Plaza Athénée
By Albert & Nouri Beesemer — booked and paid for by us. No sponsored placements. Ever.
Avenue Montaigne. The fashion-week hotel. Alain Ducasse in the kitchen. The bar is a Paris institution.
- City
- Paris
- Neighborhood
- 8TH ARR · AVENUE MONTAIGNE
The VV Review
The Plaza Athénée is couture in hotel form — it sits on Avenue Montaigne among the flagship maisons, and during fashion week it effectively becomes the industry's clubhouse. The red geraniums on the facade are one of the most photographed sights in the 8th.
It is glamorous in a way that is fully aware of itself, and that self-awareness is part of the fun. Come for the spectacle and stay for the genuinely excellent everything-else.
It is glamorous in a way that is fully aware of itself, and that self-awareness is part of the fun.
First Impressions
Avenue Montaigne, the awnings, the geraniums, the doormen. You are in no doubt about where you are or what it costs. The theater begins at the curb.
The Rooms
Grand, many with Eiffel Tower or Avenue Montaigne views, decorated in a classic register with contemporary updates. The courtyard-facing rooms are the quiet choice.
Food & Drink
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée for the gastronomic experience. But Le Bar du Plaza Athénée is the institution — one of the great hotel bars in Paris, and a scene in its own right.
The Neighborhood
Avenue Montaigne — Dior, Chanel, the couture houses at your door, the Seine and the Pont de l'Alma a short walk south.
The Plaza Athénée is glamour without apology, and Paris would be poorer without it. For the right occasion — and the right budget — there is nothing else quite like it.
What We Loved
The red geraniums on the avenue Montaigne façade are one of the most recognized hotel images in Paris. The cliché is earned — the building looks exactly as it should.
The Plaza's main restaurant is among the most beautiful dining rooms in France. The naturalist menu — vegetables, cereals, fish — is one of the most discussed haute cuisine departures of the last decade.
The only Dior Spa in Paris, located inside the hotel. The treatments and aesthetics are exactly what this address suggests.
One of the iconic Parisian hotel bars. The terrace in summer is the quintessential avenue Montaigne afternoon.
Worth Knowing Before You Book
- 01Avenue Montaigne is not a quiet street. Rooms facing the interior garden are significantly more peaceful.
- 02The Dior Spa books up weeks in advance. Reserve before arrival.
- 03Alain Ducasse's restaurant at the Plaza requires proper advance planning. Make the reservation the moment the trip is confirmed.
- 04The Plaza is a significant financial commitment even by Paris palace standards. Ensure the occasion aligns.