The best hotels to stay in Paris, reviewed by travel experts

Verdict: a sultry (but luxurious) hidden gem

Monsieur George Hotel and Spa brings a touch of Anouska Hempel’s design flair to a quiet side street just off the Champs-Élysées. The New Zealand-born designer, known for creating the original boutique hotel Blakes in London gives this Parisian spot her trademark sense of intimacy and sophistication. With fewer than 50 rooms, the hotel is all about low-lit glamour, with a sand-coloured Haussmannian façade outside and velvet textures and monochrome tones indoors. Each floor has its own identity, with rooms and suites ranging from light-filled doubles with petite balconies to larger, apartment-style spaces. All feature some very cool neoclassical sketches and little TVs set on easels, and beds are ridiculously plush and comfortable. Bathrooms are sleek and stocked with top-notch toiletries.

Downstairs you’ll find Galanga, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant with Chef Thomas Danigo at the helm. His tasting menu is something very special, featuring dishes like a mackerel bouillabaisse and goat’s milk ice cream with strawberries, and breakfast unfolds in the same handsome space, where guests linger over pastries, fruit and eggs to order. The service throughout is polished and personable – it’s well worth asking staff for local recommendations. 

Facilities here are discreet but well-curated: a compact gym and a small spa for massages sit in the basement, while the bar and terrace offer stylish corners for lingering. Location-wise, Monsieur George is perfectly placed for first-time visitors or those keen to soak up the capital’s showpiece sights, and the rows of boutiques of Avenue Montaigne are perfect for a bit of window (or actual) shopping. Mostly it’s a solid boutique alternative to the city’s grander luxury hotels, while still being right in the thick of it all. 

Time Out tip: Location-wise, it doesn’t get much better than being a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe, the Grand Palais and Louvre.  

Address: 17 Rue Washington, 75008 Paris

Price: From €514 per night, with various seasonal offers for multi-night stays

Closest transport: George V station on Line One of the Metro

Verdict: the best hotel in Montmartre 

Monsieur Aristide is everything a boutique hotel in Paris should be: charming, good-looking and a little flamboyant. Sitting pretty in trendy Montmartre, this hotel isn’t flat-out luxury but rather offers personality and vibes in spades – and somehow manages to suit absolutely everyone. We’re talking families and kids, the local LGBTQ+ community and even the Emily in Paris tourist crowd – everyone is welcome here, and everyone loves it. Most of all, for a small hotel (there’s just 25 rooms here), they somehow pack a hell of a lot in: you’ll find a shady terrace, a sunny harden and an exceptionally good restaurant and bar hiding away here, with classic Montmartre views to match. 

Half of the rooms here have a garden view, and if you book the garden suite, you’ll get your own private garden and patio. But all follow the same kind of stripped-back, well-designed look with vintage mirrors, side-tables and ceramic lamps, apparently mostly picked up from local flea markets. Oh, and the food is so good that you’ll see piles of non-guests rocking up for Saturday brunch on the terrace. 

In terms of other facilities – well, Monsieur Aristide is simply a bit too cool for all that. There’s the retro bar (which gets a kind of chalet do-over in the winter months) serving excellent cocktails, and a whole array of events, from jam sessions to drag and cabaret. 

Time Out tip: You’re in Montmartre, so you’re obliged to visit Musée de Montmartre for both its exhibition and its very cute museum garden. 

Address: Hotel Monsieur Aristide, 3 rue Aristide Bruant, 75018 Paris, France

Price per night: Classic rooms from €180 per night, Superior rooms from €230, and Junior Suites/Duplex from €400

Closest transport: Metro Blanche

Verdict: best for being near the Eiffel Tower

Le Narcisse Blanc Hôtel & Spa is as elegant and self-assured as the arrondissement it inhabits. Tucked between the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, this spot is like a Belle Époque fantasy in a mansion. But the mood still manages to remain hushed and indulgent rather than ostentatious, with soft lighting, floral details and a whisper of old-world glamour. Inspired by Cléo de Mérode, the dancer and muse of the late nineteenth century nicknamed ‘the Narcissus,’ this is the place to unwind amid the pale marble and feel worlds away from the bustle of nearby Parisian landmarks.

