The most romantic hotel in Paris in 2026 is the Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood hotel on Place de la Concorde, with Hôtel Plaza Athénée on Avenue Montaigne a close second. This list ranks seven central Paris hotels, adds one château a short drive north of the city, and flags two former entries we could not confirm. Each is ranked on our own romance test: setting, history, privacy, a proper bar, and somewhere to go for a walk afterwards.
| Rank | Hotel | Where | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hôtel de Crillon | Place de la Concorde, 8th | 1758 palace, reopened July 2017 |
| 2 | Hôtel Plaza Athénée | Avenue Montaigne, 8th | Palace rating, Dior Institut spa |
| 3 | Pavillon de la Reine | Place des Vosges, Marais | Garden courtyard on the oldest planned square in Paris |
| 4 | Relais Christine | Saint-Germain-des-Prés | 13th-century vaults and a Guerlain spa |
| 5 | L’Hôtel | Saint-Germain-des-Prés | About 20 rooms and the Oscar Wilde story |
| 6 | Hôtel du Jeu de Paume | Île Saint-Louis | A royal tennis court from 1634 |
| 7 | Hôtel Pont Royal | Saint-Germain / 7th | Literary address, panoramic terrace suites |
| Outside Paris | Château de Montvillargenne | Gouvieux, near Chantilly | Rothschild château in a forest |
The ranking
1. Hôtel de Crillon: the palace where America signed its first treaty
The building went up in 1758 on the orders of Louis XV and, in February 1778, hosted the signing of the first treaties between France and the young United States. It became a hotel in 1909, closed in March 2013 for a long restoration, and reopened on 5 July 2017 under Rosewood management. In 2018 it was named a Palace, the top French hotel grade.
Today it has about 120 rooms and suites on Place de la Concorde, plus Nonos par Paul Pairet, the Jardin d’Hiver, the Bar Les Ambassadeurs with live music, a Sense spa and a pastry shop, Butterfly. It is the one hotel on this list that can fill a whole weekend without you leaving the building. Rates change by date, so check live prices before you commit.
2. Hôtel Plaza Athénée: Avenue Montaigne and a Dior spa
It opened on 20 April 1913 and received the Palace distinction in 2012. A 200 million euro expansion and renovation reopened it in August 2014, adding rooms, suites and a ballroom. The Dorchester Collection runs it for its Brunei owners.
Alain Ducasse earned three Michelin stars here in 2001, and Dior opened its Institut spa on site in 2008. Published rate ranges have run from roughly US$1,250 a night to far more for the top suite, but we could not confirm a current figure, so treat that as a ballpark.
3. Pavillon de la Reine: a hidden courtyard on Place des Vosges
The hotel sits at 28 place des Vosges in the Marais, behind a garden courtyard of fountains and trees. The square was commissioned by Henri IV as the Place Royale and is the oldest planned square in Paris.
Interiors were done by Didier Benderli, and there is a spa, a bar and a restaurant called Anne. Room categories run from classic doubles to a Suite de la Reine and a small standalone house, Le Petit Pavillon. It shares an owner with Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain, Pavillon des Lettres and Hôtel du Petit Moulin.
4. Relais Christine: monk vaults and a Guerlain spa
Relais Christine has operated as a hotel since 1979 and is a Relais & Châteaux member. It occupies the old Grands-Augustins priory on a quiet street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the Spa Guerlain sits under 13th-century vaults. Laura Gonzalez refreshed the interiors, and a guide listing counts 48 rooms and suites in seven categories, including a Garden Suite.
The Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Musée d’Orsay are all a short walk away. Breakfast is reportedly not included in the room rate, so ask when you book.
5. L’Hôtel: where Oscar Wilde ran out of money
Oscar Wilde spent his last months here in 1900, when it was the Hôtel d’Alsace. The 13 rue des Beaux-Arts address was renamed L’Hôtel in 1963, and today it has roughly 20 rooms. The Oscar Wilde Suite, on the first floor, has green peacock wallpaper. One reviewer points out that Wilde actually stayed on the ground floor, in rooms long since demolished, so treat the suite as a tribute rather than the real room.
