120 Best Hotels in France

When you walk into the lobby of this sleek hotel, you may be too excited about the open space—a novelty at properties in this tiny fishing port—to notice the pool suspended 15 meters in the air, with its glass floor just over your head. Designed by Sybille de Margerie, rooms here combine today's technology with styling that's a throwback to the swinging 1960s and groovy 1970s—think white lacquer furniture paired with geometrics and colors. The selection of hip bars and lively restaurants will keep your palette interested, the Clarins spa will appeal to all the senses, and the free beach shuttle is a welcome bonus.

Flaunting a unique interior design masterminded by Alberto Pinto and an elite location in the upper part of town, just across the way from the famous Église Monolithe, this stunning Italianate mansion has long been considered the top hotel in St-Émilion. Public areas and appealing guest rooms are a symphony of tangerines, beiges, and blacks; many rooms come with their own terrace overlooking the tile roofs of the town. Four rooms and one suite are located in the picturesque Residence Pavie, set amid vines two miles from St-Émilion, while the Suite House, located on a cobbled street a five-minute walk from the main reception desk, comprises seven contemporary-styled suites. The hotel's restaurant, La Table de Pavie, (closed Sunday and Monday) boasts two Michelin stars and there's also a less formal wine bar and restaurant, L'Envers du Décor. 

Open since 1870, this extravagantly expensive hotel reminiscent of The Great Gatsby era is still the mainstay for A-Listers and those with deep pockets for good reason—with 22 acres of immaculate gardens bordered by rocky shore, it embodies the fantasy of a subtropical French Riviera idyll. The Villa Soleil joined forces with the neighboring Eden Roc tearoom in 1914 and expanded its luxuries to include a swimming pool blasted into seaside bedrock. After the Great War, two stylish American intellectuals—Sara and Gerald Murphy—rented the entire complex and invited all their friends, a stellar lot ranging from the Windsors to Rudolph Valentino and Marlene Dietrich. Their most frequent guests were Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who used it as the model for Hôtel des Etrangers in his Tender Is the Night. Large, sun-drenched rooms are thickly carpeted and furnished with antiques in the main Second Empire mansion; the waterside Pavillon Eden Roc wing is more modern and has sheer-horizon views. Everyone dresses formally for dinner in the Eden-Roc restaurant, the Champagne Lounge, and historical La Rotonde piano bar. To celebrate its 150-year-anniversary, the hotel opened the private Villa Sainte-Anne, which has its own infinity pool. In 2023, 46 suites were reimagined; the Dior spa was launched; and Michelin-star restaurant chef Sébastien Broda shared the limelight with 33-year-old Gabriel Le Quang, the hotel's pastry sous-chef, who won the 2023 title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pâtissier-Confiseur, making him one of France's best pastry chefs.

No detail was left to chance at this ravishing hotel in a restored 1920s building on a posh corner of the Golden Triangle. Rooms are models of modern luxury in elegant shades of celadon, dusty rose, or teal with plush velour, marble, and brass accents in design furnishings and fabrics. Suites have marble fireplaces and terraces, and street-facing rooms on the top three floors offer stunning Eiffel Tower views and plenty of quiet. The hotel's stylish Café 52 is a good choice for dining in this pricey neighborhood.

Step off the cobbled street and into the soul of St-Tropez at this intimate hotel with a history that's as rich as its design—rooms are named after past luminary guests like Brigitte Bardot, Jack Nicholson, and Pablo Picasso and every decor detail exudes authenticity and discrete glamour. Michelin-starred chef Thomas Danigo oversees the cuisine on the summer terrace overlooking the Mediterranean and in the elegant dining room. The legendary Saint-Germain-des-Prés-la Ponche piano bar has seen its share of celebrity soirées and serves delicious cocktails—both spirited and alcohol-free—with style. Relax with a massage in the wellness space or revitalize with yoga and Pilates classes by the sea.

