Hotel Plaza Athenee

Hotel Plaza Athenee

There's not much IYKYK here because this might be the most photographed hotel courtyard in the world, but sometimes the famous places earn it. This is the palace hotel on Avenue Montaigne, which means you're in the absolute center of Parisian luxury and fashion. Those 1,900 red geraniums on the façade have a proper backstory: Jean Gabin wanted to cover Marlene Dietrich's balcony in roses during the war, the hotel could only manage geraniums, and she loved them so much they stayed forever. The rooms are French classical done beautifully, light silks and reflective fabrics instead of suffocating brocade. Some have Eiffel Tower views that are genuinely worth booking for. The ivy-covered courtyard is the heart of the hotel, turning into an ice rink in winter if you're there during the holidays. Jean Imbert runs the Michelin-starred restaurant now and does this elevated French grandmother cooking that actually works. Le Relais Plaza has been the Fashion Week unofficial headquarters since 1936. The Dior Spa exists because Christian Dior basically used this hotel as his second office when he opened down the street in 1946. This is full palace hotel luxury, which means the service is impeccable and the prices reflect Avenue Montaigne. During Fashion Week the bar is wall-to-wall industry people. It's not intimate or hidden, it's the exact opposite, but if you want the real Parisian luxury experience where it actually happens, with all the history and glamour intact, this is it. Just go in knowing you're getting the grand production, not the secret find.