Some of the 37 rooms and suites here face the leafy courtyard, others gaze out over rooftops, and a few – notably Suite Aurore – frame the Eiffel Tower itself. Marble bathrooms gleam with Guerlain products, and bedrooms are all cosy, velvet and plush.  Downstairs, the hotel’s restaurant, Cléo, named for its muse, serves refined, seasonal dishes by chef Bruno Aubin. Bar Léopold is the spot for Champagne or cocktails beneath portraits of its namesake king and his famous mistress.

Staff are attentive without fuss, led by a confident, personable team who make guests feel like locals with insider knowledge. The Anne Semonin spa beneath the hotel is a serene retreat, complete with pool, whirlpool, sauna and treatments using Parisian products. Beyond the doors, the city’s grand cultural icons are within strolling distance – Musée d’Orsay, the Tuileries, the Champs-Élysées. Le Narcisse Blanc distils the essence of Parisian sophistication: romantic, private and exquisitely polished, it’s the kind of place where you can slip into a world of quiet luxury and almost believe it belongs to you.

Time Out tip: If the weather allows, book a breakfast table out in the sunny courtyard – tucking into an Eggs Benedict out here is a particularly special experience. 

Address: 19, boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg 75007 Paris, France

Price per night: Classic rooms from €510 per night, and Junior Suites from €950

Closest transport: Metro La Tour-Maubourg

Verdict: the chicest luxury hotel in Paris right now

Opened in 2021 near the Opéra Garnier, Château Voltaire is a chic five-storey hotel with 32 sumptuous rooms dressed in fringed velvet, gothic details and vintage florals. If it sounds like anywhere else, it’s not – this stood out to us from any opening from the last decade. Here, guests mingle over cocktails, share stories, and dine on posh bistro fare at the very nice restaurant; highlights include a stone-clad spa with a private pool, luxe branded toiletries, and Parisian breakfasts. This is the Paris that many see in their dreams.

But don’t be fooled – Château Voltaire isn’t just a pretty face, it’s a real living space. Wander through the communal areas and you’ll find yourself chatting with other guests, sipping cocktails at the bar, and tucking into fancy bistro dishes in what’s arguably the hotel’s best-decorated spot. Paris is a world-famous foodie spot, arguably the world-famous foodie spot, and the excellent restaurant at Château Voltaire is another place to add to the dinner list. If you’re just looking for a tipple to cap the night off, nip into La Coquille D’or Bar, a cocktail menu positively dripping in sophistication. The drinks are delicious.

The rooms are gorgeous spaces, no matter which you choose. As you might expect, the thrills and spills are more abundant as the rooms get more expensive, but a good old-fashioned superior room will still provide plenty of comfort in the City of Lights. At the other end of the scale, we find the junior suite, a gorgeous space with bespoke headboards, meticulous design details, manor-style woodwork, and so much more, all wrapped in an undeniable elegance that is distinctly Parisian. If you want some space, this is the room for you, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the options.

Time Out tip: For the grand finale, head down to the basement spa clad in stone, complete with a sauna and a private mini-pool for two.

Address: 55 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris

Price: From £450 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Pyramides bus stop

Verdict: the best budget hotel in Paris

Opened quietly in the 15th arrondissement, La Conversation is a charming three-star boutique hotel. Rooms are compact but thoughtfully designed with velvet and burr elm touches, creating snug, elegant nests. In some ways, La Conversation is a charming boutique hotel of the kind you rarely see anymore in Paris. It’s a three-star stay with plenty of character and a strong focus on warmth and sociability, thanks to a handful of intimate shared spaces.

Let’s start there: on the ground floor, you’ll find a softly lit wine bar that the hotel itself proclaims as the “true heart of the establishment.” Parisians take their wine seriously, and oenophiles will find plenty to enjoy here. There is also a cosy, light-filled veranda and a small patio perfect for cooling off in summer. A real bonus – in all these spaces, guests can help themselves to tea and coffee throughout the day. The hotel has also expanded its offer to include an excellent working space for digital nomads, with fast Wi-Fi, complimentary drinks and pastries, and much more.

