These Are the 14 Best 4-Star Hotels in Paris

After nearly 20 years as a travel writer living in France, I’ve been lucky to both review and frequent my share of Paris hotels. And while the city’s luxurious five-star stays are worth the splurge, Paris also excels in four-star hotels—a category designated by the French government through a rigorous classification system, which rates properties from one-star to ultra-luxury palace hotels.

Four-star establishments offer a lot of the niceties and comfort of five-star ones, but with smaller rooms (the minimum size is 172 square feet for a double) and a gentler price tag. Strict regulations in this category—vetted by an anonymous government inspector with a checklist of 243 criteria—include aesthetic considerations (like appearance of the facade), facilities (a bar is required), service (including multi-lingual reception staff), and room amenities (like flat-screen TVs and a central light switch by the bed). Also important is environmental sustainability and accessibility for guests who have limited mobility. (Unlike five-star hotels, four-star retreats aren’t required to have turn-down service, valet parking, mini bars, or a dedicated concierge.)

Afar’s latest edition of Hotels We Love represents a handful of the very best four-star hotels in Paris in a range of neighborhoods. Whether you’re looking for a hip hangout spot near the Canal Saint-Martin or prefer a Jazz Age-infused refuge close to the Luxembourg Gardens, these 14 hotels reflect the district where they’re anchored—so much so that you might even start feeling like a local.

Boudoir des Muses

Courtesy of Boudoir des Muses

• Location: Upper Marais
• Why we love it: A romantic boutique hotel with a racy past
• From $275
• Book now

In the trendy Upper Marais district, the 28-room Boudoir des Muses debuted in September 2024 in a renovated building with a notorious past. At this address at 6 rue Saintonge, a theater once regaled 18th-century audiences; later, rumors of salacious misdeeds led Napoleon to shut down the alleged brothel. The building had a brief stint as part of a convent. Now this heritage has been brought back to life as a hybrid hotel and nightlife venue with weekly cabaret shows under artistic director Maud’Amour (of the Madame Arthur cabaret and Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show).

Designed with a circular stage under an atrium skylight, the old theater is surrounded by potted palm trees and bar seating where you can sip a cocktail and share tapas like foie gras bites. On the ceiling, Latin phrases describe the Apocalypse, while on the floor, the serpent-patterned carpets allude to Adam and Eve’s transgressions in the Garden of Eden. (The staff also wear coiled gold serpents pinned to their uniforms.) The playful decor includes a cabinet of candles fashioned as nude busts, erotic art, and a confessional box in the downstairs bathroom where you can admit your sins (via written note).

A standout guest room is no. 406, a two-bedroom apartment with timber beams under the eaves. A porthole-style window overlooks the downstairs stage, where the burlesque cabaret shows happen on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Other regular events include drawing workshops, poetry writing, DJ sets, and tarot card readings. The hotel also has a downstairs bath area with two spaces that can be privatized for amorous couples. One is equipped with a Jacuzzi and sauna; the other has a hammam and a plunge pool beneath ancient stone walls.

The hotel is managed by Elegancia Hotels, behind other Parisian retreats including the Chouchou near the Opera, and OFF Paris Seine, a floating hotel.

Grand Coeur Latin

Courtesy of Grand Coeur Latin

• Neighborhood: Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: A stylish retreat for exploring the Left Bank on foot
• From $277
• Book now

Situated on a quiet side street between the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens, the Grand Coeur Latin opened in September 2024 with 82 rooms on seven floors. Construction work to expand and excavate a swimming pool uncovered priceless Gallo-Roman artifacts, and the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research was called to the scene for a full-blown archaeological dig. This testifies to the hotel’s location in the heart of historic Paris, where the thriving ancient city of Lutetia had a forum, amphitheater, and thermal baths some two millennia ago.

Late autumn will see the launch of the lower-level spa, inspired by ancient Roman baths. A recurring design motif is the arch—found in the logo, niched alcoves, and patterned fabric on the walls—a nod to the medieval monastic school that once stood here. In the corridors, the “strawberry thief” William Morris wallpaper conjures illuminations in medieval manuscripts. A buffet breakfast is served in a pretty space near the lobby, but there is no on-site restaurant.

Grand Hôtel Cayré

Courtesy of Grand Hôtel Cayré

• Neighborhood: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
• Why we love it: Art deco splendor inspired by the Roaring Twenties
• From $400
• Book now

At the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Grand Hotel Cayré has stood on the corner of Boulevard Raspail and the Rue du Bac since 1920. From its Jazz Age heyday as a hub for writers and artists, it needed a little TLC. A head-to-toe renovation was completed in summer 2024. General manager Mickael Meunier, previously of the city’s happening hotel Les Bains, orchestrated the renaissance.

