exterior (place Vendôme), Hôtel Ritz Paris.

©Catherine Le Nevez/Lonely Planet

Hôtel Ritz Paris

Paris


Paris' most rarefied address, the incomparable Ritz retains its original features while incorporating 21st-century technology. Highlights include a manicured French formal garden, a world-first Chanel spa (Coco Chanel lived here), prestigious Ritz Escoffier cookery school and legendary Bar Hemingway.

Hemingway and Chanel were just two of the iconic patrons on a guest register that includes Charlie Chaplin, F Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, King Edward VII and Marcel Proust (who wrote part of Remembrance of Things Past here). Step into living Parisian history in its 142 rooms including 71 magnificent suites, two restaurants, a tearoom, two bars and a boutique-lined shopping gallery.