The Best Boutique Hotels in France
French design has long inspired the world. The country’s design hotel scene is ever-growing, reflecting tremendous creativity in architecture, art and design. Respecting the past whilst looking to the future is a key part of the design hotel ethos, as is the desire to offer guests a unique experience. Our list of top spots has been carefully curated to suit solo travellers, couples, families and groups of friends seeking something seriously special. Whether you’re dreaming of escaping to a glamorous château in Burgundy, kicking back in style in Paris’ Montmartre, or savouring Michelin-starred Mediterranean cuisine in Saint-Tropez, the best design hotels in France are all set to impress.
Paris
One of the most romantic cities in the world, however many times you visit Paris, there is always something new to discover. As well as its well-known sights – the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and many others, Paris is also a perfect city in which to simple wander. Whether you’d rather browse the high-end boutiques and restaurants of the Marais district or immerse yourself in the bohemian atmosphere of the Latin quarter, Paris will never disappoint.
French Riviera
Stunning beaches, crystal-clear water, designer shops and high-end restaurants – what’s not to like? You can relax on a lounger looking out over the sea or head into the calm, cooler, beautiful countryside of the hills. The ancient city of Marseille (France’s oldest city) makes a great base with all the nightlife and chic boutiques you would expect from France’s second city with swimming and sailing also available on its doorstep in the Calanques National Park. Enjoy the contrasts of the flashy opulence and enormous yachts of St Tropez and medieval villages in the hills or the charm of seaside resort villages
What to Expect from Design Hotels in France
French design hotels are all about innovation. Most are housed within heritage buildings, often in centuries-old cities or in bucolic rural surroundings. Revamped and reimagined by forward-thinking architects, artists and designers, it’s enormously exciting to see these properties brought to life in new ways.
Many of France’s top design-focused hotels are part of Design Hotels, a global group with a membership of 300+ properties. The collection includes a reinvented Parisian Art Deco masterpiece, a series of beautiful modernist villas in Provence, and two cool, contemporary spots on the Côte d’Azur. In each case, a team of creatives have worked together to offer their guests a rare experience, in close dialogue with their setting — an ongoing conversation with the building itself, as well as the neighbourhood that surrounds it.
Hotels cannot exist in isolation. Wherever in the world they are, they reflect their environment, as well as the teams who work within them. Choosing to stay in a design hotel involves acknowledging the evolution of a place’s character. This is very much the case at our top design hotel in Dijon, owned by twin brothers who grew up in the city and feel passionate about its future.
Guests at design hotels can expect thoughtfully crafted interiors, with intentional choices around furnishings, colour schemes and artwork. Food and drink provide further opportunity for creativity, and you’ll find fresh, seasonal fare on ever-changing menus, as well as impressive wine cellars or lists of craft cocktails. Many hotels boast terrific spas and swimming pools, and offer curated experiences as an opportunity to connect with their neighbourhoods. There is a strong focus on sustainability and on looking forward. Design has always been about sparking joy and telling a story—one that reflects the past, present, and future.
Popular Design Hotels in France
- Well-heeled holidaymakers will adore Christophe Pillet-designed Sezz Saint-Tropez, with its clean lines, pale colour palette and surprising red fixtures. Life centres around the swimming pool and the Michelin-starred Colette restaurant, which serves Mediterranean fare under olive trees.
- Our other Côte d’Azur favourite, Five Seas, sits in central Cannes. Expect spacious, soothing guest rooms, a superb Intraceuticals spa and a rooftop terrace with infinity pool, French fine dining and cracking cocktails.
- The 19 individually designed villas which make up Domaine des Andéols in rural Provence are sublime. Highlights include playful modernist pieces by Florence Knoll, regular art exhibitions, and a restaurant serving seasonal dishes that champion a farm-to-table philosophy.
- Nearby Hotel de Tourrel in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence promises chic mid-century furnishings in a beautiful building from the 1670s. An intimate romantic gem, the hotel is known for its Michelin-starred cuisine.
- Restorative weekends at the ivy-clad Château de la Resle, where you'll find old-world glamour alongside modern art, close to Chablis, also come highly recommended. The château’s wine collection is exceptional; as is that of the Haussmann-style Vertigo Hotel in Dijon, with its bold, functional interiors.
- Paris boasts some sensational design hotels, too. Elegant Hôtel Vernet combines old and new on the Champs Elysées, notably through its spectacular Gustave Eiffel-designed glass roof. The understated 33-room Hôtel de Nell, with its huge Japanese bathtubs carved from raw marble and tranquil spa, is wonderful.
- Landmark buildings have been reimagined, too. Architect Vincent Bastide’s transformation of a former public building into the stylish Le Roch Hotel & Spa is a particular stand-out. Edgy Le Pigalle reflects its neighbourhood’s creative roots, whilst the grand Hôtel Rochechouart, in a restored 1920s building on the edge of Montmartre, prides itself on being amongst the last true Art Deco hotels in Paris.
