Four Seasons Hotel George V

In an unbeatable location near the Champs-Élysées, this majestic 1928 white-stone hotel redefined elegance when it reopened its doors as a Four Seasons in 1999. Today, it’s tops with couture-clad jet-setters and bons vivants seeking a hushed city retreat with all the modern conveniences. Guests are greeted—and treated—to an eyeful of blooms upon arrival in the marble lobby; expect a sumptuous flurry of Flemish tapestries, crystal chandeliers, 19th-century furniture, and brocade fabrics throughout the public spaces. The 245 spacious rooms (doubles average a spacious 500 square feet) echo the same luxe detailing, and many rooms have private terraces overlooking the courtyard and rooftops beyond. And a heaven-can-wait full-service hotel spa adjoins an indoor pool ringed by a mural of the gardens at Versailles. But it’s chef Eric Brifford—who oversees the hotel’s Michelin two-starred restaurant, Le Cinq—who approaches godliness for his divine creations: fillet of red tuna with caviar from the Sologne region and tangy marinated vegetables, and Manjari chocolate soufflé and black-currant pulp. Lucky are the diners who can float upstairs to their rooms.