From grand Parisian palaces to intimate boutique hideaways, the best hotels in the 1st arrondissement, steps from the world’s greatest museum, hand picked by a local concierge!
Paris is broken down in sections called Arrondissements. The 1st arrondissement is one of those rare parts of Paris where everything feels within reach. Yes, Paris is a walking city and the Louvre is your neighbour. The Tuileries gardens can be your morning walk. The Palais Royal is just around the corner with its beautiful flowers and black and white Buren Colonms. Stroll along Rue Saint-Honoré, with its extraordinary concentration of perfume houses, fashion boutiques, and excellent coffee shops. Do yourself a favor and book your Paris hotels around here – you’ll be in the very heart of Paris.
After almost 20 years of living in this city and guiding visitors through its most beautiful corners, I know exactly which hotels in this neighbourhood deliver on that promise and which ones coast on their postcode. These nine, ranging from one of the world’s most legendary palace hotels to a chic boutique you might walk past without noticing, all earn their place on this list. Many I have picked up tour clients from and discovred more intimatly and some I have used in my event planning for their grand salons, or enjoyed high tea. All vetted and ready for you.
This is article is for you if you are planning a trip to paris for the first time, or want the luxury of conveinience on your 6th trip! Whether you’re visiting for the Louvre’s Renoir retrospective, taking in modern art at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, exploring the covered passages of Vero Dodat for perfume shopping, grabbing coffee at Calibre or Big Shot, or simply want to wake up in the most central Paris has to offer, here’s where to stay.
1. Le Meurice
Where Napoleon Would Absolutely Stay Today
Address: 228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
Rooms: 160 rooms and suites
There are palace hotels, and then there is Le Meurice! Oh my heart. Overlooking the Tuileries gardens on rue de Rivoli, this is arguably the most beautiful hotel interior in Paris , a riot of gilded moldings, marble floors, and ceiling frescoes that feel more like a museum than a place to sleep. The Salon Pompadour, the Winter Garden, the restaurant helmed by a three-Michelin-starred chef , every inch of this hotel is extraordinary.
To think of it, Salvador Dalí used to take up residence here every year, staging performances in the lobby and generally treating Le Meurice as his personal stage (i’ve heard stories about him and his pet goat here that will rival any history book) . That spirit of artistic extravagance still lives in the building’s bones. If you’re celebrating something significant, want to feel like Paris belongs entirely to you for a few days, or simply believe that life is too short for ordinary hotels, Le Meurice is the answer.
The location cannot be improved upon: the Louvre is literally across the Tuileries, rue Saint-Honoré is steps away, and the Palais Royal is a five-minute stroll.
Reviewers say: “The most beautiful hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Every detail is perfection, the service is extraordinary, and waking up with views of the Tuileries feels like a dream. Worth every euro for a special occasion.”
★ 9.6/10 • 2,847 reviews
2. Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal
The Secret Garden View
Address: 4 Rue de Valois, 75001
Rooms: 69 rooms and suites
If there’s one hotel in this neighbourhood I’d choose for the pure romance of location, it might be this one. The Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal sits directly overlooking the Palais Royal gardens , those extraordinary colonnaded arcades and manicured gardens that feel like a secret Paris that tourists haven’t fully discovered yet.
Waking up and looking out over the Palais Royal in the morning is a genuinely moving experience. The hotel itself is beautiful in a more restrained, architectural way , the design is elegant rather than opulent, with rooms that feel serene and carefully considered. The service is warm and personal in a way that larger palace hotels sometimes struggle to achieve.
So, this is the hotel for people who know Paris well enough to appreciate the Palais Royal address , and for those discovering it for the first time, it will become a lifelong favourite.
Reviewers say: “The location overlooking the Palais Royal is simply unbeatable. Woke up every morning to that view and couldn’t believe our luck. Beautifully designed rooms, impeccable service, and a wonderful breakfast.”
★ 9.3/10 • 1,243 reviews
3. Kimpton St Honoré Paris
Finally, a Palace Hotel That Smiles
Address: 27 Avenue de l’Opéra, 75001
Rooms: 145 rooms and suites
The Kimpton brand brought its signature warmth and playfulness to one of Paris’s most prestigious addresses, and the result is one of the most enjoyable hotels to actually stay in , as opposed to simply admire , in the 1st arrondissement. Where some of its neighbours can feel formal and slightly intimidating, Kimpton St Honoré is genuinely welcoming, with a personality that makes you relax the moment you check in.
To top it all off, the rooms are beautifully designed with a mix of French elegance and Kimpton’s characteristically irreverent touches. The rooftop terrace with its Eiffel Tower views is genuinely spectacular and a superb spot for evening cocktails. The location on Avenue de l’Opéra puts you equidistant between the Louvre and the Opéra Garnier, with Rue Saint-Honoré a short stroll away.