And what about the rooms? The cheapest rooms are tiny (starting at just 10m²), but warm decor and high-quality materials make them feel just a little bit more spacious than they actually are. There is plenty of natural light that increases the perspective, and the double bed (which takes up most of the space) is fabulously comfortable. At the other end of the size scale is the junior suite, which has room for two adults and two children (or three adults) and is also accessible to travellers with mobility issues. The phrase “small but perfectly formed” might be a little overused in modern-day travel writing, but we’d say it is an apt way to describe the rooms at La Conversation.

Time Out tip: This lovely hotel is just steps from Parc Georges-Brassens and a 15-minute bike ride from the Eiffel Tower.

Address: 61 Rue Brancion, 75015 Paris

Price: From £130 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Brancion - Morillons bus stop

Verdict: best for high-end luxury

Hotels don’t come steeped in much more history than Le Meurice. A ‘palace hotel’ – which essentially places it one above a five-star ranking – the 160-room hotel moved to its grand Rue de Rivoli site in 1835 and has been a Paris landmark ever since, and a favourite of Dalí, Liz Taylor and royals alike. Rooms are quietly ornate, decked out with Louis XIV-style furniture and with classy, ivory walls. Meanwhile, the main dining room is as regal as anything at the Chateau de Versailles, dripping with crystal chandeliers and graced with glorious frescoes, a multitude of marble, and a double Michelin-star menu overseen by Alain Ducasse.

Unsurprisingly, it’s pricey – rooms start from €1,650 (£1,453.75), while the rooftop suite can cost up to €50,500 (£44,493.53) a night. And you can see why it’s so loved – despite recent tweaks by noted French designer Philippe Starck, the hotel remains traditional in the most spectacular way. A member of the Dorchester Collection, Le Meurice is a sumptuous spot where grace is the standard. The classic rooms are all about comfort and class, but the real magic is found in the signature suites. The Pompadour Suite is a triumph of Parisian excess, and the aforementioned rooftop suite is beyond belief. You won’t get a better view of the world’s most romantic city.

As you might expect from somewhere with this kind of price tag, the wellness offer is magnificent. The hotel is home to the only Valmont spa in Paris, a unique setting where rejuvenation and relaxation are the norm. There is also a well-equipped fitness centre if you feel the need to sweat. Bang in the middle of the 1st arrondissement, Le Meurice is opposite the Tuileries Garden and sandwiched between Place de la Concorde and the Musée du Louvre. If you hate walking and are incredibly wealthy, this is undoubtedly the spot for you.

Time Out tip: Ask staff to show you the room where Pablo Picasso married ballerina Olga Khokhlova in 1918, a grand parlour which is now reserved for private events.

Address: 228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Price: From £1,450 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Tuileries metro station

Verdict: the best boutique hotel in Paris

Madame Rêve has been getting all the hype over the last few years, and once we visited, we could see why. It wasn’t always so stylish. In its previous incarnation, the building was a 24-hour post office, but apart from the odd subtle nod – mail art hung on the walls, postage stamp rugs in each room – you’d never really know, as this boutique hotel is chic and smart without being pretentious. Expect warm wood, marble, and artful details throughout. Highlights include a vast rooftop terrace with jaw-dropping views of the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Cœur, sleek rooms with panoramic windows, and a moody ground-floor bar.

Now, the ground floor is dominated by a high-ceilinged bar with tall black columns, marble tables and chairs arranged side-by-side so that you can watch what everyone else in the room is up to whilst chatting to your neighbour. For a different kind of view, head to the roof. Here, you’ll find one of the city’s biggest terraces and a pulsating bar with a small number of cocktails and an eclectic food menu. But you’re really up there for the Paris skyline – seriously, the views are incredible, with pretty much every famous landmark in the city on display, from the Eiffel Tower to the Sacré Cœur.

Back inside, the hotel’s rooms are smart and well-proportioned, with panoramic sloping windows showcasing more of those unbeatable skyline views. Simple bathrooms are speckled with mosaic tiles, and the beds are enormous and soft. There are desks that’ll actually make you want to sit down and do some work, and leather sofas for reading a magazine or book. It’s all incredibly tasteful and chic. If you’ve got the budget, the penthouse is one of the great Parisian spaces. If that’s not enough, the wellness centre is on hand to provide yet another layer of serenity during your stay.

