A far cry from the ostentation of some of Paris’s Grand Dames, Hôtel Balzac Paris exudes elegance.
This is a hotel that evokes a bygone era and encapsulates the atmosphere of a vintage Paris – just minutes from L’Arc de Triomphe. Reopened in 2024, the complete redesign by Festen Architecture captures the history and heritage of the property while crafting a modern masterpiece of hospitality.
The Vibe
From the moment you’re ushered in to the wood-panelled, marble-floored lobby, it’s clear Hôtel Balzac is something special. Crisp linen sofas invite you to sit and refresh, welcome drink in hand, with crystal decanters of water elegantly dotted about among vases of white blooms.
The grand reception desk sits in front of a wall of tasseled leather keys and suited bellboys subtly whisk your luggage to your room while checking in; the Balzac has all the hallmarks of a grand hotel but with the cosseted feel of a private residence.
The Rooms
Hôtel Balzac’s 58 rooms and suites – some with private terraces and Eiffel Tower views – achieve a balance of boutique comfort and grandeur, with high ceilings, natural light, soothing decor and refined design. From the linen headboard and woollen bed throw, Marshall speakers, velvet sofas and strategically positioned antique writing desk with its coffee table art books, every detail has been carefully selected to ensure a room fit for the most discerning guest.
Each room is home to an elevated mini bar, with shaker, measure, jigger and a menu of spirits, mixers, aperitifs and liqueurs, along with a cocktail recipe book and exceptional snack selection from local and artisan producers. In the marble bathroom, you’ll find full size bottles from Diptyque along with the fluffiest robes. You’d be forgiven for wanting to curl up and spend your time within the four walls.
The Food + Drink
Designed for relaxation and rendezvous, a glass-roofed lounge serves superb coffee and breakfasts, as well as a light menu throughout the day of dishes such as Caesar salad and truffled Croque Monsieur. Steps at the back of the lounge will lead you down to a speakeasy-style bar, exuding mystery and intrigue, where cocktail hour awaits with a menu of slick serves and accompanying nibbles, like Petrossian caviar specialties or a lobster roll with Espelette pepper and ginger.
The Little Extras
Occupying writer Honoré de Balzac’s last residence in Paris, where he lived with his love Madame Hanska, and located at the crossover of Rue Balzac and Rue Lord Byron – it is suffice to say that this hotel is steeped in Parisian literary history. Festen’s design duo – Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Saucy – did a magnificent job of capturing the history and heritage of the property; there are antiques dotted around the hotel, and made-to-measure furniture is beautifully fashioned, featuring writing desks in many of the rooms – a subtle reference to the property’s storied past.
Despite the hotel’s smaller size, the basement is home to the Japanese-inspired Ikoi Spa, with three cabins offering treatments crafted with French wellness brand Omnisens along with a subterranean sauna, plunge pool (which can also be booked privately) and a fitness room.
The To-Do List
The luxury brands of Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Elysée are on the doorstep, with Les Jardins de Tuileries, the Louvre and Musée des Arts Decoratifs at its other end. A 30-minute stroll takes you to the banks of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, glittering with lights on the hour each evening, or hop on the Métro and head north to Port de Clignancourt for the superb Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market, one of our favourites for vintage and antique gems. Spend time mooching around the Marais with its concept stores and boutiques (including the Sézane flagship) and make sure to book plenty in advance if you want a seat at the hottest restaurant in town, Table de Bruno Verjus.
All image credits: Hôtel Balzac by Matthieu Salvaing
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