Paris may be known for exuding romance, but it’s also a great destination for traveling families. Filled with yummy eateries, amazing museums, and iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower, children will enjoy the city just as much as the adults. If you are traveling to The City of Light with little ones in tow, there are a few things to consider before booking a hotel — guest room sizes, on-site amenities, and ambiance. After visiting many hotels in Paris, we evaluated each to see which were best suited for families with children and teens. Take a look at our picks for the 10 best child-friendly hotels in Paris and start planning your family vacation!
Hotel Le Bristol (8th Arrondissement (Champs-Elysees) is one of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, but it’s also the most family-friendly hotel in Paris — a rare find in a city where most hotels are designed for romance. At Hotel Le Bristol, it’s the best of both worlds. Families are welcome in this posh environment; children staying at the hotel are given their own stuffed animal at check-in, and the on-site kids’ club, located right off of the spa, has plenty of toys and games; staffers also plan fun activities for the children, such as scavenger hunts. And Hotel Le Bristol is one of just a handful of Parisian hotels that has its own pool. It also has its own resident cat, which is sure to please the tots.
Located on the Champs Élysées, Le Fouquet’s Barrière (8th Arrondissement (Champs-Elysees) is one of the most famous and exclusive luxury hotels in Paris. It has a slightly modernized Haussmann-style exterior, while interior design combines baroque, surrealist, and classic style elements with contemporary flair. Sophisticated rooms start at 400 square feet, and black marble bathrooms have separate showers and tubs as well as TVs in the mirrors. The extensive features include three restaurants (one Michelin-starred), an upscale spa, and a gorgeous indoor swimming pool. The hotel deserves its five-star status, but this level of luxury comes at a very high price. Despite the hotel’s grown-up vibe, it is surprisingly kid-friendly, offering gifts for kids upon check-in and kids’ menus in two restaurants; many room categories can accommodate baby cots or extra beds.
From its luxurious Louis XVI decor to its Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Meurice (1st and 2nd Arrondissements (Louvre and Palais Royal) feels fit for royalty. The regal five-pearl hotel is situated directly across from the Tuileries Garden and is a short walk to several attractions including the Louvre. Rooms are spacious and feature lavish decor with period furniture, modern amenities, and palatial en-suite marble bathrooms with a separate tub and shower. The hotel also features an elegantly eccentric Dali Restaurant (he was a frequent guest of the hotel), a cosy bar, a spa, a small fitness center, and a large banquet venue. hildren are well catered for with a host of special luxuries, such as a free treasure hunt with a gift at the end, access to wooden sailboats and other toys for use in the Tuileries Gardens, kid-sized bathrobes and slippers, and The Little Prince toiletries.
An historic grande dame of a hotel on the Place des Pyramides, the Regina (1st and 2nd Arrondissements (Louvre and Palais Royal) was renovated in 2014 but maintains a classic, elegant ambiance. It opened for the 1900 World’s Fair, and more recently has served as the filming location for “The Bourne Identity.” Facing the Louvre, Tuileries Gardens, and Eiffel Tower on the opposite side of the Seine, Hotel Regina features 119 rooms and 15 suites that mix period furniture with modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. There’s also a children’s playroom with toys and mini scooters.
The 43-room Hotel de la Porte Doree (11th and 12th Arrondissements (Place de la Bastille) is an elegant, homey mid-range hotel located outside of the Paris city center in the 12th arrondissement. The hotel is quiet and charming, with a true Parisian feeling. Loft-like rooms have plush bedding and wood floors, and blend modern amenities (Blu-ray DVD players, iPod docks, free Wi-Fi) with vintage details (gilded mirrors, crown molding). Because this is a boutique, there’s not much in the way of property features, but there is a DVD lending library and breakfast buffet (for a fee) served in a cute cafe-style room. The metro, bus, high speed rail, and new tram all stop near the hotel entrance.
The 33-room Les Jardins de la Villa (16th and 17th Arrondissements (Bois de Boulogne) is a boutique hotel with contemporary style in a quiet location. Stylish rooms are a good size for Paris standards, and are equipped with great extras such as free on-demand movies, free Wi-Fi, and Nespresso machines. Though the hotel does not have a kids club or pool, all children under 12 stay at the hotel for free and it offers plenty of kid- and baby-friendly amenities. Families are provided with baby cots, nightlights, baby monitors, and changing mats, and children are given a welcome gift upon check-in. The concierge can also arrange babysitting services.
The upscale, 47-room Grand Hotel Saint-Michel (5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter) has a prime Latin Quarter address next to the Sorbonne. Rooms are stylish and plush, but compact, and feature flat-screen TVs and contemporary bathrooms. Family Rooms and multi-room apartments are available. There’s plenty to see within walking distance, including the Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Pantheon. Although there’s no on-site restaurant, the hotel does serve a varied buffet breakfast (for a fee) as well as a free afternoon tea. There’s a gym with an attached steam room and a small meeting room with sophisticated decor.
The upscale Frasier Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysees (8th Arrondissement (Champs-Elysees) offers 110 apartments that are huge by Paris standards and include full kitchens, to say nothing of the prime location right on Paris’ iconic Champs-Elysees. Shops, cafes, the metro, and Laduree macarons are all essentially right outside the hotel’s front door. Though this is an apartment-style property, many hotel comforts are offered, with bonuses like free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness center, and free laundry room. A breakfast buffet is also served, but there is not restaurant or bar on site. It’s a family-friendly hotel with welcome treats for children.
This upper-middle-range property delivers modern style in a traditional Parisian building. There are 17 apartments and studios, each with a chic bedroom and bathroom, and a small but smart kitchenette equipped with all the cooking equipment guests might need. It doesn’t have a restaurant or fitness center, but for travelers who like to do their own thing, Residence Nell (9th Arrondissement (Opera Garnier) is a stylish place to do it — and in a central location. It’s particularly popular with families as the apartments are a practical choice for those on vacation with children.
The 189-room Citadines Prestige Les Halles (1st and 2nd Arrondissements (Louvre and Palais Royal) is an upscale, apartment-style hotel; each room has a kitchenette including mini-fridge and tea kettle, plus living space. The property is located a few steps away from the Forum des Halles, the teeming Parisian shopping hub situated in the 1st arrondissement that is a draw to city dwellers and tourists alike (area construction can be a source of noise during the day). A small business center with an Internet terminal and a printer is free for guest use in the lobby, as is an espresso machine. The highlights here are the central location and the spacious, contemporary apartments.
Enjoy Paris!
All photo’s taken by the talented photograper Ahmed Bahhodh – www.ahmedbahhodh.com