In style and ambience, Le Grand Hôtel Cayré embodies the spirit of the Roaring Twenties. Interior architect Michaelis Boyd dressed the interiors with antique mirrors, embroidered fabrics, and art deco–style lamps and crystal chandeliers. The art-filled Annette is an all-day restaurant that aims to be a neighborhood institution. Bruno Brangea, previously head chef at Ducasse Paris, oversees the brasserie menu (pâté en croute, eggs mimosa, beef tartare). The Officine Bac (the Dispensary) is a sexy drinking den where Oscar Blackstone creates cocktails inspired by the botanicals used by chemist naturalist Raspail. Other welcome attractions include a gym and a “refresh room” for guests arriving on red-eye flights.

Leading up to the 123 guest rooms, the original staircase features a sky fresco painted by Mathias Kiss. Two standout suites offer all-inclusive mini bars and Eiffel Tower views. L’appartement du Collectionneur, on the seventh floor, is a showroom of 20th- and 21st-century furniture and decorative arts. Think modernist pieces by Pierre Sala, furniture by Rinck, and fabrics by Pierre Frey. If you like what you find, you can buy it and take it home (the collection rotates every six months).

Hotel Astra Opéra

Courtesy of Hotel Astra Opéra

• Neighborhood: Opera (9th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: A renovated retreat with a new pool and wellness area
• From $221
• Book now

The family-owned Hotel Astra Opéra emerged from a three-year makeover in late 2023 with a new centerpiece: a subterranean wellness area with a pool, sauna, steam room, and gym. The vast lobby area now has three areas: a library, living room, and breakfast room under a glass-capped atrium ceiling. The renovation reduced the room count from 82 to 73 rooms to make them more spacious. Marie-Agnès Gillot, an étoile ballet dancer at the nearby Palais Garnier opera, danced across a plaster mold to create a piece of art that’s on walls in the seventh-floor rooms. A standout is room no. 703, a light-filled aerie on the top floor offering a terrace with a table and chairs overlooking Parisian rooftops. Hotel Astra is a favorite of business travelers during the week, which lends it a corporate vibe; the leisure clientele also includes families who appreciate the dedicated family rooms and kids corner in the lobby.

The Cachan family started the Astotel group in 1960, and today it has 17 three- and four-star properties in Paris. A daily “Open Bar” (2 p.m.–2 a.m.), available at all its properties, welcomes all Astotel guests for free snacks and nonalcoholic drinks.

Hotel Brighton

Courtesy of Hôtel Brighton

• Location: Louvre (1st arrondissement)
• Why we love it: The enviable rue de Rivoli location facing the Tuileries Gardens
• From $332
• Book now

With an incredible location across from the Tuileries Gardens, the 62-room Hotel Brighton is just a few doors down from the famous Angelina tearoom and the palace hotel Le Meurice. It was built in the late 19th century to welcome bourgeois Brits embarking on their Grand Tour of Europe. The legendary rue de Rivoli is lined with a pedestrian arcade; the mosaic floor tiles continue inside the entrance of the hotel, where original marble columns decorate walls. It’s a small hotel, without a restaurant or spa, but loaded with history. The antique-filled Junior Suites and Suites at the front of the building have glorious garden views.

The Brighton is part of Esprit de France, nine hotels in Paris dedicated to preserving and showcasing French heritage. (The group also manages 30 châteaux residences across the country.) A partner of Art Basel Paris, Esprit de France publishes a little blue book of insider addresses for guests to get the most out of their Paris sojourn.

Hôtel Château d’Eau

Courtesy of Hôtel Château d’Eau

• Neighborhood: Faubourg Saint-Denis (10th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: A stylish addition to a “real” Parisian neighborhood
• From $177
• Book now

Gritty and urban, this area of the 10th arrondissement is a neighborhood where Parisians live and work and hang out at the trendy restaurants on rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis. (You’ll find Paris-roasted specialty coffee at White and cocktails championing French spirits at award-winning bar Le Syndicat.) This vibrant quarter never had a four-star property until the Hotel Chateau d’Eau, the latest property from Touriste Hotels, which has nine design-centric boutique hotels with accessible prices.

Hotel Chateau d’Eau debuted in May 2024 with interiors by Necchi Architecture channeling the neighborhood’s 1970s history as a hub for the fashion industry’s fabric suppliers. The lobby is a showcase: a pair of life-size ceramic panthers, leopard print armchairs, lacquered walls, and a record player with a selection of vinyl. Spread across six floors, the 34 guest rooms are small but well-conceived, with even a “single” category available—snapped up by business travelers arriving at the nearby Gare du Nord. They come with Diptyque bath amenities and plush carpets in orange, purple, and other retro tones. Superior room no. 602 offers street views from its windows under the eaves. There’s also a gym in a vaulted cellar.

Hotel C.O.Q.

Courtesy of Hôtel C.O.Q.

