Hôtel Lancaster Paris

In general if it’s classic Parisian pomp you’re after, you’re headed to one of the big luxury hotels. This town has no shortage of them, and they’re among the most opulent in the Western world. The boutique hotels tend to be more contemporary, often a bit minimalist — but one boutique in particular can out-classic the classics, and that’s the Hotel Lancaster.

When the Lancaster opened its doors the phrase “boutique hotel” hadn’t yet been invented — but that’s more or less what it’s always been. Back in the Emile Wolf days it was the sort of place you’d catch the likes of Grace Kelly or Noël Coward haunting its halls. Today, under the direction of the Spanish Hospes group, it’s scarcely lost any of its glamour. In spite of a location just off the Champs-Elysées, the Lancaster is quiet, the way a classic hotel ought to be. Rooms are stocked with antiques, many of them collected by the original owner, and the marble bathrooms are decked out in a well-preserved Art Deco style.

The service is impeccable, erring more on the side of quiet discretion than overt solicitousness. La Table du Lancaster is the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, and the Thirties-inspired salon is an elegant step up from the typical hotel bar. Most magical, however, is the Lancaster’s little garden, a rare bit of private outdoor peace in the heart of bustling Paris.