Time Out tip: Up your sightseeing game by taking one of Madame Rêve’s electric bikes out for a spin. It’s not cheating – it’s just more fun to see the city this way.

Address: 48 Rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris

Price: From £500 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Louvre - Etienne Marcel bus stop

Verdict: the best hotel in St-Germain-des-Pres

It’s impossible not to feel chic at Le Grand Hôtel Cayré. Though this historic hotel received a thorough refit ahead of reopening in 2024, it still feels every bit the vintage bohemian bolthole. The sweeping art nouveau frontage leads directly onto the hotel’s excellent in-house restaurant, Annette, named in honour of former resident Annette Kolb, a feminist and pacifist writer who lived at the hotel for two decades from the 1940s. You might be surrounded by exceptional food in this part of the 7th arrondissement, but Annette is more than ready to take on the challenge, with Bruno Brangea – former head chef for the storied Alain Ducasse - whipping up classic brasserie dishes.

With 123 rooms across seven floors, a sliding scale makes Le Grand Hôtel Cayré accessible for a variety of different budgets, thanks to the option of three levels of service: essential, premium and ‘the full works’. Sure, you might not get an Eiffel Tower view with the cheaper rooms, but every guest gets a big cosy bed, soft fluffy towels, Le Labo toiletries, an espresso machine and Mariage Freres tea station. Classy, non? Our 6th-floor apartment-style room featured gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows which opened out above the lively Rue de Bac, and, yes, that priceless Eiffel Tower view.

The hotel has a gym packed with state-of-the-art fitness equipment to keep up with workouts on the road, and there is even a gallery for a spot of quality art and people watching. There’s also the genius ‘refresh room’, which features a shower and changing space accessible to guests before and after check out, if you’re arriving early (or leaving late) and don’t want to waste money on booking an extra night at the hotel. Great value for such a swanky part of town.

Time Out tip: If you don’t have time for dinner at Annette, then make sure you opt in for the all-inclusive breakfast, which includes a banging pastry basket complete with a perfect croissant and on-point pain au chocolat.

Address: 4 Bd Raspail, 75007 Paris

Price: From £280 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Rue de Bac - René Char bus stop

Verdict: the best hotel for Christmas in Paris 

Thanks to a frontage dripping with thousands of red geraniums, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is one of Paris’s most instantly recognisable hotels. You’ve seen it in fashion lookbooks, celebrity shoots and Sex and the City (it’s where Carrie stays in the final season of the iconic show, naturally), and in real life, it’s just as impressive. Eiffel Tower views aren’t guaranteed with every room – and there’s a premium on those that are – but it’s still a highly haute destination, and has been ever since it opened in 1913. Even if you don’t spend the night at the hotel, you should make a point of venturing this way to check out that unforgettable facade.

With 154 rooms and 54 suites, there’s a gentle art deco energy to the place, especially in its thrilling 1930s-built restaurant, Le Relais Plaza – which is much more vibey than their Michelin-star spot, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée. A glistening cruise ship-style glamourpuss of an eatery, the clever French cookery of Le Relais is matched in swankiness by a wall of fame studded with shots of old-school Hollywood visitors, from Sophia Loren to Lauren Bacall. Breakfast is a grand affair, with diners seated down a long central table in a grand, gilded room and lavished with huge platters of pastries under giant flower displays (80 florists make up part of the hotel’s 550-strong staff). There’s also a lush garden courtyard best enjoyed in the summer season.

The rooms are every bit as marvellous as expected, all muted colours and calming shades married to comfortable furnishing, sizeable bathrooms, and mod cons. There are few more Parisian experiences than that morning coffee on a terrace overlooking a sleepy street, and there are few better places to enjoy that than the excellent Hotel Plaza Athénée.

Time Out tip: Breathe. You’ll smell the hotel’s immaculate signature scent in the hallways and lobby – a fruity, classy amber – and you can buy a candle to take its perfect pong home with you.

