Inside Ritz Paris, an Opulent Stay That Shines Even in the City of Light

Stay Here For

A decadent trip that will make you want to ship off your DNA to see if you are in fact part of a royal bloodline. 

Staying at the Ritz Paris is not unlike ordering a whole cake and letting yourself eat the entire thing, down to the very last buttercream rose. At once an icon of Paris and luxury itself, the Ritz is for travelers who want to indulge in a level of luxury fit for 18th-century French royals.

When it comes to luxury hotels, Paris provides in spades. Nearly all the elite hospitality brands are represented here, and new contenders arrive at a dizzying rate. For guests not rattled by price tags befitting a king’s ransom, it’s a city of plenty.

But few hotels ever become landmarks in the way that the Ritz Paris has—after all, it was the first property from “the hotelier of kings and the king of hoteliers,” César Ritz, and it ushered in a new level of service, modernity and commitment to excellence.

When the Ritz Paris turned on the lights in 1898, electricity lit every floor (one of the first hotels in the world to boast such an extravagance), and rooms had private bathrooms. Nowadays, it’s assumed that hotels will have en suite bathrooms, but at the time? Revolutionary.

It’s the laundry list of famous guests and lavish design—not unlike a museum filled with period pieces and antiques—that explain why, on any given day, tourists line up before its legendary bars open and don their smartest outfits for afternoon tea. It might be hard to imagine going to Paris and not leaving your hotel, but a night at the Ritz could be the exception.

The Room

Embroidered silks, Louis XV furnishings and a selection of paintings and objets d’art that could rival any of the museums in Paris: Whether you’re staying in a room or suite—the hotel, notably, has an equal share of both—the attention to detail and flair for opulence is unmistakable. If waking up beneath a bed framed by a tassel-laden canopy doesn’t inspire dreams of long-lost royal bloodlines, the crystal chandeliers and marble fireplaces might. As you go up in category, you don’t just get additional square footage: You might have a separate living room fit for hosting heads of state, or a walk-in closet (the perfect place to stow your shopping bags after an afternoon on the Champs-Élysées). If you’re traveling in the summer, book a room with a balcony.

Having a private water closet may no longer be a rarity, but there’s nothing quite like the marble-clad bathrooms at the Ritz Paris, where you can fill your tub from a gold swan tap before swaddling yourself in a robe or towel in the brand’s signature apricot-peach hue (they’re as soft as peach fuzz, too). César Ritz himself believed it would complement any discerning guest’s complexion; it’s why the same color is used to line the bedroom shade.

Though the hotel’s technology has been upgraded from the Belle Époque to the modern day, the aesthetic hasn’t changed all that much. There are still original maid and valet bells, and turning the lights on is as elegant as twisting a gold, lyre-shaped key in the wall. By the bed, wooden call boxes have been transformed into elegant buttons that control the climate, ambience and more.

The Features

At the Ritz Bar, order a cocktail inspired by biodynamics suited to your astrological sign.

Don’t miss: Bar Hemingway, a 25-seat bar once frequented by (you guessed it) the namesake Ernest, among other prominent artists and writers in the 1920s. Many of the cocktails pay tribute to the author, and if you want to be in-the-know, ask for a Zero Gravity (a gin martini with absinthe, ginger essence and yellow chartreuse, garnished with a white rose), which nods to the story of the time he and his wife survived two plane crashes within 24 hours.

Standout features: Despite the formal feel of the hotel, the service is incredibly warm and personable—waiters are generous with their banter, and there always seems to be a conveniently placed staff member who can assist you with your latest whim.

Can’t stop thinking about: The vases of pink peonies the size of overripe grapefruits you’ll find around the property, or the fresh pastel roses in the rooms, courtesy of the hotel’s “dame des fleurs,” Anne Vitchen.

The Vibe

Despite the formal feel of the hotel, the service is incredibly warm and personable.

The highly specific reason you’d come here: You’re an artiste, and you hope to glean some of the creative energy imbued into the property by former guests, like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Maria Callas, best done in their respective suites, of course.

Don’t miss the memo: Though the hotel has gotten with the times, be mindful that the entire hotel has a “smart” dress code, and there are certain expectations for how you should dress.

The souvenir you’re bringing home: If the idea of checking out is nearly too much to bear, drop by the Ritz Paris Boutique for your very own plush peach bathrobe, a signature scented candle crowned with an iconic gold swan or even a tulip lamp re-creation in ivory taffeta and bronze.

What might surprise you: No two rooms or suites are alike, thanks in part to the 78 distinctive pastel hues created specifically for the hotel—and copyrighted. Try to guess the name of yours, be it New Banana or Shiitake.

What are you packing? Your vintage pearl necklace. Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel wasn’t just a guest at the Ritz—she lived here for more than three decades. There’s now a suite in her honor and even a Chanel haute jewelry boutique in the hotel’s shopping gallery, so don’t be surprised to find that a Chanel shopping bag is the hottest accessory at the hotel.

It’s hard to beat Paris in the fall, after the summer crowds thin out and the temperatures cool off.

Everything Else

• Number of rooms: 142
• Number of pools: 1
• Fitness center? Yes
• Spa? Yes
• Salon? Yes
• Number of bars/restaurants: 2 bars, 2 restaurants
• In-room dining? Yes
• Childcare and kids club? No kid’s club, but childcare can be arranged for an additional fee.