The Plaza Athénée Paris – Hotel Review

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by Santorini Dave • Updated: September 8, 2019

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• Best Hotels in Paris
• Where to Stay in Paris

For over 100 years, the Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris has defined the Parisian luxury hotel experience. One of Paris’s eight officially-designated “palace” hotels – a distinction given only to the most esteemed 5-star establishments, the Plaza Athenée exemplifies the crème de la crème of Parisian high life: from its location on genteel Avenue Montaigne to its Louis XVI and art deco-style rooms done in damask and silk, to its acclaimed (3-star Michelin) restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, with its suspension of Swarovski crystals that float over the dining room. Its great central location makes for easy walks to some of Paris’ most iconic sights, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Grand Palais, and Tuileries Gardens.

Plaza Athénée Paris – The Basics

• Location: Central 8th arrondissement location right on Avenue Montaigne, the epicenter of luxury shopping in Paris. Walkable to many of the best sights: Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, and Paris Museum of Modern Art.
• Ages: All ages are welcome. Kids receive child-sized romes and slippers, as well as a teddy bear in the hotel’s signature red. There is an on-site ice rink in the winter, kid-centric activities like Easter egg hunts, a family concierge during common school holidays, and kids menus. There are many connecting rooms, and rollaway beds can be added for €100/night. Babysitting services can be arranged in advance through the concierge.
• Pet Policy: One dog up to 13 lbs is allowed for an additional fee of €100 per stay, plus a one-time €100 cleaning fee. No cats.
• View: Great city views from many rooms of Avenue Montaigne and the Eiffel Tower. Many rooms overlook the hotel’s courtyard garden.
• Wi-Fi Internet: Complimentary Wi-Fi.
• Parking: Valet parking is available for €45/night.
• Nice Perks: Seasonal ice skating rink. Complimentary newspaper. In-room iPad control. Guerlain bath amenities. Packing and unpacking service available on request. Private tours of the hotel’s wine cellar that houses over 35,000 bottles of wine.
• Phone: +33 (0)1 53 67 66 65
• Email: [email protected]
• When To Book: Book months in advance, especially for high travel periods of late spring through early fall, late December, and school holidays.
• How To Book: Booking.com will have the best rates. Use the website specific to your language, currency, and home-country for easiest use: UK • USA • Français • Deutsch • Nederlands.

Plaza Athénée Paris – Amenities

• Pool: No swimming pool.
• Spa: The Dior Institut au Plaza Athénée Spa has five treatment rooms (one double), a manicure/pedicure suite, steam room, sauna, and relaxation room; it offers face and body treatments, massage, and microabrasion. Open dailiy 10am to 8pm.
• Fitness Center: The spa’s excellent fitness center includes cardio machines, free weights, and a boxing machine. Personal training is available on request. The fitness center, sauna, and hammam are open to hotel guests from 7am to 10pm daily.
• Private Pools/Jacuzzis: The Royal Suite features private steam rooms and Jacuzzi tubs.

Plaza Athénée Paris – Food and Drink

• Restaurant: The Plaza Athénée has five great restaurants. Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée boasts three Michelin stars, and offers a menu centered around fish, vegetables, and grains in a stunning surrounding. Le Relais Plaza is a traditional Parisian brasserie with monthly live music events. La Galerie serves an elegant breakfast, brunch, and afternoon tea – to the accompaniment of live harp music. La Cour Jardin is a charming outdoor courtyard that’s open seasonally for lunch and dinner. La Terrasse Montaigne is an outdoor terrace restaurant that serves lunch and dinner right on posh Avenue Montaigne – open seasonally from March to October.
• Lounge/Bar: The hotel bar has an elegant modern design, inspired cocktail menu, and often a live DJ. Open 6pm-2am.
• Breakfast: Not complimentary. Served in a breakfast room of the main restaurant (or in your room) from 7-11am, or in La Galerie restaurant from 8-11:30am daily. Sunday brunch is served from 11:30am to 2:15pm.
• Room Service: 24-hour room service.

