 rooms and suites. The rooms that surround the summer pool (there is an indoor one too) have a cruise-ship vibe, and there’s a huge Clarins Spa, an Art Deco brasserie, a bar and a roof garden open in the summer.

Best hotel for art-lovers: Hotel de Berri

Neighbourhood: 8th arrondissement

Hotel de Berri

Hidden away in a quiet street near the Champs-Elysées, the Hotel de Berri is a haven for art-lovers, and has so many originals and reproductions, it could easily distract from Paris’s legendary galleries. The ground floor restaurant and bar is a cornucopia of impressive paintings and sculptures, while the 75 rooms and suites each have the feel of an exclusive Parisian pied-à-terre. This is all thanks to the design prowess of interiors expert Philippe Renaud and his clever styling that brings decorative fireplaces, hallways and lounge suites into the bedrooms, and eclectic luxury into the shared spaces.

Best hotel for eco-minded travellers: Hotel Gavarni

Neighbourhood: Passy District

Hotel Gavarni

Just a short walk from Trocadero, the Hotel Gavarni was Paris’s first independent hotel to be granted the European Ecolabel. It is powered by electricity from renewable sources, has an energy-efficient heating system, regulation of water flow in the showers, sorting of waste and fully organic breakfasts. Staff are really friendly too, and the rooms are decorated in classic style. The Eiffel suite is particularly impressive, though, with a view of the Iron Lady, and fantastic line-drawn wallpaper that depicts the views of Paris’s rooftops. Its location means it’s an easy walk to the Eiffel Tower and the Musee de Quai Branly, with vertical wall garden.

Best hotel for a health kick: Kimpton St Honoré

Neighbourhood: Opera district

The swimming pool at Kimpton St Honoré

For those looking to indulge in Paris while also maintaining healthy habits, the Kimpton St Honoré is for you. With a California-inspired approach to wellness, the hotel provides complimentary yoga mats in each of the rooms, with protein bars replacing usual sweet treats in the mini bar. At breakfast, dishes such as shakshuka and avocado on toast take centre stage, while the pastries are miniature. Despite being minimalistic in their aesthetic, the rooms are very comfortable, with large beds, soft sheets, and everything else you’d expect from a luxury hotel. Be sure to pay a visit to the spa, too, where guests can enjoy treatments with CODAGE Paris products before taking a dip in the hotel’s heated indoor pool. There’s a steam room and sauna too, and, of course, a gym.

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