• Location: Place d’Italie/Les Gobelins (13th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Tranquil local living in an untouristed area
• From $138
• Book now

The under-appreciated 13th arrondissement includes the hilltop Buttes-aux-Cailles district and the historic Gobelins tapestry factory. This is where the design-forward C.O.Q. opened in 2016. The hotel is from Hôteliers Impertinents, a small French hospitality group.

The 50-room C.O.Q. takes its name from “Community of Quality.” The moniker is also a nod to the proud coq (rooster), a symbol of France, and a stuffed cockerel keeps watch over reception, while a courtyard garden has a chicken coop. With a colorful, carpeted lounge loaded with reading material, Hotel C.O.Q. has the feel of a family home in a Paris neighborhood that’s completely off the tourist map. There’s a relaxed and bohemian vibe making it an appealing place to linger. The room decor also contributes to this feel; think vintage furniture, oil paintings, decorative mirrors, and custom-designed wardrobes. C.O.Q. is family-friendly too, offering baby amenities on request and candy-filled jars at the reception desk. The lavish buffet breakfast showcases only French products, such as Alain Milliat jams, Poilâne bread, and locally roasted coffee by Terres de Café. Note: There’s no gym or wellness facilities.

Hotel Florida

Courtesy of Hotel Florida

• Location: Madeleine (8th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Vintage glamour and a lively Mediterranean restaurant
• From $266
• Book now

This Haussmannian building on Boulevard Malesherbes has been a hotel since the early 20th century, hosting the likes of party-loving F. Scott Fitzgerald. It just got a glow-up courtesy of restaurateur-turned-hotelier Matthieu Dumas. The city’s reincarnated Hotel Florida opened in March 2024 after a three-year renovation. Designers took inspiration from the hotel’s art deco history and the neighborhood’s spirited 1970s nightlife. It’s all brass and velour and geometric tiles and cool vintage finds.

A highlight is Nepita restaurant, a colorful ode to the Mediterranean by chef Amandine Chaignot (she was a culinary consultant for the Paris Olympics). You can’t go wrong with the langoustine taglioni and salad Nicoise, as approved by enthusiastic regulars (it’s packed at midday for business lunches). Servers wear custom sneakers by Panafrica— you can pick up your own pair in the lobby boutique, alongside the hotel’s bespoke scented candles. Upstairs, the 39 guest rooms have tropical leaf wallpaper, built-in bars with mix-your-own cocktails, and—in some rooms like no. 41 (Deluxe)—a green marble bathtub. For Eiffel Tower views, book one of the four rooms on the seventh floor.

Hôtel Le Six

Courtesy of Hotel Le Six

• Neighborhood: Montparnasse/Luxembourg Gardens (6th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Friendly service close to the Luxembourg Gardens
• From $222
• Book now

The staff is part of the charm of this 41-room hideaway named after the sixth arrondissement where it’s situated. Le Six is tucked on a quiet residential street between the Luxembourg Gardens and the famed corner of Montparnasse where artists and writers flocked to the cafés in the 1920s. (Le Select was one of Hemingway’s favorites.) Jazz fills the lobby, which extends into a glass-capped lounge flooded with natural light. Starting at 183 square feet in the classic category, rooms come with Nespresso machines and L’Occitane amenities. Deluxe room no. 403, decorated with a leafy green wall mural above the king-size bed, is a top pick because of the balcony overlooking rue Stanislas. Four suites are ideal for families, with a sitting area’s sofa bed for the kids. An expansion is planned for the small subterranean spa, outfitted with a treatment room and hammam (privatized with each booking).

Hotel L’Eldorado

Courtesy of Hotel L’Eldorado

• Location: Batignolles (17th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: A chic and romantic retreat in a bistro- and bar-filled area
• From $220
• Book now

Far from Paris tourist zones, the village-like Batignolles quarter has upped its cool cred recently with trendy bistros and bars packed with local bobos. Bold and beau, the design-forward Hotel L’Eldorado debuted in 2023. Eye-catching wallpaper and a melange of antiques create the ambience of a Parisian home—with a lovely garden. The hotel’s restaurant draws a fashionable crowd for the well-executed French fare and the atmosphere: Chinoiserie-inspired wallpaper, walls of porcelain plates, and a working fireplace in winter.

The 26 guest rooms also showcase boldly patterned wallpaper; the palette in no. 5 (the Suite Eldorado) reflects the hotel’s garden greenery, and the balcony offers Eiffel Tower views. The Garden Deluxe (no. 30), with floral wallpaper, has a bathroom in green marble. Despite its small size, the L’Eldorado has a dedicated concierge to help you discover the neighborhood; Montmartre and the famous Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market are within walking distance.