The historic Bristol ranks among Paris's most exclusive hotels and has numerous accolades to prove it, as does its Michelin-starred restaurant. Some of the spacious and elegant rooms have authentic Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture, embroidered silk fabrics, and marble bathrooms; others have a more relaxed 19th-century style. The public salons are stocked with old-master paintings and sculptures, sumptuous Oriental carpets and tapestries, gilded chandeliers, and fine antiques. The award-winning Épicure—one of Paris's great hotel restaurants—has a beautiful outdoor courtyard terrace to enjoy in warmer weather. Exclusive Swiss La Prairie products are used in the eight treatment rooms of the stunning spa, featuring private outdoor terraces and gourmet snacks.

The crown jewel of Left Bank hotels, this magnificent Art Nouveau behemoth has a long history of hosting illustrious painters and writers such as Matisse, Picasso, James Joyce, and many others. Occupied by German soldiers during World War II, the hotel later became a repatriation center when Paris was liberated in 1944. The hotel has undergone substantial renovations over the years and continues to be recognized as a world-class, five-star hotel, though other than the spectacular exterior and high, vaulted ceilings on the ground floor, there is little trace of the hotel's former, old-school Parisian charm. Today it draws travelers with deep pockets who love the Left Bank and state-of-the-art amenities like sleek, ultramodern rooms, luxury services, a wonderful spa and swimming pool, three restaurants, and one of the swankiest bars in town. 

Stay like a celebrity in old Hollywood–style glamour at this five-star Art Deco hotel, where the history is closely intertwined with that of the Cannes Film Festival, and accommodations include suites with sweeping sea views and beautiful rooms overlooking the pool, garden, or city. If you want something extra special, book one of the two penthouse apartments, among the largest in Europe and the film-festival headquarters of Swiss jeweler Chopard, whose star-studded rooftop festival parties are legendary. The Michelin-starred Palme D'Or restaurant is Top Chef Jean Imbert's love letter to cinema with memorabilia from iconic films like Star Wars and Titanic. Lounge on the private beach, La Plage du Martinez, designed by architect Pierre-Yves Rochon as an ode to 1930s Mediterranean chic. Get red-carpet ready at the Spa by Carita, part of the hotel's L'Oasis du Martinez wellness area, which offers face and body treatments and make-up services.

Festooned in luxury fabrics and 18th-century furnishings, this posh extravaganza, designed by France's überchic Jacque Garcia, put Bordeaux back on the world scene with its veritable army of restaurants and bars, along with a swanky Roman bath–inspired spa—all just steps from the city's Golden Triangle shopping district. If anyone can redefine and resurrect Bordelais style it is Garcia: for this complex of buildings, anchored by a historic palais, he took inspiration from the gilded Opéra National de Bordeaux, just across the square. Go all out and get a room high up with a theater view.

The chic Kimpton line's first Parisian outpost is located inside a stunning Art Nouveau landmark building—once part of the upscale Samaritaine department store—and each of the deco-inspired rooms is different: some offer balconies, others stellar views to the Eiffel Tower or the Opéra a stone's throw away. All come with luxurious interiors, featuring plush designer furniture, ample marble baths, top-of-the-line bedding, and original artwork. Amenities include a California-inspired indoor-outdoor restaurant, an indoor pool, a small spa, and a rooftop cocktail bar with jaw-dropping views of Paris.

Once owned by the Baron de Chartrouse, this extraordinary 18th-century hôtel particulier is delightfully intimate and elegant, decorated with gold-framed mirrors, white-brocade chairs, marble writing desks, artfully hung curtains, and hand-painted wallpaper. White rooms look out onto a beautifully landscaped garden. To relax, stretch out by the pool, and listen to the birds chirp, or head to the spa for an essential-oil massage. Le Bistrot, open mid-May to mid-October (closed Monday and Tuesday), serves only three-course dinners.

