228, Rue De Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Le Meurice

Name: Le Meurice
Address: 228, Rue De Rivoli, Paris, 75001, FR
Rating: 4.6

Hotel-restaurant 5-star with spa in Paris

Presentation

Le Meurice stands on Rue de Rivoli, facing the Tuileries Garden, a stone’s throw from Place Vendôme. Paris’s first palace hotel, opened in 1835, it has welcomed queens, kings, painters, and writers without ever losing the slightly lofty elegance that has set it apart for nearly two centuries. You enter through a hall where the marble and gilding remind you that you are in the house of the Dorchester Group, the same family as the Plaza Athénée. The tone is set from the very first steps.

From early morning, the dining room of Le Meurice Alain Ducasse comes gently to life. The decor is inspired by the Salon de la Paix at the Château de Versailles, reimagined by Philippe Starck: tall mirrors, chandeliers, an almost theatrical light. Breakfast is served here before the room changes pace for the evening service. That service is reserved for dinner, Monday to Friday, under the direction of chef Amaury Bouhours and Alain Ducasse. When the weekend arrives, the choice shifts to Le Dalí, the house’s second restaurant. A monumental 145-square-meter canvas by Ara Starck dominates a livelier room there, open from breakfast through dinner, including tea time. No one really has to choose: one takes over from the other.

As you go up through the floors, the style changes register. The rooms and suites, most of them renovated in recent years, lean into Louis XVI styling: silky fabrics, period furniture, marble bathrooms, high ceilings. Some open onto the inner courtyard, others onto the rooftops of Paris or directly onto the treetops of the Tuileries. These are the ones most often requested. The entry-level categories facing Rue de Rivoli remain comfortable, but the avenue is busy: it is better to specify your preference for a view when booking if quiet matters more than the Haussmann façade.

At the very top, on the seventh floor, the Belle Étoile suite offers its private 360-degree terrace. Eighteen Paris landmarks are within sight, from Sacré-Cœur to the Eiffel Tower. Few addresses in Paris can say the same.

In the basement, the Valmont spa, the only one in the capital, unfolds its vaulted treatment rooms. Some come for a quick facial, others string together hammam, sauna, and gym before heading back upstairs. The Intimate Champagne Duo treatment, hammam followed by a hot oil massage and then a glass of champagne, is better booked at the end of the day than first thing in the morning.

On the ground floor, after six o’clock, the Bar 228 takes over. Leather armchairs, mahogany, a hushed British club atmosphere. It is easy to linger there until one in the morning, glass in hand, beneath the same wood paneling that has seen Dalí, Picasso, and Coco Chanel pass through.

One tip: Ducasse’s evening table closes on weekends. It is better to book your dinner for a weekday if you are set on this exact address, or head without regret to Le Dalí, open every day.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

Standard room rather small for the price, but bedding and marble bathroom are excellent.
Very attentive table service from start to finish, right through to the last drink at the evening bar.
Generous breakfast, with nothing especially surprising in terms of choice.
Direct location on the Tuileries Garden, five minutes on foot from the Louvre and Place Vendôme.
Room lighting a bit static, a dimmer would have been useful in the evening.
During a heatwave the air conditioning struggled a little, but a courtesy room was offered without hesitation.