Hôtel Monte Cristo

Courtesy of Hôtel Monte Cristo

• Location: Gobelins/Mouffetard (5th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Inspired interior design, a destination bar, and a gorgeous pool
• From $233
• Book now

To check into the 50-room Hôtel Monte Cristo is to step into another era. Like a cabinet of curiosities, a wall of exotic stuffed birds adorns the entrance, while the reception desk resembles an old apothecary lined with porcelain jars. Front and center is a portrait of author Alexandre Dumas, whose novel The Count of Monte Cristo is the inspiration for the hotel’s interiors. The walls of the Haydée junior suite, for example, resemble an Oriental rug as a nod to the character’s Ottoman roots. Decor includes rattan armories handmade in India, Japanese lanterns, and objets d’art conjuring expeditions to faraway lands.

This hotel is the brainchild of the Hôteliers Impertinents. Before its 2018 opening, the Hotel Monte Cristo underwent a two-year construction project, adding two floors and making space underground for a glorious 55-foot pool and sauna. The tropical-feeling Bar 1802, with its wicker chairs, plants, and ceramic tiled bar, is France’s largest rum bar and features rare bottles.

Note that the pocket-size boudoir rooms on the top floor come with private balconies overlooking the fifth-arrondissement rooftops. This Left Bank location puts you within walking distance of rue Mouffetard, the centuries-old market street, and sites of the Latin Quarter.

Hotel Providence

Courtesy of Hotel Providence

• Neighborhood: Canal Saint-Martin (10th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Bold design and a lively restaurant and bar popular with locals
• From $220
• Book now

When it opened nearly 10 years ago, Hotel Providence quickly became a hangout for Parisians. This bijou 18-room retreat is the first hotel for Pierre Moussié, a restaurateur behind trendy addresses like the Brasserie Barbès and the Bouillon République. He teamed up with his wife, Elodie Moussié, and friend Sophie Richard to transform a Haussmannian townhouse on a quiet cobblestone street in the 10th arrondissement. Public spaces are thrumming with energy, from the breakfast café crème on the leafy terrace to the nightcap at the bar.

A design tour de force, the hotel has vibrant colors and antiques. The playful House of Hackney wallpaper lends an air of the English country house. Each room is done in a different wallpaper, like the bird print in the Deluxe (the most requested room), and the green foliage in suite no. 62, the largest room at 484 square feet. From the spacious bathroom, you can see the gleaming white dome of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. In-room amenities include a cocktail bar and a fridge stocked with local Demory beer and cans of wine. The staff go the extra mile—there’s even a dedicated concierge (Pauline) who helps guests experience the city’s unique facets by arranging such activities as guided street art tours.

Hôtel Rochechouart

Courtesy of Hôtel Rochechouart

• Neighborhood: Pigalle/Montmartre (9th arrondissement)
• Why we love it: A restored 1920’s nightclub and a panoramic rooftop
• From $244
• Book now

At the history-filled, art deco–inspired Hotel Rochechouart, the popular 1920s Mikado nightclub was revived in 2022. Josephine Baker, Mistinguett, and other stars frequented the iconic joint in the Roaring Twenties, as did rocker Johnny Halliday in the 1960s. The hotel’s Citrons et Huîtres seafood bar is named for a Renoir still life; the artist used to paint in a studio upstairs. Crowning the building is one of the city’s best rooftops, with a full 360-degree panorama of all the Parisian monuments. These dining and drinking establishments forge the Hotel Rochechouart’s identity as an effervescent neighborhood hub, and it’s commonly booked for film screenings and fashion shoots.

The flagship for Orso Hotels, a group of seven Parisian boutique properties, the Hotel Rochechouart embraces a local ethos. For example, breakfast ingredients come from the nearby Rue des Martyrs market street, and the lobby boutique collaborates with Parisian brands Maison Labiche and October Editions. The 105 guest rooms, starting with the Classic category (150 square feet), are decorated in earth tones with dark wood furniture and vintage brass lamps. Rooms on the seventh floor have Sacré-Cœur views.

Maison Armance

Courtesy of Maison Armance

• Location: Place de la Concorde/Tuileries (1st arrondissement)
• Why we love it: Elegant interiors create the feel of a private Parisian apartment
• From $288
• Book now

Hidden behind a teal-colored carriage entrance door on the rue Cambon, the street where Coco Chanel set up her couture shop, the Maison Armance has the feel of a private Parisian pied-à-terre. This was the residence of French author Stendhal in the 19th century, and later, as a hotel, hosted Serge Gainsbourg and Nina Simone. Take the elevator, or walk up the stairs, to the sixth-floor reception area under the eaves. In this chic space, decorated with a marble fireplace and velvet chairs in midnight blue, you can see Paris rooftops through the windows.

The 20 guest rooms—resembling Parisian apartments with parquet floors, decorative wall moldings, and custom furniture—are spread out on the top floors of the residential building. Like Hôtel Brighton (cited above), Maison Armance is part of the Esprit de France collection.