A Provençal dream come true, this exclusive property—part of the Maisons et Hôtels Sibuet collection—is amid a 57-acre vineyard and has rustic-chic common areas and guest quarters in a restored stone farmstead. Some rooms have private terraces, others a working fireplace; all are beautifully and eclectically decorated with antiques and original artwork. On-site amenities include a spa, a swimming pool, and a dining room where the food is so good that locals come from miles around for lunch, dinner, or afternoon tea. You can take in beautiful views from the terrace, indulge in a wine tasting, and explore bucolic paths on foot or by e-bike.

Set amid gentle rolling hills, elegant gardens, and 90 sun-drenched acres of vineyards (from which the Aureto estate wine is produced), this upscale hideaway—with several historic country houses restored to designer perfection—is perfect whether you want a relaxing spa or wine-tasting getaway or a more active escape of hiking through vineyards or biking on one of the hotel's Swiss-made mountain bikes. Take in the breathtaking vineyard and mountain views from your private terrace or one of several expansive garden patios, relax in the whirlpool tub, or indulge in a restorative treatment at the state-of-the-art spa before enjoying a sumptuous all-truffle dinner at Le Gourmet restaurant. For more casual dining there's also a gourmet bistro and the Jardin dans les Vignes terrace restaurant in summer.

One of Avignon's loveliest hotels is in an 18th-century mansion not far from the Palais des Papes and set amid lush gardens with towering plane trees, flowers, and palms, as well as a koi pond, swimming pool, and spa pavilion. Splendid antiques and contemporary art and design (including 200 paintings) create a setting that's as opulent and luxurious as it is witty and poetic.

Obliging innkeepers Frédéric and Marie-Claude did their architectural homework before transforming a 17th-century home into this elegant B&B, where the unique suites feature tasteful color schemes, original historical details, antique and vintage items, and modern fixtures. Each suite has its own configuration and unique attribute, such as a courtyard terrace, a library, or a window that perfectly frames a niche containing a statue of the Virgin Mary in a church across the way. Other amenities include air-conditioning, a gallery and boutique—perfect for last-minute art or antique finds—and a heated swimming pool.

Set in a splendid 19th-century mansion just steps from the presidential palace and the American embassy, this aristocratic lodging is one of the city's most elegant small hotels. Rooms are sumptuous, done up in a mix of period antiques and deluxe contemporary design, with silk-damask walls, large marble baths, and herringbone parquet floors. Enjoy a cocktail by the fire in the magnificent lounge or fine dining at the gastronomic restaurant Le Gabriel. The full-service spa and pool cater to your total relaxation.

Set in the 17th-century quarters of Louis XIV's finance minister, this exquisite hotel—which actually abuts the château grounds—faithfully re-creates the "palace" experience, from bathing (your personal butler will draw your bath for you) to dining (with Alain Ducasse--designed menus) to the staff (dressed like footmen and -women). The gorgeous common areas and guest rooms—all with period antiques and bespoke fabrics and wallpapers—hew to the epoch, with the exception of the state-of-the-art amenities. Rooms are blessedly TV-free, but anything seems to be available for guests if you just ask (yes, that includes a television). The lovely Valmont spa includes a 50-foot indoor pool, sauna, hammam, and a small fitness area. France is full of château hotels, but this is the only one that offers views of Versailles's orangerie gardens from your bathtub and exclusive before- or after-hours visits to the palace minus the crowds.

Sitting on roughly 1,250 acres of Camargue ranch land, this 17th-century farmstead is a study in country elegance, with several buildings containing rooms done in soft Provençal colors and featuring wooden beams, polished stone floors, brass beds, dreamy linen fabrics, and bathrooms with claw-foot tubs. The Elegance Suite, outfitted like a modern loft, has soaring ceilings, contemporary art, and an enormous bathroom with a separate tub and shower. The refined-rustic restaurant serves sophisticated dishes made with homegrown ingredients and is decorated with starched linens, discreet lighting, paysanne (country-style) chairs, and fresh roses on every table. The hotel also has a lovely pool, and the staff can help you arrange activities like horseback riding, hiking, and guided bird-watching expeditions.