If you want the prime 1st arrondissement location without the stiffness that can accompany certain grand Parisian establishments, Kimpton delivers beautifully.
Reviewers say: “The perfect balance of luxury and warmth. The rooftop terrace is a highlight , incredible Eiffel Tower views and excellent cocktails. Staff made us feel genuinely welcome from check-in to check-out.”
★ 9.1/10 • 1,876 reviews
4. Hôtel du Louvre
Literally Next Door to the Mona Lisa
Address: Place André Malraux, 75001
Rooms: 177 rooms and suites
The name says everything. Hôtel du Louvre has occupied its position overlooking Place André Malraux , with direct views of the Louvre and the Comédie-Française , since 1855, making it one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in Paris. Camille Pissarro famously painted his series of the Avenue de l’Opéra from his window here.
It’s important to note, the rooms have been beautifully renovated while retaining the grandeur of the original Haussmannian building. The Brasserie du Louvre restaurant on the ground floor is a lovely spot for breakfast before heading into the museum next door, and the bar has that particular atmosphere of a hotel that has hosted a century and a half of interesting people.
For first-time Paris visitors especially, there is something magical about opening your curtains in the morning and seeing the Louvre’s glass pyramid. The proximity to the museum is unmatched by any other hotel on this list.
Reviewers say: “We could see the Louvre pyramid from our room , absolutely magical, especially in the evening when it’s lit up. Perfect location for museum lovers. The breakfast is excellent and staff were very helpful.”
★ 8.9/10 • 2,134 reviews
5. Le Roch Hôtel & Spa
Sarah Lavoine Did This One (You’re Welcome)
Address: 28 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001
Rooms: 37 rooms and suites
Le Roch is one of those hotels you walk past, glance at, and make a mental note to stay in immediately. The facade is discreet , beautifully so , but step inside and you find one of the most thoughtfully designed boutique hotels in Paris. Interior designer Sarah Lavoine brought her signature palette of deep blues, greens, and warm natural materials to create spaces that feel both contemporary and deeply French.
The spa is a genuine sanctuary in the middle of one of Paris’s busiest neighborhoods, and the intimate restaurant serves excellent food in a space that feels like it belongs to a very stylish private apartment. With only 37 rooms, the service here has an attentiveness that larger hotels simply cannot replicate.
Rue Saint-Roch itself is a gem, quiet, residential, yet steps from both rue Saint-Honoré and the Tuileries. It’s the kind of street that makes you feel like you’re staying in a real Paris neighbourhood rather than a tourist hub.
Reviewers say: “A true hidden gem. The design is exquisite , Sarah Lavoine has created something really special. The spa is wonderful and the service was the best we experienced in Paris. Highly recommend for a romantic stay.”
★ 9.4/10 • 987 reviews
6. Château Voltaire
Intellectual Glamour Is Still Glamour
Address: 18 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
Rooms: 30 rooms and suites
Named for the great philosopher who died in a house on this very street in 1778, Château Voltaire brings a specific kind of Parisian intellectual glamour to the boutique hotel genre. This is a hotel that takes its cultural identity seriously , the library is stocked with carefully chosen books, the art throughout is genuine and considered, and the whole aesthetic suggests a Paris that values ideas alongside luxury.
Inside this hotel, the rooms are beautifully appointed and the location on rue de Rivoli puts you at the crossroads of everything , the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Marais. The intimate scale (30 rooms) means the experience feels personal and uncrowded.
For the kind of traveller who wants their hotel to reflect their own sensibility , someone who reads, who appreciates art, who finds the combination of beautiful design and intellectual atmosphere genuinely exciting , Château Voltaire is a find.
Reviewers say: “A beautifully curated hotel that feels unlike anywhere else in Paris. The attention to detail is extraordinary , the books, the art, the whole atmosphere. Wonderful location and genuinely exceptional staff.”
★ 9.2/10 • 743 reviews
7. Hôtel Thérèse
Central Paris Without Selling a Kidney
Address: 5-7 Rue Thérèse, 75001
Rooms: 43 rooms
Hôtel Thérèse represents something important in the Paris hotel landscape: genuine boutique charm at a price point that doesn’t require selling a kidney. Tucked on a quiet street named after a saint just off the Palais Royal, this hotel manages to feel both central and intimate, both stylish and approachable.
The rooms are well-designed without being ostentatious, the service is warm and genuinely helpful, and the location , steps from the Palais Royal, the Louvre, and the 1st arrondissement’s best restaurants and shops , punches well above the price. For travellers who want to stay in a beautiful neighbourhood without the palace hotel pricing, Thérèse hits the sweet spot exactly.
