Worth Traveling For
When the French Ministry of Tourism declared Palace distinction as the top-tier level for five-star hotels in 2010, Le Meurice was the first to garner the honor. Today, there are only 31 total palaces across France, with just 12 in Paris. Each, in some manner, manifests unequaled French benchmarks of history and excellence. Each is a haven.
But how to decide which to choose for a regal night stay in the City of Lights? Salvador Dali returned to the hotel for months at a time for 30 years. Sometimes he brought along Babou, his pet ocelot. Legendarily, he took part in surreal pranks or experiments (tossing paint from the windows for an art project, bringing in a herd of goats), befriending Le Meurice’s affable, genteel staff and gifting them autographed lithographs for the holidays. His legacy, subtly but grandly, lives on. Today, Le Meurice’s extravagance of 18th-century style lavishness keeps a bit of Dali-esque whimsy and contemporary artfulness in its back pocket via mood and design. Think marble and gild, side-by-side Saarinen chairs, and abstract ceiling paintings.
Le Meurice opened in 1835 as one of the world’s first luxury hotels. Today, it remains a secluded, elegantly eccentric, hideaway among the fray.
Hotel Highlights
I’ve been going to Le Meurice all my life, beginning in childhood. I’ve taken my own children, too. Though not a family hotel, it coddles everyone equally and supremely. Toddlers are as welcome as honeymooners. I’ve been given graceful china tea cups for my birthday and watched the Michelin-starred restaurant whip up steak frites with a princess tower of salad for my pre-schooler — among many surprise niceties. To do it right: Drink Champagne in the storied Bar 228, which emits elegant bygone-spies-exchanging-info vibes. It’s all moody darkness, leather chairs, and Lavalley frescoes. Take afternoon tea in Le Dali, the hotel’s more casual restaurant to try Pastry Chef Cédric Grolet’s trompe-l’œil fruit sculptures and dainty pastries. Situated in a room modeled after Versailles, Alain Ducasse’s Le Meurice simplifies gastronomy with his pared down Essential Cuisine menu. Finally: Le Meurice’s La Maison Valmont stands out as Paris’ only spa in partnership with the Swiss brand.
Rooms and Experience
Even the entry-level rooms at Le Meurice are plush paragons of sumptuousness, awash in French classical style. Think: chandeliers, silken headboards, white marble bathrooms, antiques, and soothing tones — all masterminded by Charles Jouffre. Some newer suites, such as (my favorite) the Executive Junior Suite were updated by Lally & Berger with bright accent colors and wallpapers. This one woos with pink wallpaper, gem-colored accoutrements, and views of Sacre Coeur. By far the piece-de-resistance is the four-bedroom Belle Epoque Suite, resplendent with the best of everything Meurice-ish, including a rooftop terrace that frames Montmartre in the distance.
What To Know Before You Book
Le Meurice has been a magnet to artists of every genre from writers to painters to chefs. Embrace that with one of the hotel’s extraordinary arts packages, which combine a one-night stay in a suite or room with breakfast and Picasso, Monet, or Rodin-themed art tours and activities. Also, most rooms have deep soaking tubs (a required amenity for me) and separate showers, except for a few entry rooms. If an indulgent bath matters to you, be sure to let reservations know in advance.
Address: Hotel Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection
228 rue de Rivoli, Paris France
Closest Airport: Charles de Gaulle is approximately 45 minutes.
Feature image courtesy of Le Meurice. Travel Curator may earn a commission from product or booking links on this page.
