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Whether your Paris fantasy is to eat cake like Marie Antoinette or fulfill a cosmopolitan dream overlooking one of the most magical cities in the world, the City of Love will not disappoint. While Paris accommodations are known for its wide array of distinctive properties, from Louis XV-style manses to chic hotels with rooms curated by the city’s best fashion designers, the best luxury hotels in Paris are a perfect mix of classic style and attentive service. With so many different choices, where do you go?Here are four of the best luxury options in Paris that will make for an unforgettable vacation.
1. Relais Christine
If you are looking for something a little more contemporary but doesn’t completely lose the old world trappings of this ancient city, then the Relais Christine may be your perfect choice. Located in St.-Germain-des-Pres, the Relais Christine is a small 51-room boutique hotel just off the Seine. Built on the remains of a 13th-century abbey, the hotel combined contemporary interior with the original exterior of the old restored abbey. For those that crave things more historic, some rooms leave behind the bold wallpaper and mosaic tile for wooden beams and velvet furnishings. However, some of the best rooms in Relais Christine are on the lower level where French windows open right up to the hotel’s private garden.
2. Hôtel Plaza Athénée
When your hotel is owned by the Sultan of Brunei, you can expect a certain degree of luxury. However, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée has always been the luxury hangout of Paris since it was built in 1911. Located between the Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower, you will be sure to recognize the hotel if not by the balconied freestone front then by its signature red awnings. While the long glowing glass counter that serves as the bar becomes a serious hot spot after the sun sets, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée makes it so you don’t even want to leave your room with its Dior Institute spa treatments, classic marble baths, and modern conveniences all hidden away in Louis XV-style decor.
3. Hôtel Atmosphères
Located on the St.-Germain-des-Pres right next to the lesser known, but fascinating Musée de la Moyen Age, the super stylish Hôtel Atmosphères lives up to its name. Forget all the old trappings that generally dominate most of the luxury hotels in the City of Lights and embrace the bold colors accented by the striking urban photography of Thierry des Ouches. The interior of the Hôtel Atmosphères cleverly combines art gallery design and boutique comfort, something that one should come to expect from one of the hippest districts in Paris.
4. Le Bristol
Out of the many luxury hotels in Paris, what is considered the best? Le Bristol. This distinguished hotel overlooks the super-chic rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, one of the most fashionable streets in the city. Opened in 1925, Le Bristol was bestowed upon with the official “Palace” status, making it just a notch up from your typical five-star hotel. With interiors featuring pink and white marble, 18th-century furnishings, and a strong emphasis on personal service, you will be sure to feel like royalty.