Plaza Athénée Paris – Rooms

• Room Types: Classic Single Room • Superior Room • Deluxe Room • Deluxe Room with Avenue Montaigne View • Junior Suite • Junior Suite with Avenue Montaigne View • Deluxe Junior Suite • Prestige Junior Suite • Superior Suite • Deluxe Suite • Prestige Suite • Presidential Suite • l’Appartement • Duplex • Eiffel Suite • Haute Couture Suite • Signature Eiffel Suite • Royal Suite • List of all rooms
• Smoking Rooms: Non-smoking rooms available by request.
• Best Room: The Royal Suite includes 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 drawing rooms, office, kitchen, steam room & jacuzzi, and balconies that offer incredible views of avenue Montaigne and the Eiffel Tower.

Plaza Athénée Paris – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

• Two in One: Eiffel Tower & Seine Cruise – Three-hour tour; skip-the-line at the Eiffel Tower and cruise past Parisian landmarks on the Seine. 16-minute walk to tour starting point.
• Paris in 1 Day – Eight-hour tour. Eiffel Tower, Seine River cruise, the Louvre, and Notre Dame. 15-minute walk to tour starting point.
• Orangerie and Orsay Museum Combined Entrance – Skip the line and gain quick access to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie (including Monet’s Waterlilies). 21-minute walk.
• GetYourGuide.com – The best website for booking tours and tickets in Paris.

Nearby Restaurants

• La Maison de la Truffe – French for truffle-lovers. Pair any entree with black, white, seasonal, or burgundy truffles – or go without if they’re not your thing. 4-minute walk.
• Restaurant Lasserre – Classic French Michelin-starred fine dining. Retractable roof for elegant evenings al fresco. 7-minute walk.
• La Belle Ferronniere – Classic Bistro with great people-watching from the sidewalk cafe tables. 7-minute walk.
• Le Cinq – 3-Michelin-starred modern French, located in the Four Seasons hotel. Amazing wine list; dress code. 7-minute walk.
• Maison Noura – Elegant Lebanese restaurant, one block from Champs-Élysées. 8-minute walk.
• Miss Ko – Sushi and Asian fusion, with fantastic Philippe Starck-designed interior. 10-minute walk.
• Le Chalet du 8eme – Excellent crepes in a cool cabin-like setting. Great vegetarian option. 13-minute walk.
• Le Laurent – 1-star Michelin housed within a former hunting lodge of Louis XIV, in the leafy Champs-Élysées gardens 14-minute walk.
• Pierre Gagnaire – 3-star Michelin, contemporary French cooking, seafood heavy, dress code. 15-minute walk.
• Étude – French food with Japanese influences, minimalist décor, zen-like atmosphere. Good for vegetarians. 17-minute walk.
• L’Oiseau Blanc – Intimate French fine dining on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel. Amazing views. 18-minute walk.
• Baaga Burger – Casual high-end burgers just north of the Trocadéro. 19-minute walk.
• Carette – Sweet tea house and patisserie, great for breakfast and lunch. 20-minute walk.

Nearby Bars and Breweries

• Le Marta Paris – Chic cocktail bar in Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet’s Paris. 10-minute walk.
• Le Speakeasy – Popular jazz club/piano bar; also serves great food. Reservations recommended. 13-minute walk.
• Bar a Champagne – Champagne bar at the top of the Eiffel Tower. 18-minute walk.
• Bugsy’s – Busy, American-style pub with large portions and a good beer selection. 19-minute walk.
• The Cave Brut – Wine, cheese, and charcuterie in an intimate, friendly setting. 21-minute walk.
• Le Dokhan’s Bar – Paris’ oldest champagne bar has a fantastic selection and an exceptional sommelier. 23-minute walk.

Nearby Shopping and Cool Shops

• Avenue Montaigne – All the best luxury brands on one street: Chanel, Marni, Gucci, Céline, Jil Sander, Saint Laurent, Fendi, Chloé, Ralph Lauren, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Armani, Prada, etc. 0-minute walk.
• Maison Fouquet – Amazing selection of luxury chocolates and sweets. 4-minute walk.
• Hermès – Luxury accessories; famous for silk scarves and its popular “Birkin” bag. 9-minute walk.
• Ladurée – Fancy pastries, and macarons to write home about. 10-minute walk.
• Point Plume – Luxury pens? Luxury pens. 10-minute walk.
• La Fromagerie – Excellent cheese shop near the Eiffel Tower. 19-minute walk.

