France’s Palace Hotels Are Considered the Height of French Culture—and Can Be Better Than Five-Star Stays

Palace hotels are the highest distinction a hotel can achieve in France. Here’s what they are—and what makes them so special.

A corner guest room at the Shangri-La Paris, with crystal chandelier, curtain-draped windows, blue carpeting, and gilt details

A guest room at the Shangri-La Paris.

Courtesy of VRX Studios/Shangri-La Paris

The most visited country in the world, France has no shortage of luxury hotels. There’s even a special category—called Palaces—reserved for a handful of retreats that are kitted out with so many superlatives that they get a special designation that other five-star hotels don’t have.

Despite the name, Palace hotels aren’t always centuries-old aristocratic mansions, and many feel thoroughly modern. But all represent the crème de la crème of luxury hospitality in France and are recognized for their exceptional architecture, design, heritage, cuisine, and service—to name a few attributes.

What is a Palace hotel?

The French Ministry of Tourism established the Palace distinction in 2010, and it recognizes the hotels that are true arbiters of style and icons of French craftsmanship. There are 31 Palaces in France, from Paris to Provence, from the mountain summits of Courchevel to the Caribbean beaches of St. Barts. (Several are featured in Afar’s top hotels lists in Paris and France.)

“The distinction is earned through a rigorous evaluation process,” says Tiana Gamez, deputy director of Atout France USA, the French tourism development agency. To apply, a candidate must be in operation for at least a year, guarantee a minimum guest room size of 322 square feet, and already be classified as a five-star hotel. (The five-star checklist alone requires more than 240 mandatory criteria, including a spa, multilingual staff, and sustainability initiatives.) The ultimate verdict—assessing the hotel’s personality and subjective “je ne sais quoi”—is determined by a 12-person panel of experts with cultural, artistic, and business backgrounds, along with government officials.

Palaces can’t rest on their laurels. Since October 2024, the distinction lasts for three years, instead of the original five, at the end of which the property is re-evaluated to ensure it’s still up to standards.

The curvy infinity swimming pool at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, with sea at left and row of empty white lounge chairs at right

The swimming pool at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

Courtesy of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

“Maintaining the Palace status requires a relentless commitment to innovation and excellence,” says Luca Allegri, managing director of Le Bristol Paris, which was one of the first Paris hotels to achieve the coveted rank in May 2011, alongside Le Meurice, Hotel Plaza Athénée, and Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. “This ongoing effort not only enhances France’s global reputation as a premier destination but also ensures that our guests are not only satisfied but truly amazed.”

The Palace plays an undeniable role in France’s global influence and “soft power,” to borrow the phrase from political scientist Joseph Nye. It’s a showcase of savoir faire, contributing to French cultural influence on the international stage and bolstering the country’s appeal as a destination. Gamez compares French excellence in hospitality to terroirs and wines—champagne is instantly recognizable around the world. “The Palace distinction serves as the ultimate stamp of luxury,” she says, “representing the pinnacle of French culture and the art of living.”

Sustainability in Palace hotels

In recent years, sustainability has become a growing priority for Palace hotels. The application has an entire section dedicated to it, with a checklist including recycling efforts, water management, and the use of organic local products.

Properties like Les Sources de Caudalie in France, which joined the elite ranks in 2016, have led efforts in eco-responsible luxury. Situated on the grounds of a Grand Cru Classé wine estate outside Bordeaux, it became the first Palace to achieve European Ecolabel certification in 2023.

Part of lobby of iconic Le Bristol Paris, with pale green sofa under large painting

The iconic Le Bristol Paris dates to 1925.

Courtesy of Le Bristol Paris

“Les Sources de Caudalie was distinguished as a Palace because of its unique connection to the prestigious vineyards,” says Alice Tourbier, who cofounded the Les Sources hotel group with her husband, Jérôme. “The grape is our guiding line. Our windows open on the vines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, our restaurants match gourmet food and great wines to perfection, and our spa offers Vinothérapie treatments.” The Tourbier vision for the future of high-end travel is combining luxury with eco-responsibility.

