Cheval Blanc Paris Review

Top-tier Parisian hotels generally call for maximalist French grandeur, gold leaf and old-world opulence. But in contrast to Paris’ grand dames, at Cheval Blanc, you’ll find contemporary minimalism, modern art, and sleek, understated beauty. And the vibe is as cool as the decor.

What’s The Story?

Cheval Blanc Paris opened in September 2021, the first city outpost for Cheval Blanc Maison, the LVMH-owned hospitality group better known for escapist hideaways in St-Barth, Courchevel and the Maldives. Its home is a Right Bank landmark: La Samaritaine, the Art Nouveau department store founded by Ernest Cognacq and Louise Jaÿ in 1870, which closed its doors in 2005 and spent 16 years – along with a reported €750 million (£645million) – under restoration before reopening as a mixed department-store-and-hotel complex. The building’s glass facade on Rue de Rivoli is the work of Japanese Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa), while the hotel’s interiors are the work of American architect and designer Peter Marino. Its 72 rooms and public spaces have been filled with an eclectic private art collection and unique mirrored terrace spaces invite the Seine and the Pont-Neuf into the room rather than simply framing them through a window. It paid off: in June 2026, Cheval Blanc Paris was awarded Palace status, the official distinction reserved for France’s very best hotels, elevating it above the standard five-star rank and into the same bracket as the Ritz and the Plaza Athénée just a few years after opening its doors.

Location

While many of the city’s luxe hotels are to the west of the Louvre, Cheval Blanc sits behind it, inside the historic La Samaritaine building on the Right Bank of the Seine. Many of its rooms directly overlook the stunning Pont-Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. The bustling districts of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Marais are 15-minute walks away in opposite directions. And if you’re here for the shopping, you’ll find everything you need inside La Samaritaine itself.

The Rooms

A squeal of delight upon entering one’s Parisian hotel is generally reserved for a view of the Eiffel Tower, however Cheval Blanc’s rooms delight for another reason. Almost all of the 72 rooms – 46 of which are suites – look out over the Seine, and while not all feature tower views, their sunlit winter garden balconies are amongst the best locations in the city to feel immersed in Paris’ action from the comfort and privacy of your own room. Rooms are decked out in gold and beige hues, there’s a walk-in wardrobe, hammam shower, enormous marble bathtub and even a Japanese loo (in an inexplicably 360-degree-mirrored closet). The deluxe his-and-hers-scented bath products designed by Dior perfumer François Demachy set the tone for a visit to the Dior spa in the basement. The in-room tech is genuinely intuitive and useful rather than flashy – shuttering the aforementioned glorious view off at the touch of a button for a silent, pitch-black sleep in this bustling city is as much of a treat as unshuttering it the next morning. But on waking you’ll be drawn back out onto the mini terrace with its mirrored walls to feel part of the action once more – and take a leisurely petit dejeuner watching the streets below come to life.

Dior Spa

The Dior Spa At Cheval Blanc

If you can make it unscathed through the plush entrance to the flagship Dior Spa beneath the hotel, you’ve done very well. And by ‘unscathed’ we mean without emptying your bank account on the gauntlet of Dior sunglasses, scarves, accessories, skincare and fragrances that lead to the check-in desk. There’s even a signature hotel fragrance, only available on-site. Signature Dior facials are superlative, Rossano Ferretti has his own salon offering his ‘invisible haircut’ and there’s even a Baby Dior Spa offering treatments for young guests. The 30-metre pool features mosaics by artist Michael Mayer and a wall-length digital mural by artist Oyoram (Yorame Mevorach) and is an absolute must-visit.

Le Jardin

Food & Drink At Cheval Blanc Paris

The hotel’s dining line-up carries serious weight: three-Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Donckele heads Plénitude, while Hakuba, an ode to Japanese cuisine, holds two stars of its own. Pastry chef Maxime Frédéric – the man behind Paris’s cult croissant ice cream sandwich – oversees the sweeter side of things. For everyday eating, though, most guests gravitate towards the hotel’s two more relaxed spots.

Le Tout Paris is a buzzy brasserie on the hotel’s seventh floor rooftop with unbeatable city views. (More relaxed, yes, but still holding its own Michelin star.) Here you’ll find locals dropping in for breakfasts, lunches and romantic sunset dinners and enjoying menu highlights including grilled blue lobster, roast chicken and mashed potatoes. The puddings are excellent (as you’d expect with Maxime Frédéric at the helm) – the peach charlotte is unmissable. 

Le Jardin is a tranquil garden oasis only open in the summer months with a view stretching from the Eiffel Tower to the Sacre Coeur. The ice cream sundaes are a big draw here; it has to be the picture-perfect raspberry and pistachio that tastes as good as it looks. Just be sure to eat it before it melts – a memo many miss as they secure the perfect shot for Instagram.

And if you haven’t had enough sweet treats, pop across to the Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton café, and order the hazelnut cake. You won’t regret it.

Our lunch Le Tout Paris

The Peach Charlotte

C&TH Key Notes:

• The drink to order: whatever your heart desires; the bar team will find you the perfect pour.
• The dish to try: waffles, sweet for breakfast or the savoury starter. Or the tomato tart in Le Jardin. 
• The room to book: Any room with a view of the Seine will delight, however if you really want to make a splash, opt for the Eiffel Suite, or the sprawling duplex Apartment. 
• The pleasant surprise: an ecologically-focused luxe kids club, a rare find in Paris.
• Don’t miss: sunset from Le Tout Paris’s rooftop terrace, as the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle.

The Key Facts:

• Address: 8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France
• Star Rating: Palace (France’s official top hotel classification, above 5-star) 
• Phone: +33 (0)1 40 28 00 00
• Website: chevalblanc.com/en/maison/paris
• Rooms: 72 rooms and suites, including 46 suites
• Accessible rooms: 4 wheelchair-accessible rooms
• Check-in / check-out: 3pm / 12pm 
• Nearest Métro: Pont-Neuf (Line 7), moments from the hotel’s doorstep 
• Parking: Valet parking available, plus use of house cars 

The Last Word

There are hotels in Paris that look luxurious; then there are those that feel it. Cheval Blanc delivers on both fronts, and then some.