In 2024, The MICHELIN Guide is announcing the first-ever MICHELIN Keys — a brand new distinction that recognizes the most outstanding hotels worldwide. In this article, we will take a look at take a look at nine Three Key hotels in Paris.
Three Keys is the highest hotel honor in The MICHELIN Guide. Being awarded One Key (127 properties) or Two Keys (38 properties) is difficult enough, but only 24 hotels have earned the Three Key distinction in France. Out of those, nine can be found in Paris.
The Three Key hotels excel in all five criteria used to judge hotels by our Inspectors. Here, we thought it fitting to focus on just one of those criteria — the most photogenic of the five — architecture and interior design.
Take a look at Three Key hotels in Paris:
La Réserve
On the gorgeous Avenue Gabriel, just a stroll away from the Élysée Palace, La Réserve makes its home in a stately 19th-century mansion originally built for the half brother of Napoleon III. It is a historic Haussmannian structure, and though its interiors are brand new, they might be rightly described as imperial. The trademark rouge of designer Jacques Garcia is everywhere, and his rooms are lavish, palatial, and opulent. Inside, you’ll find Carrara marble baths, Toto washlets, and individual butler service.
Four Seasons George V
This renowned hotel opened in 1928. Both despite its age and because of it, the Four Seasons George V is one of the go-to examples of a prestigious (and government-decreed) palace hotel. Both the architecture and interior design play on its history and preserve it, mixing the original Art Deco style with an awe-inspiring Louis XV restoration. Just by the 8th arrondissement‘s Golden Triangle, the location is nearly as iconic as the hotel itself.
The Ritz Paris
The Ritz Paris first opened in 1898 — and it didn’t close for the first time until 2012. The well-deserved break, which lasted several years, was in the service of a delicate overhaul by lauded French architect Thierry W. Despont. The Ritz called the revamp “modernisation with discretion.” Ceilings were raised, windows added and the restaurant got a retractable glass roof. But overall, The Ritz is still the Belle Époque icon where Ernest Hemingway was once a regular.
Le Bristol
In the past, we’ve likened Le Bristol to a frosted cake. The hotel is creamy Art Deco on the outside, with decadent 18th-century antiques, tapestries and former Louvre artwork on the inside. If you’re a nature lover, come in spring when the spacious garden comes alive with the scent of magnolias. Another touch for those who love the finer things: they have a pool here (rare for Paris), set in glass and bathed in sunlight.
Le Meurice
Institutions like this tend to keep their guest lists private. But when you’ve been open since 1835, you can afford to let some names slip. Queen Victoria, King George VI, Picasso, Coco Chanel, and Dalí are among them. Today, come for the Versailles-inspired opulence, where the smallest rooms are still large enough, and the highest level suites can face the Jardin des Tuileries. Of particular note is the seventh-floor Belle Étoile suite: with its own terrace and a view of the city in every direction.
Cheval Blanc Paris
Dating back to the 1920s, the space that hosts Cheval Blanc Paris started as the iconic Art Deco building belonging to a department store: La Samaritaine, overlooking the Pont Neuf and Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Its 72 rooms and suites mean it operates on a boutique scale even with its incredible luxuries. We’re particularly fascinated by the Quintessence Suite that spans two levels and has its own swimming pool.
The Saint James
You won’t find many freestanding houses doubling as hotels in Paris — and we’re confident in saying this is the only country-style château hosting hotel guests in the City of Light. Built by a French president’s widow in his honor, The Saint James has its own glorious fountain and gardens, making it a bonafide city escape in the 16th arrondissement. The renovation was handled by Laura Gonzalez, and represents a mix of Art Deco and Neoclassical inspiration that coalesces around a wonderfully winding red-carpeted staircase.
Villeroy
Villeroy is not a palace hotel (a distinction bestowed by the French government); but as a Parisian mansion with just 11 rooms and suites, it’s as luxurious as any of them — and, indeed, as any hotel in Paris. Dating back to 1908, the architecture is historic and Neoclassical, while the 35 alabaster globes suspended from the ceiling provide a contemporary and rather memorable entrance. Each of the suites are virtually presidential, and accommodations sport marble baths, custom-made furniture and hand-made mattresses.
Plaza Athénée
Plaza Athénée employs one of our favorite combinations: historic elegance and Art Deco cool. Opened in 1913, it was hip as early as the 1930s, when the bar hosted French dancers like Josephine Baker and Italian singers like Rudolph Valentino. These days, a thorough renovation keeps the hotel at the cutting edge of luxury, while traditional opulence remains in the form of silk curtains and ornate chandeliers (not to mention the outstanding wine list).
Photo credit: guide.michelin.com