This is one of my favorite Paris hotel budget gems!
Reviewers say: “The best value boutique hotel we found in central Paris. Lovely rooms, perfect quiet location while being central to everything. Extremely helpful staff who gave us excellent restaurant recommendations.”
★ 8.7/10 • 1,456 reviews
8. Hôtel Molière
Quiet Street, Perfect Location, Zero Drama
Address: 21 Rue Molière, 75001
Rooms: 32 rooms
The hotel is named for France’s greatest playwright , who performed just around the corner at the Palais Royal. Hôtel Molière is a charming, well-run boutique hotel on one of the prettiest streets in the neighbourhood. The building is classic Haussmannian, the rooms are comfortably and thoughtfully decorated, and the service has that particular quality of a smaller hotel where staff actually know their guests.
If you are in Paris for the food, you’ll love this location! It’s super close to the Japaneese neighbourhood restaurants.
This is not a hotel trying to make a design statement or compete with the palace hotels around the corner. It’s a hotel that does exactly what a good Paris boutique hotel should do: put you in a beautiful location, give you a comfortable, well-appointed room, and let the city do the rest. For travellers who want quality without fuss, Molière is a consistently excellent choice.
Reviewers say: “Exactly what we wanted , a comfortable, well-located boutique hotel with no pretensions and excellent service. Perfect neighbourhood, quiet street, and everything we needed for a wonderful Paris stay.”
★ 8.5/10 • 1,123 reviews
9. Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel
Marie Antoinette’s Square, Your Hotel
Address: 10 Place de la Concorde, 75008
Rooms: 124 rooms and suites
Technically a step outside the 1st arrondissement on Place de la Concorde, the Crillon earns its place on this list for one simple reason: it is one of the most extraordinary hotels in the world, and its location between the Tuileries and the Champs-Élysées makes it entirely relevant to a Louvre-area stay.
The building is a classified historic monument , two 18th-century mansions commissioned by Louis XV, facing the square where Marie Antoinette was executed. The 2017 renovation by Rosewood was one of the most anticipated hotel openings in recent memory, and the result is spectacular: the historic grandeur preserved and deepened, contemporary art and design integrated with genuine intelligence, and service that sets a standard against which others are measured.
I still get a little intimidated when I go to Le Crillon, because it is so stunning – ALWAYS!
Les Ambassadeurs, the two-Michelin-star restaurant , is worth a reservation regardless of whether you’re staying. And the bar Jardin d’Hiver is quite simply one of the most beautiful rooms in Paris.
This is for a once-in-a-lifetime stay, or for those who simply believe that Paris deserves the very best.
Reviewers say: “A once in a lifetime experience. The building, the service, the food , all extraordinary. Staying here doesn’t feel like staying in a hotel, it feels like living in a very beautiful piece of French history.”
★ 9.7/10 • 1,654 reviews
My Local Tip: Choosing Your Louvre-Area Hotel
For the ultimate splurge: Le Meurice or Hôtel de Crillon , both are bucket-list hotels For the best location-to-value ratio: Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal , that view is priceless For boutique charm with a spa: Le Roch Hôtel & Spa For cultural atmosphere: Château Voltaire For a warm, approachable luxury experience: Kimpton St Honoré For the true Louvre-adjacent experience: Hôtel du Louvre , open your curtains to the pyramid For excellent value in a prime spot: Hôtel Thérèse or Hôtel Molière
So there you have it, whatever you choose, you’ll wake up at the centre of Paris! You’ll be staying at a Paris hotel walking distance from the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Palais Royal, the Seine, and the extraordinary concentration of culture, shopping, and great coffee that makes the 1st arrondissement one of the best places in the world to be.
Paris is your oyster 🙂
While You’re in the Neighbourhood
Staying near the Louvre puts you in perfect position to explore:
- 🎨 The Louvre, allow at least half a day; book timed entry in advance. + Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain
- 🌿 Jardin des Tuileries, perfect for morning walks
- 🏛️ Palais Royal gardens, one of Paris’s great hidden public spaces
- 🏛️ Bourse de Commerce, Pinault Collection contemporary art
- ☕ Big Shot Coffee, my favourite coffee shop in the neighbourhood, [read my full review here]
- 🛍️ Rue Saint-Honoré, the ultimate perfume and shopping street, [read my perfume streets guide]( coming soon! )
- 🍽️ Restaurants near the Louvre, [read my full eating guide to the area]
- 🛍️ La Samaritaine, the spectacular restored Art Nouveau department store