Address: 25 Av. Montaigne, 75008 Paris

Price: From £2,000 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Montaigne François 1er

Verdict: the best hotel in the Latin Quarter

Unless you’re a second-year engineering student, there haven’t been many compelling reasons to stop off at Jussieu – until now. While the Jardin des Plantes and the Grand Mosque have long attracted wandering tourists, the hotel offering in the area was sorely lacking – until Pilgrim finally opened its doors at 11 Rue de Poissy. Designed by architecture firm Cyril Durand-Behar, this seven-storey cube topped with a panoramic rooftop softens its sleek lobby with triple-thick carpets, a cascade of warm colours, and a glowing steam fireplace, perfect for toasting your morning tartine at dawn.

The 53 rooms boast a variety of surprising layouts, including some with long corridors that evoke the feel of small apartments. Expect soothing palettes of beige and mottled grey, lifted by red and orange 70s-style sofas, light wooden flooring, and beds so comfy you’ll abandon any plans of swinging from the chandeliers. Add to that the ultimate boho getaway kit: Smeg kettle, La Bruket toiletries, vintage posters and sketches on the walls, and plush padded headboards. It’s everything you need for a romantic rendezvous on the right side of the Seine, particularly if you open the wallet and go for the terrace suite. The spacious room can accommodate up to four people and also has a double shower.

The rooftop is another string to Hotel Pilgrim’s bow, serving gorgeous views of the most romantic city in the world that match the quality of the colourful concoctions on the menu. At the other end of the building, the hotel’s spa is a love letter to relaxation, and the 37-metre heated pool is exclusively available to guests. There is also a steam bath to really flush those toxins out, and a well-equipped fitness room to work up a different type of sweat. The prices aren’t bad, too, making Hotel Pilgrim a quietly quality accommodation option in this notoriously pricey city.

Time Out tip: The cocktail bar here is well worth checking out, which cleverly reimagines old-school classics.

Address: 11 Rue de Poissy, 75005 Paris

Price: From £290 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Saint-Germain Cardinal Lemoine

Verdict: the most romantic hotel in Paris

Hotel Lancaster has quite the backstory. Originally a private mansion, it was transformed into a luxury hotel in the 1920s and went on to welcome stars including Greta Garbo, Clark Gable and Elizabeth Taylor. Marlene Dietrich did one better, taking up residence in an apartment in the hotel for three years in the 1930s. Today, the elegant Marlene Suite stands as a tribute to the iconic actress, complete with her original Érard baby grand piano. Not all of the five-star hotels in Paris live up to the billing, but this charming spot does not let the side down.

Our arrival at Hotel Lancaster was suitably cinematic: on a drizzly Parisian evening, a sharply dressed doorman is quick to usher us under an umbrella and into the warmth of the lobby, an early indicator of the exceptionally thoughtful service on offer here. Throughout the hotel, the décor is refined and tasteful, making the most of period details (parquet floors; marble fireplaces), with plenty of modern touches. Suites have either a courtyard or street view, and if you’re lucky enough to get the latter, you just might be able to see the tip of the Eiffel Tower peeking above the surrounding rooftops. Even without that vista, the rooms are all about comfort and rest before (and after) exploring the city.

Monsieur, the hotel’s restaurant, is headed up by Chef Sébastien Giroud, who creates monthly menus celebrating the best of different French regions. Celebrated Parisian cocktail bar CopperBay took over the hotel’s bar in spring 2024. Here, the cocktails and tapas menu both take inspiration from around the Mediterranean, with dishes like panisse fries and duck thigh croquettes and drinks like the delightfully savoury peperonata. The bar is handsome year-round, but really comes into its own in the summer months, when it opens out onto a shady terrace.

Time Out tip: Le Clarence, our best restaurant in Paris for 2024, is right around the corner. Make sure to book well in advance. 

Address: 7 Rue de Berri, 75008 Paris

Price: From £430 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: George V metro station

Verdict: the most beautiful hotel in Paris

Maison Barrière Vendôme has some very famous neighbours. Located between the Place Vendôme and the Tuileries Garden, it’s right around the corner from Le Meurice and the Ritz, two grande dames of the Paris hotel scene where the well-heeled traveller comes to see and be seen. Maison Barrière offers something quite different. The vibe here is that of a luxury townhouse, where sumptuous furnishings and spacious suites (some of which have full kitchens, where guests can cook for themselves using recipes and ingredients provided by the hotel’s restaurant team) allow guests to live out the fantasy of owning a Parisian pied-à-terre.