Alexandra Bacquié and three-star Michelin chef Christophe Bacquié left the famed Hotel & Spa du Castellet in late 2022 to create this quintessentially Provençal idyll, where five farmhouse guest rooms, an apartment suite, and a separate cottage are set amid lavender fields and rolling vineyards and are sheltered by olive and fig trees. When it comes to being pampered, you're in the best of hands, whether you're enjoying an ultrasophisticated meal in the unpretentious dining room, sunbathing by the pool, or strolling to nearby Bonnieux, one of the Luberon's prettiest villages.

Set in a 19th-century Haussmannian mansion, Le Narcisse Blanc covers all the bases in luxury accommodations with a top-notch gastronomic restaurant (Cléo), stylish common areas including a pretty garden terrace, and a full-service spa with a swimming pool and fitness, sauna, and steam rooms. The hotel's 30 spacious rooms are all unique: some flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows, others with private terraces and sweeping panoramas of Paris and views of the Eiffel Tower. All are elegantly decorated in relaxing hues. The hotel's Left Bank location is a quick walk from the Musée Rodin, the Seine, and the Eiffel Tower, as well as great dining and shopping.

Romantic doesn't begin to describe this beautiful eco-friendly B&B set in an 18th-century hunting lodge, where every detail is rendered with taste and refinement without an ounce of snobbery. Your gracious hosts encourage you to make good use of their property: stroll the manicured French gardens—listed by the French ministry of culture—or soak in the Provence sunshine by the spring-fed infinity pool. Two bright, first-floor guest rooms have king-size beds and a lovely interior design with original artwork. A delicious, all-organic breakfast is served in the garden or in the lovely dining rooms. Homemade gourmet dinners, massages, cooking classes, and wine tastings are available upon request.

Despite its undeniable sophistication, Le Strato manages to convey a delicious coziness that extends from the contemporary dining room to the beautifully appointed guest rooms and pristine-white marble baths. This melange of several chalet-style buildings includes some truly splendid private apartments as well as suites with balconies overlooking the snow-covered pines, slopes, and mountains in the distance, thanks to a privileged spot at the top of the Courchevel 1850's glamorous Rue de Bellcote. The Sothy's spa offers a range of customized treatments, as well as a pool with jaw-dropping views. The chic ski boutique features everything you need to ski in style, as well as private access to the slopes. Under the guidance of Michelin star chef Thomas Prod’homme, the restaurant is just one more reason to make this your opulent Courchevel home.

Lovingly restored to 1930s glamour, this fabled landmark proves that what's old is new again, as France's stylish young set make this endearingly neoclassique place with lovely Art Deco accommodations one of their latest favorites. Not far from the onetime villa of Gerald and Sara Murphy—those Roaring '20s millionaires who devoted their lives to proving the maxim "living well is the best revenge"—the Belles Rives became the home-away-from-home for literary giant F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda (chums of the Murphys). Dining on the terrace of the on-site Michelin-starred restaurant on a fine summer night, with the sea lapping below and stars twinkling in the velvety Mediterranean sky, you'll share that "living well" feeling. There's no pool, but the private beach (très cher, as is the €39 burger) is just steps away.

Relaxation, family, nature, and the good life abound at this rustic-luxe lodging with breathtaking mountain views set back on a lovely garden property a 10-minute walk from Megève village. Owned and run by the same family who built this cluster of charming wooden chalets in the 1970s, guests are given a warm welcome in an enchanting and luxurious atmosphere, with wood fires burning in winter and flower gardens blooming in summer. Delightful in all seasons, it’s the perfect refuge for nature walks and outdoor yoga, healthy picnics, and gastronomic dining. It's all topped off by a giant heated indoor pool and spa featuring the all-natural skincare line Pure Altitude; there are also indoor and outdoor saunas and Jacuzzis, Japanese baths, a state-of-the-art fitness room, and a hair salon. The soaring dining room, open for every meal, is a favorite in Megève, and there’s also a cozy bistro serving traditional Savoyard dishes.

