Hotels in Paris are Seeing Stars

Story by Sophie Delon

The French hotel industry is in the midst of sweeping reforms that are changing the way officials classify lodgings in Paris. The previous classification dates back to 1986 and, unlike most other cities around the world, didn’t allow for five star ratings.

But the new system includes two major changes: the disappearance of the zero-rated category, and a fifth star to recognize the highest standards of luxury in both service and facilities. While travelers have enjoyed the prestige of staying at institutions like The Ritz, the George V and the Hotel de Crillon—each easily recognized as the pinnacle of hotel luxury—other hotels have never been able to enjoy the prestige that comes with a five star classification.

This new classification is clearly targeted to international visitors and allows the French hotel industry enhance the reputation of its more luxurious hotels. A fifth star underlines the increasingly exacting demands of the more affluent traveler in terms of facilities, client services, accessibility and sustained development.

So how do Paris hotels earn a five-star rating? Some of the criteria include:

• Hotel bedrooms must measure at least 24 m2 for a double room.
• More subjective to the five star rating is the layout and quality of furnishings in the room, but whether furnished in a classic or modern style, all must conform to the highest quality standards.
• Rooms must be equipped with Internet, television with access to foreign channels, a double bed and other amenities to satisfy the demands of clients (safe-deposit box, minibar, a computer, a printer, telephone in bathrooms, etc.).
• Hotel staff must be available 24 hours a day and speak at least two foreign languages.

The first Parisian hotels to be crowned with five stars

Since last June, twelve Parisian establishments have been awarded a fifth star. Among these are some of the city’s most notable hotels, ranked until now as four-star Luxe hotels. The fifth star, industry experts feel, will extend their prestige to luxury travelers accustomed to staying in five star lodgings.

FOUR SEASONS HÔTEL GEORGE V
31 av. George-V, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 49 52 70 00
www.fourseasons.com/paris

HÔTEL CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES PLAZA PARIS
35 rue de Berri, Paris 8th<
Tel +33 (0)1 53 53 20 20
www.champs-elysees-plaza.com

HÔTEL DE SERS
41 av. Pierre-I-de-Serbie, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 53 23 75 75
www.hoteldesers.com

HÔTEL FOUQUET’S BARRIÈRE PARIS
46 av. George-V, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 40 69 60 00
www.fouquets-barriere.com

HÔTEL PLAZA ATHÉNÉE PARIS
25 av. Montaigne, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 53 67 66 65
www.plaza-athenee-paris.fr

HÔTEL RENAISSANCE PARIS VENDÔME
4 rue du Mont-Thabor, Paris 1st
Tel +33 (0)1 40 20 20 00
www.renaissanceparisvendome.com

HÔTEL RITZ PARIS
15 place Vendôme, Paris 1st
Tel +33 (0)1 43 16 30 30
www.ritzparis.com

HÔTEL SQUARE
3 rue de Boulainvilliers, Paris 16th
Tel +33 (0)1 44 14 91 90
www.hotelsquare.com

HYATT REGENCY PARIS – MADELEINE
24 bd Malesherbes, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 55 27 12 34
http://paris.madeleine.hyatt.com

LE MEURICE PARIS
228 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1st
Tel +33 (0)1 44 58 10 10
www.meuricehotel.fr

PARIS MARRIOTT HÔTEL CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES
70 av. des Champs-Élysées, Paris 8th
Tel +33 (0)1 53 93 55 00
www.marriottchampselysees.com

PARK HYATT PARIS VENDÔME
5 rue de la Paix, Paris 2nd
Tel +33 (0)1 58 71 12 34
http://paris.vendome.hyatt.fr