Each room and suite is inspired by a notable woman, ranging from Marie Curie to Nina Simone, Alice Guy, Simone de Beauvoir, and more, and interior designer Daniel Jibert incorporates nods to their lives in the rooms’ décor. Our home for the evening was the Josephine Baker suite, complete with refined nods to jazz age Paris and a selection of books about her life. Every detail is well-considered, from the intricate mosaic detailing on the wardrobe door handles to the built-in bluetooth speakers in the living room and bedroom.

Frida, the hotel’s bar-restaurant, is a colourful tribute to Frida Kahlo, with vibrant Murano glass pieces designed to echo the Mexican artist’s exuberant work. The menu features Parisian classics like a croque monsieur (served with truffle shavings for added glamour, naturellement) as well as some dishes that nod to the space’s Latin American vibe, such as the delicately zingy sea bream ceviche. Come summer, diners and guests are able to enjoy Frida’s courtyard. Summer 2025 also saw the opening of a spa in the hotel’s historic cellars, with treatment rooms, a cold plunge pool and a sauna.

Time Out tip: Want to try our best sandwich in the world? Head to nearby Le Petit Vendôme for its iconic jambon beurre. 

Address: 17 Rue du Mont Thabor, 75001 Paris

Price: From £550 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Tuileries metro station

Verdict: the best spa hotel in Paris

A château in the heart of the 16th arrondissement? In the shade of the Avenue Foch gardens, tucked behind a gravel courtyard with a grand fountain, you’ll come face to face with a sumptuous neoclassical hotel that feels more like a manor house. Over the years, the Saint James has served as Paris’s first airfield, a boarding school for scholarship students, and a London-style private club, before beginning its life as a luxury hotel in 1991. It has been a staple of the Paris accommodation scene ever since.

Inside, the décor is equally striking, reinvented by Laura Gonzalez, who fuses neoclassicism, orientalism and Art Deco with an array of handpicked objects, paired with haute couture, bespoke craftsmanship (think Pierre Frey drapes, Jean Roger ceramics...). The result is breathtaking: a riot of warm-toned prints (panoramic wallpapers, colourful carpets) in perfect harmony. While referring to the rooms as “dreams” on the website toes the line somewhat, the delightful spaces will convert you before you’ve even managed to drop your luggage. There are rooms, suites, pavilions, apartments, and villas available. Yes, that says pavilions.

For relaxation, choose between the Greco-Roman-inspired Guerlain spa or the aptly named Library Bar, lined with leather-bound books and steeped in the hushed, cosy atmosphere of a Balzac-era salon. The spa spans 400 square metres, maximising every inch, with a team of professional therapists dedicated to ensuring guests feel as relaxed as possible. High-quality French products certainly help, and the Honey Repair Treatment is a joy. When it comes time to eat, Grégory Garimbay is on hand to create jaw-dropping dishes inspired by the French countryside. The Bellefeuille restaurant has earned one Red and one Green Michelin Star and is fully deserving of both, serving some of the most delectable fine dining in a city that is defined by its commitment to gastronomic excellence.

Time Out tip: The Guerlain Discovery offer is a two-night special offer that will have you and your loved one feeling like brand new humans

Address: 5 Pl. du Chancelier Adenauer, 75116 Paris

Price: From £650 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Avenue Foch train station

Verdict: the best hotel near the Eurostar

There are plenty of excellent hotels in Paris, but finding one that’s also affordable? Not so simple. Enter Touriste, a small group of attractive boutiques dotted across the city whose owners work with up-and-coming designers to create distinctive hotels, each with a completely different vibe. And they’re clearly having a whale of a time doing it. Nowhere demonstrates this better than Hotel Les Deux Gares, a ridiculously fun place straight out of Wes Anderson’s playbook that pops with colour and character at every turn. The quirky look and feel come from English designer Luke Edward Hall, and he didn’t hold back when given this assignment. Each room features a different combination of dizzying wallpaper, bold furniture and checkerboard bathrooms in the kind of colours that fell out of fashion decades ago – think avocado, lemon yellow and burgundy. It shouldn’t work, but it really, really does.

