What it is

A grand 1892 château flanked by flourishing gardens, with a Guerlain spa and hammam; Greco-Roman inspired swimming pool; and three restaurants (one with a Michelin star).

What it isn't

Ginormous. There are only 22 rooms here, and each one is as exquisite as the last.

What we think

Block for block, we’d wager that Paris has as many eye candy hotels as any other city on earth. Beauty is everywhere you turn, ripe for the plucking. And yet at Saint James Paris—a member of the eminent Relais & Châteaux—artful living is nearly a religion. The building was erected in 1892 and retains its only-in-Paris facade of mansard roofs, a gurgling fountain and perfectly manicured grounds and window boxes. The guest rooms themselves are equally extraordinary, with design details to die for, including Versailles-wood parquet floors and sumptuously canopied beds. Ask for the 365 square foot Deluxe Room with a terrace—it’s the type of room “Emily in Paris” dreams are made of. The Junior Suite Top Floor is also a cinematic stunner, with a 450 square foot floor plan, including an airy, atrium-like sitting space called a “winter garden.”

You're here because

The 4,300 square foot Guerlain Spa was recently renovated and is everything you could ever ask for in a spa day, from the vaulted marble architectural details to the treatments (face sculpting is a local favorite).

The Moment

Perched under botanical wallpaper in an olive green velvet banquette in the Michelin-starred Bellefeuille Restaurant, you’re not sure what you find more delicious: the chocolate pod and lichen dessert set before you, or the scenery.

Restaurants & Bars

Bellefeuille Restaurant - French cuisine by chef Julien Dumas, focusing on vegetables and seafood

The Library Bar - offering signature cocktails

Location

The pride of the 16th arrondissement and a five minute walk from Fondation Louis Vuitton, a nonprofit museum run by LVMH in a structure designed by Frank Gehry.