The hotel is small enough that booking ahead matters, and the bar is the room to linger in after dinner.
6. Hôtel du Jeu de Paume: sleeping inside a tennis court
Louis XIII had this court built in 1634 on Île Saint-Louis, and matches were played there until 1747. Architect Guy Prache turned it into a hotel in 1987 and kept the timber-framed hall, which is a listed monument. It is a four-star at 54 rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Île, family-run, with about 30 rooms and suites plus two apartments according to a 2025 review.
An undated booking listing showed rooms from around 230 euros, which is cheap for the postcode. Check live rates before relying on it.
7. Hôtel Pont Royal: the literary address
Pont Royal is a five-star listing at 7 rue de Montalembert, a ten-minute walk from the Louvre. Listings describe Deluxe Rooms of about 20 square metres and Panoramic Terrace Suites with rooftop views. Its Left Bank address has long drawn writers and publishers, which is why people call it the literary hotel.
We could not open a working official site, so book through a current listing or a travel adviser.
Just outside Paris: Château de Montvillargenne
Jeanne de Rothschild had this neo-Norman château built in 1911 in Gouvieux, near Chantilly. It was left empty after her death in 1929, later served as a novitiate and a school, and became a luxury hotel in 1985. It now trades as Château Jeanne & The Forest, with about 119 rooms according to current listings.
A story that Claude Monet lived here is a myth; he lived in Giverny. Listings put the Musée Vivant du Cheval within a 10-minute drive. A spa closure for a few days in late summer 2026 was posted, so confirm facilities for your dates.
Moved out: could not confirm in 2026
Mon Hotel on rue d’Argentine in the 16th was a 37-room boutique hotel near the Arc de Triomphe, opened in 2007 and listed as a lounge and spa hotel. Rates in undated listings start around 242 euros with breakfast. We found no clear 2026 operating notice, so we pulled it from the ranking.
One by the Five at 3 rue Flatters in the 5th, a hotel built around a single suite, is still on the city tourist office listing, but we found no 2026 confirmation that it takes bookings. We moved it here too. No Paris entry in this list is confirmed closed.
Keep reading
- Best Valentine’s Day destinations in Europe: if Paris is only one stop on the trip
- Most romantic hotels in the world: the global shortlist
- Most romantic hotels in the United States: the same idea closer to home
- Most private romantic getaways: for when Paris is too busy
FAQ
What is the most romantic hotel in Paris?
On our test it is the Hôtel de Crillon on Place de la Concorde, a 1758 palace reopened in July 2017, with Hôtel Plaza Athénée a close second.
Which romantic Paris hotels are in a historic building?
Crillon (1758), Pavillon de la Reine on Place des Vosges, Relais Christine (a former priory with 13th-century vaults) and Hôtel du Jeu de Paume (a royal tennis court from 1634).
Where should couples stay in Paris?
Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Marais suit couples who want to walk, while the 8th arrondissement near the Champs-Élysées suits a palace-hotel weekend.
How much does a romantic hotel in Paris cost?
Palace hotels such as Plaza Athénée have published rates from roughly US$1,250 a night, while smaller four-star hotels such as Jeu de Paume have been listed from around 230 euros. Prices swing widely with the date.
Is Château de Montvillargenne in Paris?
No. It is in Gouvieux, near Chantilly, a day trip or a weekend away from central Paris.
Did Oscar Wilde die at L’Hôtel?
He spent his last months at the former Hôtel d’Alsace at this address in 1900. The Oscar Wilde Suite is a tribute, and one reviewer notes it is not his original room.
How we put this list together
We started from the hotels in our earlier list, checked that each one still operates, and read the official pages for rooms, restaurants and history where they would load. Where no current price was available, we say so rather than quote an old one.
Last updated: October 2026.