There’s definitely a lived-in feel here, and it’s fair to say that space is a bit limited – the corridors are so narrow you’ll get your suitcase wedged, and rooms are a bit of a squeeze – but you can’t really argue when a single comes in at just under £150. Besides, there are a few surprisingly luxurious touches, including roll-top baths in the bigger rooms and Diptyque products in the bathrooms.

The best thing about Hotel Les Deux Gares? The location. Sure, you might look out of your window onto a sea of railway tracks, but that’s the small price you pay for being able to roll out of bed and be in the queue for the Eurostar in under 10 minutes, or stepping onto a train heading somewhere else on the continent before you’ve had time to finish your morning espresso. There’s no better spot for travellers who hate the stress of travel – and let’s be honest, isn’t that all of us?

Time Out tip: Don’t forget to make use of the sauna, which is tucked away in the basement – an excellent way to unwind after a day out in the city.

Address: 2 Rue des Deux Gares, 75010 Paris

Price: £145 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Gare de l’Est train station

Verdict: the best hotel in the Marais 

Behind a discreet façade overlooking the Carreau du Temple lies a true Belle Époque gem, signed by Jacques Garcia – a passion project seven years in the making. The result is timeless: tapestries, lighting, woodwork, and furnishings all crafted by the finest French artisans, conjuring a delightfully powdered, subversive atmosphere that feels plucked from the world of Marcel Proust. From the ground floor, where guests glide across plush carpet toward the bar, the Proustification begins in earnest – velvety salons, a winter garden for spring days, and mischievously discreet service led by cocktail legend Colin Field (formerly of the Ritz), who now shakes his finest creations every Friday evening.

Across the six floors are 23 rooms and suites, each themed around a figure linked to or inspired by Proust – Sarah Bernhardt, Charles Baudelaire, Auguste Renoir, Anna de Noailles… And at the top, the author’s own apartment, presided over by a portrait by Jacques-Émile Blanche. Though many rooms are compact, they offer pocket-sized luxury: charming intimacy, bathtubs tucked under alcoves, and beds so inviting you’ll find it incredibly difficult to get out of them. Proust may have been a hypochondriac, but above all, he was a man of taste – and he surely would have found this place to be perfectly to his liking.

The Maison Proust is practically an ever-present on lists of the best hotels in Paris, and you don’t need to be an accommodation expert to understand why. It hits every note and ticks every box, from the sophisticated rooms to the oriental-tinged spa, a treasure trove of treatments and tranquillity powered by luxury skincare brand, Le Mer. Proust said that the “supreme truth of life is in art,” and the hotel in his honour takes great inspiration from that timeless quote.

Time Out tip: If you’re on a Proustian adventure in Paris (and have the budget to back it up), the three-bedroom executive suite is the room for you

Address: 26 Rue de Picardie, 75003 Paris

Price: From £870 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Jean-Pierre Timbaud bus stop

Verdict: the best hotel in Pigalle

Tucked below Montmartre and a three-minute walk from Pigalle metro station, Grand Pigalle Experimental is one of a number of hotels, restaurants and bars operated by the Experimental group in Paris. The lobby is small but stylish – we’re rarely compelled to comment on how a hotel displays the room keys, but behind the reception desk, the neat rows of keys hanging from their elegant tasselled leather keychains are undoubtedly a nice touch.

Unsurprisingly (given the proportions of the classic Haussmannian apartment block this hotel calls home), rooms are comparatively small but comfortable and include thoughtful details (such as a plug adaptor for international guests). The designer did take a risk with a leopard print carpet, however. The borderline trashy choice would be very out of place in a swankier arrondissement, but it works here. While not actually small in terms of square footage, the dramatically sloping eaves mean much of the floorspace is unusable, but being right up under the roof has its perks: from this vantage point, guests can enjoy impressive views of the Sacré-Cœur and the neighbourhood’s beautiful architecture.

The real standout of a stay is Frenchie Pigalle, the hotel’s restaurant. Here, chef Gregory Marchand cooks up his ‘sexy-trash’ dishes, a descriptor that belies the serious skill and refinement on display here. Dishes are best shared, and the small plates include the unctuous and fresh ceviche and the witty trompe-l'œil ’crème brûlée’. Larger plates (like the monkfish in bouillabaisse) are comforting and hearty, and finishing things off with a tasty (and very generous) dessert is a must. Breakfast is equally as delicious and at €23 for a hot drink, fresh juice, bread with butter and jam, a pastry, yoghurt, granola, fresh fruit, and a hot dish such as pancakes or avocado toast, it’s exceptional value for money, too.

