92 Best Hotels in France

This landmark hotel—frequented by artists and writers such as Picasso and Breton native Max Jacob in the 1920s—has been completely refitted with cool, light, modern furnishings that blend perfectly with its cove and beach setting. Guest rooms are not large, but 11 of them have great sea views. A garden now adorns the property, and a separate house has been outfitted with three independent apartments with terraces for larger groups and longer stays. Though on the small side, they are private and ideal for families. Didier Lecuisinier's menu, served in the glass-enclosed restaurant, focuses on fresh organic produce sourced from neighboring farms and fishing boats.

Like a modern-day Versailles, this deluxe turn-of-the-20th-century hotel is a creamy white creation of imposing size, filled with soaring rooms (including the historic Salle Clemenceau, site of the 1919 Versailles Peace Conference). Part of the Waldorf-Astoria brand since 2014, it's a destination unto itself, with a health club (the pool is poised beneath a glass pyramid), a Guerlain spa, and a lobby glammed up with Murano chandeliers and high-back leather armchairs. The hotel headlines menus designed by superstar chef Gordon Ramsey and carries a Michelin star, though the chef himself is not in the kitchen. Soaring La Veranda bistro is a lively local favorite for its reliably good food, lovely vistas of the gardens, and wide terrace that's open in summer. As for the guest rooms, try to avoid the newer annex (the Pavillon Trianon), and insist on the full treatment in the main building, where rooms are spacious, many with balconies and lovely views of Versailles' gardens, though the decor is a bit somber and could do with refurbishment. A great advantage of the hotel is its setting two steps from Versailles's garden entrance and a pleasant 15-minute walk to the Grand and Petit Trianon, where you can buy your entrance tickets, thus avoiding the crowds at the main entrance.