Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris

The Lutetia opened in 1910, commissioned by the Boucicaut family of the Bon Marché across the street to house their suppliers, and is the only Palace-classified hotel on the Left Bank — the French distinction above five-star, held by twelve Paris addresses. Closed for a four-year, ground-up restoration completed in 2018, then rebranded Mandarin Oriental Lutetia in April 2025. The exterior keeps Belle Époque sculpture and Art Deco frescoes; rooms are subdued contemporary. Brasserie Lutetia (Patrick Charvet, with rotating Michelin guest chefs through 2025) for sole meunière and tartare; Bar Joséphine for cocktails under Adel Abdessemed's painted ceiling.