Time Out tip: Fancy a night out? Head to La Machine du Moulin Rouge, one of the best clubs in the city, right next to the iconic Moulin Rouge.

Address: 29 Rue Victor Massé, 75009 Paris

Price: From £170 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Pigalle metro station

Verdict: the best hotel in the Opera District

If you’ve ever wondered why the centre of Paris looks like it does – those picture-perfect grand avenues flanked by beautiful, limestone-faced blocks – then look no further than Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This Napoleonic bureaucrat essentially rebuilt the entire city in the 19th century. He’s commemorated all over the city today, including in the name of Boulevard Haussmann. And it’s an appropriate address for the M Social Hotel Paris Opera, because this place really feels like it’s at the centre of things. You’re a quarter-hour’s stroll from Pigalle in one direction and the Louvre in the other; a half-hour from the Marais, the Left Bank, the Champs-Élysées or Gare du Nord. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better location for a weekend of Parisian retail therapy or ticking off the sights.

Of course, a good hotel needs more than a great address, and M Social hits all the right buttons. First opened in 1927 as the Hotel Commodore, it still has lovely art deco bones: the vintage lifts with their wood panels and brass accents, the endless marble staircase, the glass dome in the lobby. A revamp in 2021 by Singaporean hotel giant Millennium gave the hundred-plus rooms a swish, modern revamp, with some bold colour choices – millennial mauve walls and squishy velvet furniture in green, orange and aquamarine – serving as an antidote to the beige rooms of many a chain hotel.

We got a tidy night’s sleep in the vast green bed and loved the boulevard views from the big windows (fully openable for Parisian ambience by day, effectively soundproofed at night), and the noon checkout (which should be the default everywhere, frankly). We’d happily recommend breakfast in the Papillons & Co restaurant downstairs: a breakfast buffet solid enough to fuel up for a full day’s gallivanting down those Haussmannian boulevards.

Time Out tip: Nab a breakfast table in the Papillons & Co conservatory, which turns into a terrace on warm days, and people-watch over croissants and coffee.

Address: 12 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris

Price: From £175 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Richelieu - Drouot metro station

Verdict: the best hotel near Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is located just outside the town of Chessy: technically a far-flung Parisian suburb, it was a village of under 1,000 inhabitants until administratively absorbed by the French capital in the early ’80s. It’s not a picture-perfect taste of rural France, but if you’re just popping over for a night or two, then Chessy is an undeniably much more French experience than Disneyland itself. The centrally-located Hotel l'Elysee Val d'Europe bills itself as a boutique hotel, but this is maybe a stretch. The family-friendly rooms are comfortable and well-appointed: let’s not take Nespresso machines or a bath for granted, but there’s not a vast amount of personality or detail going on.

Still, it hits the spot, and the charm comes from the George restaurant and Diplomat bar. Both open out welcomingly to the street outside, and while a large proportion of the clientele are clearly hotel guests, there’s a pleasantly neighbourhood vibe to it, especially the cosy Diplomat bar. The George’s grill-centric menu is undeniably pitched towards an international audience, but it never feels like it’s pandering.

Of course, there’s only really one reason why anybody’s here, and the staff are patient and knowledgeable when it comes to fielding questions about Disneyland, which is a few minutes away by the free shuttle that leaves from just outside the hotel. As such, the hotel only needs to tick a few boxes to be considered a success. Luckily, this place is better than a simple box-ticker, despite its relative lack of personality. If it’s hardly going to upstage Disneyland itself, Hôtel l’Elysée is a comfortable and affordable family hotel that lets you make a quick trip to Europe’s most famous theme park while still getting a little taste of France along the way.

Time Out tip: You can very easily walk to Disneyland; it’s honestly only about 20 minutes away.

Address: 7 Cr du Danube, 77700 Serris

Price: From £210 per night based on two people sharing

Closest transport: Val d’Europe train station is a two-minute walk away