Hotel de Vendôme
1 Place Vendôme
Why We Like It
Loyal fans swear by this grand dame, who can't quite hide her age despite her exquisite bones. Though the hotel's prime location on the Place Vendôme, across from the stellar new Louis Vuitton flagship and in the midst of some of the city's best shopping and toniest hotels, remains a big plus.
Fodor's Expert Review
Housed in an 18th-century mansion on a prime plot of Paris real estate on the stately Place Vendôme, with a nip and a tuck this grand dame could easily be a Paris star, even without a spa or gym. Rumor has it that a facelift is in the works, but its many repeat clients don't seem to mind a little fraying at its elegant edges.
You Should Know Sensitive noses may detect a hint of mustiness in the air.
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Room
This elegant hotel harkens back to another time: the rooms are quiet and grand, not only in size but in style, with beautiful wood panelling, chandeliers, marble fireplaces and huge mirrors, period furniture, and original artworks. But time has taken its toll on carpets and curtains, and though many clients insist there's nowhere they'd rather be, this could be chalked up to nostalgia.
Tip The hotel has no terraces but some rooms have a view onto the Place Vendôme, which is truly a sight to behold at night, especially at the holidays.
Bathroom
Exquisite marble baths have the grandeur, quality, and amenities expected in a top luxury hotel, but, like the rooms, they are dated.
Lobby
There is no lobby at the first floor reception area, but the second-floor restaurant is open all day for meals, teatime, relaxing with a book or enjoying the views of the stunning new Louis Vuitton flagship across the street.
Dining
The cozy restaurant Vendôme, serving a quality gastronomic menu, is lovely in the evening as the sun sets and the Place Vendôme lights up, or for a leisurely lunch or teatime. The à la carte breakfast is particularly good, with a quality selection of hot and cold choices.
You Should Know The restaurant is closed during the entire month of August.
Drinking
The small bar at the restaurant is a cozy spot for a drink and a view at any time of day.
Teatime
If you feel like a classic Parisian teatime, two historic flagship tea salons (both now chains)—Angelina, renowned for its velvety chocolat chaud and sinful pastries, and the original Ladurée, a gilded jewel box on nearby rue Royale—are a quick walk away. For a more contemporary experience, and some of the most outstanding pastries in Paris, head over to Jean-Paul Hévin's chocolate boutique and tearoom (231 rue Saint-Honoré) or Sébastian Gaudard's utterly charming pastry shop, tearoom, and lunch spot (1 rue des Pyramides) just a few-minutes walk away.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
A five-minute walk to the Tuilerie metro station serving Paris's fastest central line.
Upscale territory to be sure, but chic enough not to qualify as stuffy, as you're smack dab in the middle of some of the city's best upscale shopping on the rue Saint-Honoré. In the heart of Paris, close to Palais Royal, the Tuileries, Place Vendôme, Opéra Garnier, the Louvre, L'Orangerie (displaying Monet's Waterlilies), this is an exceptionally convenient neighborhood to tons of Paris's top sites and museums.
Restaurants
One of the area's best kept secrets, Balagan, in the nearby Westin Paris Vendôme, serves stellar Mediterranean food in a fun-loving atmosphere. Another favorite haunt, just a few minutes walk away, at La Robe et la Palais, you'll dine on a satisfying menu of updated French classics—steak frites, veal tartare, roasted cod—with an emphasis on fresh seafood and an excellent wine list. La Regalade Saint-Honoré is also a dependably good bistro run by one of Paris's notable chefs (all within a 10-minute walk)
Bars
This is ground zero for Paris's storied hotel bars, starting with Le Meurice's Bar 228 piano bar and the legendary Hemingway Bar at the Ritz—both helmed by a famous Parisian barman. Winner in our book for most gorgeous nightspot, the newly restored Le Crillon Hôtel's Les Ambassadeurs is resplendent (all within a 1-5-minute walk). For something a bit more prosaic, head across the Palais Royal gardens to Willie's Wine Bar or Verjus Bar à Vins, both favorite expat hangouts with good food and a congenial atmosphere (10-minute walk).
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