Nearby Market or Grocery

• Carrefour City – Small supermarket with a decent selection of fresh produce, gourmet snacks, wine, and liquor. 3-minute walk.
• Marché President Wilson – Lovely street market selling flowers, produce, cheese, fish, and roast chicken. 9-minute walk.
• Pharmacie Anglo-Américaine – Over-the-counter medications, first aid, and skin care products. 9-minute walk.

Nearby Attractions & Things to Do

• Avenue Montaigne – 0-minute walk.
• Crazy Horse Burlesque/Cabaret – 4-minute walk.
• Yves Saint-Laurent Museum – 7-minute walk.
• Paris Museum of Modern Art – 7-minute walk.
• Grand Palais – 8-minute walk.
• Palais de Tokyo – 9-minute walk.
• Champs-Élysées – 9-minute walk.
• Guimet Asian Arts Museum – 12-minute walk.
• Quai Branly Museum – 12-minute walk.
• Petit Palais – 13-minute walk.
• Lido de Paris – 14-minute walk.
• Trocadéro – 17-minute walk.
• Eiffel Tower – 18-minute walk.
• Arc de Triomphe – 21-minute walk.
• Orangerie Museum – 21-minute walk.

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The Plaza Athénée has a prestigious Avenue Montaigne address in Paris’ chic 8th arrondissement.

This is Plaza Athénée’s main lobby, off Avenue Montaigne.

Seating area in the lobby. Decor throughout the hotel is classic and elegant, with a color scheme of soothing neutrals with pops of red.

Hotel corridors are spacious, with gleaming terrazzo floors and gilded ironwork.

La Galerie restaurant on the hotel’s main floor serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and cocktails – often to the accompaniment of live harp music.

Cour Jardin, the Plaza Athénée’s garden courtyard, is a gorgeous little spot whose use varies by the seasons. In the summer it operates as an al fresco cafe, while in the winter months it becomes an ice skating rink. Seen here in the fall, it is hosting an art exhibition.

This is the stunning dining room of Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, a three Michelin-starred restaurant with a menu that is concentrated on fish, grains, and vegetables.

The Plaza Athénée is located on Paris’ most famous shopping street, amid the high-end fashion houses of luxury brands like Louis Vuitton…

…and Dior.

It is an 8-minute walk from the Plaza Athénée to the Grand Palais.

Palais Galliera, the City of Paris Fashion Museum, is a 10-minute walk from the hotel…

…with the Palais de Tokyo just across the street.

From Plaza Athénée, the Place du Trocadero’s amazing Eiffel Tower views are a 17-minute walk west.

And the Arc de Triomphe is 21 minutes north.

For a unique fine dining experience outside of the hotel, try Le Laurent, A secluded 1-star Michelin in a former hunting lodge of Louis XIV. (14-minute walk from the hotel.)

Or enjoy the backdrop of amazing Eiffel Tower views at L’Oiseau Blanc. (18-minute walk.)

…Or head to Le Cinq, the wonderful restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel, just a 7-minute walk away.

For a more casual, yet still elevated option, head out for Wagyu beef hamburgers at Baagaa. (19-minute walk.)

Paris Hotels – Tips and Recommendations

• Best Luxury Hotels in Paris: Shangri-La (old world Paris charm) • Four Seasons George V (five-star luxury)
• Best Boutique Hotels in Paris: Relais Christine (small romantic boutique) • Grand Hôtel Du Palais Royal (great central location)
• Best Mid-range Hotels in Paris: Gardette Park (affordable hotel near the Marais) • Hotel Emile (trendy, central, and fun)
• Paris Hotels with Balcony: Mandarin Oriental • Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel • Hotel WO • Hotel Residence Foch • Holiday Inn Paris Notre Dame • Hotel Ekta Champs Elysées • The Peninsula (the garden suite is incredible)
• Paris Hotels with Pool: Le Bristol • Mandarin Oriental • Le Burgundy • Saint James Albany • Shangri-La • The Peninsula • Four Seasons
• Paris Hotels with Kitchen: Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysées • La Clef Tour Eiffel • Splendide Royal • Residence Henri IV • Saint James Albany • Citadines Les Halles Paris • Best Western Le Patio Saint Antoine • Le Marais – Hôtel De Ville
• Paris Hotels with Views of Eiffel Tower: Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris • Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel • Le Parisis • Hôtel Brighton • Shangri-La • Westin Vendôme

Read More

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