Although it's just outside Aix and amid 10 acres of woods, olive groves, and vineyards, with Cézanne-immortalized Mont Sainte-Victoire as a backdrop, this hotel eschews the rustic-country-inn aesthetic in favor of a sophisticated, deluxe-contemporary style. Rooms are handsomely appointed, and those on the ground floor have spacious private terraces overlooking the pool; upstairs suites have mountain views from the bathtubs. If you're staying a week or more, then rent one of the private villas—the final word in luxury, these four sleek, modern structures can each house up to eight people and provide every modern convenience, including a kitchen, dining room, terrace with tremendous views, and private heated pool. Guests in the hotel and lodges have access to the gleaming full-service Cinq Monde spa.

Featuring views of the port and the Cap Canaille, this cliff-side villa has shed its former Art Deco–style decor for a spiffy contemporary look featuring things like plush velvet chairs and huge modern baths. The gastronomic Les Belles Canailles restaurant, the more casual Rocco bistro, the superchic Le Loup bar, and the upscale Sisley spa all have fantastic sea views. Shaded by massive pines, the beautifully landscaped terrace has two pools that appear to spill into the sea. You can also take a plunge right into the cape from the hotel's namesake white rocks.

Tree-dwelling has never been so tranquil, or so glam, than at these 18 perched wooden cabins set among the branches of towering oak and chestnut trees in the heart of a 750-acre forest. Wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows immerse you in nature, but you’re close enough to your neighbors to feel more secluded than stranded. Each cabin has a unique theme (you can choose when booking) but all have spacious outdoor terraces, hot tubs, and all the modern amenities. Breakfasts are delivered picnic-style to your cabin and for lunch and dinner you can opt for the gourmet restaurant (focusing on healthy seasonal dishes) in the main building, a restored farmhouse. There’s no fitness room or spa but you have the great outdoors and a massive outdoor pool with plenty of lounging space (and massages can be booked in your room or at the Bee Lodge in the garden). Bikes are available to enjoy the nearby walking trails or for visits to the Villandry or Chenonceau châteaux, both an hour ride away.

To say this sustainable hotel is unique is an understatement—where else in Provence can you stay in a luxury cave with a bathroom set into the rocks or in a round pigeon tower with sweeping village and countryside views? The 200-year-old farmhouse offers large but more conventional rooms and suites—complete with wood-burning stoves—that open onto a private terrace. The 7-acre property has lush flower, fruit, and vegetable gardens (to stock the excellent Jardin Secret restaurant); ancient trees; lavender fields (for the bees); a large pool; a small vineyard; and stunning vistas everywhere you look. The Bistrot restaurant, La TUF microbrewery, and O'Fadoli pastis bar round out the drinking and dining options.

At this five-star hotel just steps from Place des Lices, the Pariente family gives you a chance to experience the real St-Tropez, away from the madness of the bling-bling crowds. Lounge next to St-Trop’s biggest pool, watched over by two magnificent century-old pine trees. Designer Charles Zana ties it all together indoors with light hues, natural stone, wrought iron, and wood. The rate includes breakfast; just be sure to save lots of room for a meal at Beefbar, the on-site grilled-meats and street-food concept restaurant.

Located just steps from the Mediterranean and the Promenade des Anglais, this flagship of the Maison Albar hotels collection is a truly indulgent escape—one where it's worth splurging on a sea-view balcony room so you can open the curtains each day and let the fabled morning light engulf you. Head to the sixth floor Taulissa Restaurant, which seems suspended between the Mercantour mountains and the Mediterranean, for a sunshine soaked breakfast—don’t forget your sunglasses—or a sunset meal. Spots by the rooftop pool and on the expansive terrace are set to become some of Nice's most coveted. The Oria Spa (oria means "gold") really does feel like a hidden treasure, with a sauna, a hammam, a sensorial rain-forest shower, a counter-current pool, a whirlpool tub, and 24K-gold facial treatments. If you absolutely must get in that midnight training session, the fitness suite is open 24 hours.