Why some hotels opt out

Despite the prestige, not all luxury hotels feel the need to apply for the Palace distinction. Keeping the Palace label requires significant ongoing investment in staff and facility renovations. Some five-star properties, keen to cater to a business and conference clientele, may prioritize flexibility over the added allure of the Palace label. Others may not see the necessity of the classification when their global reputation precedes it.

The legendary Ritz Paris was one of several top hotels that were supposedly snubbed when the first Palace hotels were announced because it needed a face lift. After a stem-to-stern restoration that was rumored to cost more than $224 million, unveiled in 2016, many believe the Ritz Paris would qualify today (though Atout France is tight-lipped about who’s applying).

“In some countries, hotel star ratings can seem arbitrary,” explains Sasha Charney, a California-based travel advisor with Departure Lounge. “That’s what’s fabulous in France—the government has strict regulations about how hotels achieve star ratings, so travelers can be confident of what to expect. I propose Palaces to my clients who appreciate a hotel as an integral part of their vacation, not just a place to close their eyes at night. I know they’ll be immersed in history and a sense of place, and they’ll be cared for by extraordinary teams who anticipate their every need.”

Examples of Palace hotels in France

  • Hotel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel, occupies a neoclassical landmark where Marie Antoinette took piano lessons and later lost her head outside on the Place de la Concorde. (Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld designed suites there.) Read Afar’s Hotels We Love list of the best hotels in Paris.
  • La Réserve Paris is housed inside a mansion that once belonged to couturier Pierre Cardin. It is now a Jacques Garcia–designed tribute to the Belle Époque with silk wall hangings, gilded woodwork, and herringbone oak parquet. With just 40 antiques-filled guest rooms, it’s the capital’s smallest Palace, with the feel of a private home. There’s often a wait list for chef Jérôme Banctel’s Le Gabriel, which has three Michelin stars.
  • Located across from the Tuileries Gardens, Le Meurice Paris, a Dorchester Collection hotel, is where Beyoncé once shot a video and where Salvador Dalí lived for a month every year for three decades—parading his pet ocelots through the lobby, splattering paint from his suite, and holding court with socialites at teatime. Rooms on the sixth floor (like no. 605), decked out in hand-painted wallpaper by de Gournay, show off panoramas from shallow balconies. “Creating a home away from home for your guests can only consolidate your relationship and enhance loyalty,” says general manager Franka Holtmann, who adds that some guests have been returning for more than 30 years.
Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux, France, sits on a small lake.

Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux, France

Courtesy of Les Sources de Caudalie

  • The former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, Napoleon’s grandnephew, Shangri-La Paris was transformed into a 100-room hotel in 2010. It’s all crystal chandeliers, carved fireplaces, painted frescoes, and acres of marble (get a suite facing the Eiffel Tower). At La Bauhinia restaurant, tuck into lobster tortellini in a tranquil garden setting, or opt for Peking duck at Shang Palace, Paris’s only Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant.
  • Situated between Bordeaux and Toulouse, Les Prés d’Eugénie combines thermal springs with epic culinary experiences. “Here you can sip healing waters once sought out by an empress, and taste the cuisine pioneered by the late, great Michel Guérard,” says travel advisor Sasha Charney.
  • Part of the Oetker Collection, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the French Riviera is a 150-year-old grande dame that exudes Old World glamour, with Louis XV furniture in rooms draped in Pierre Frey fabrics. The hotel made an appearance in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night; Picasso once designed the menus; in 2011, Chanel presented its annual travel-inspired Cruise collection in the Grande Allée. Read Afar’s Hotels We Love list of the best hotels in the French Riviera.
  • The only Palace in the Caribbean, Cheval Blanc St-Barth offers white-sand beaches and world-class service. Located on picturesque Flamands beach, the hotel’s 61 accommodations include seaside bungalows. Architect Jacques Grange designed the interiors with a subdued, nature-inspired palette that complements the beauty of the surroundings.
Mary Winston Nicklin is a writer/editor based in Paris and Virginia.
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