What is the world’s most famous hotel really worth? Our verdict: the Ritz Paris achieves an LRDH (La Revue des Hôtels) Rating of 7.1/10 · an absolute myth, spaces that no one else possesses, but an experience which, given its pricing, did not always sweep us as far away as its legend promises.
- LRDH Rating: 7.1/10 · the detailed criteria can be found at the end of the article.
- The founding myth of palace hospitality: opened in 1898 by César Ritz at 15, Place Vendôme, reopened in 2016 after a four-year renovation.
- 142 rooms including 71 suites, the Bar Hemingway, the Salon Proust, the Ritz Club pool and the pastry shop by François Perret.
- Points to note: rates among the highest in Paris and crowds that sometimes impact the intimacy of the public spaces.
The myth, intact
We must begin by rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s: the Ritz is not just another palace hotel, it is the blueprint for all the others. When César Ritz opened the property in 1898 with Auguste Escoffier in the kitchens, he invented the modern hotel: private bathrooms, electricity on every floor, a theorised art of service. Marcel Proust dined here, Coco Chanel lived here for over thirty years, Hemingway gave his name to the bar. No other address in the world carries such a romantic charge.
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The four-year renovation completed in 2016 modernised the technology without touching the mental picture everyone has of the place: gold leaf, French-style gardens, trimmings. Guests come to the Ritz to live a legend, and in this regard, the establishment remains unrivalled.
The setting: Place Vendôme as a showcase
Arriving via Place Vendôme remains a rare moment, and the interior presents a succession of iconic spaces: the Grande Galerie and its display cases, the winter garden, and above all the Salon Proust, a cosy library where afternoon tea is served in a setting the writer would have recognised. On the chapter of setting and heritage, the Ritz borders on perfection: 9/10 in our rating grid. Our reservation concerns the crowd: during our visits, the public areas hosted significantly more visitors who had come to “see the Ritz” · to photograph the gallery, tick off the Bar Hemingway, leave with a souvenir · than staying guests. This is the price of global fame, but the atmosphere suffers as a result: the palace-as-monument sometimes takes precedence over the palace hotel itself, and the peace expected of such an establishment retreats to the upper floors.
Rooms and suites: grand style, at the risk of feeling frozen in time
The 142 keys, including 71 suites, showcase the Ritz vocabulary: wall hangings, period furniture, marble, and the famous swan-neck taps. The signature suites · the Impériale, the Coco Chanel suite · are quite simply among the most beautiful hotel rooms in the world. In the entry-level categories, however, the emotion is less systematic: the hotel’s assumed classicism, ten years after the reopening, can seem more preserved than reinvented when compared to new-generation palaces. A demanding 7/10, worthy of the name on the door.
Dining: Perret, the trump card
The constellation of dining options at the Ritz remains dazzling: Espadon for fine dining, Bar Vendôme at any hour, afternoon tea at the Salon Proust, and the Bar Hemingway, a global temple of cocktails where reservations are not accepted · you have to wait, like everyone else. The true contemporary signature of the establishment is François Perret: his pastry creations, from the madeleine to the marble cake, have brought a modernity to the Ritz that the Comptoir, on the Rue Cambon side, has taken right onto the street. 8/10: this is the chapter where the myth is best renewed.
The spa: the most beautiful pool in Paris?
The pool at the Ritz Club, with its golden mosaic and columns, is in the same league as those of La Réserve or Le Meurice in the pantheon of Parisian pools · and the treatment rooms are to match. 7.5/10, with the slight reservation coming from the very success of the venue: the club has its own members in addition to hotel guests, and quiet slots are rare during peak hours.
Our verdict: 7.1/10, the price of the myth
So, why 7.1 and not 9? Because the LRDH Rating judges an overall experience relative to its price tag. The Ritz offers entry-level nightly rates among the highest in the capital, and at this level, every detail should be flawless · yet the size of the property and its high footfall mean that the precision of the service, while real, is not always consistent from one moment of the stay to the next. Value for money (4.6/10 in our grid) is the true Achilles’ heel: you pay for the myth as much as the experience.
Added to this is an observation made over our visits: today, the Ritz is frequented more by tourists and onlookers who have come to admire the monument than by actual staying guests. We understand the appeal · who doesn’t want to see the Ritz? · but for those sleeping upstairs, the promised exclusivity is diluted in the flow. Establishments that better protect the boundary between visitor and resident offer, at this price point, a stronger sense of belonging.
Yet the core truth remains: there is only one Ritz. For a legendary occasion · the Bar Hemingway on a winter’s evening, afternoon tea at the Salon Proust, a lap in the Club pool · the magic still works. For a full stay, the new Parisian generation now offers, at a comparable rate, a superior intensity of service.
- →Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme and Mandarin Oriental Paris lose their palace status
- →La Prairie moves into the Ritz Club Spa hotel in Paris
- →The best hotels in Paris: our 2026 ranking
- →La Réserve and Le Meurice crowned best hotels in the world 2026 (La Liste)
- →Palaces of France 2026: the list of the 33 hotels
Practical information
- Address: 15, Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris.
- 142 rooms including 71 suites · reopened in 2016 after four years of work.
- Restaurants and bars: Espadon, Bar Vendôme, Salon Proust, Bar Hemingway, Ritz Le Comptoir (Rue Cambon).
- Ritz Club: pool, spa, gym · École Ritz Escoffier.
- Official website: ritzparis.com.
