Shangri-La Paris – Hotel Review

Boasting a Michelin-starred restaurant, an indulgent spa and unrivalled views of the Eiffel Tower, Shangri-La Paris is palatial elegance in the heart of the French capital. Read on for the full review.

Behind imposing wrought iron gates in the genteel 16th arrondissement of Paris, Shangri-La Paris is a living masterclass in French opulence. Originally built in 1896 for Prince Roland Bonaparte (Napoleon’s great nephew) and his family, the mansion — resplendent with marble floors and sweeping staircases — was acquired by the Shangri-La group in 2006. What ensued was a painstaking renovation project that has protected, preserved and honoured the history of the building, ensuring its legacy. Make no mistake; preserving this magnificent piece of French heritage while providing a level of luxury synonymous with Shangri-La hotels is a marriage made in, well, Paris.

Where is Shangri-La Paris?

Shangri-La Paris, located in the revered 16th arrondissement, boasts some of the finest views of the Eiffel Tower and River Seine. Centrally located yet somehow also removed from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, the hotel is flanked by the Palais de Tokyo and Paris Museum of Modern Art, as well as the peaceful Jardins du Trocadéro.

What’s near Shangri-La Paris?

The Iron Lady, as the Eiffel Tower is often known, cuts an imposing figure at just 500 metres away, while the Champs-Èlysèes is a leisurely 20-minute stroll. If you’re looking to go further afield, the Iéna metro is a few paces from the hotel’s entrance and can connect you to the Louvre in under 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Charles de Gaulle airport is a 45-minute taxi ride away and the Gare du Nord train station is a 30-minute metro trip.

Room types

Here’s some maths: 37 of the 100 rooms at Shangri-La Paris are suites, while 60 per cent of all the rooms have Eiffel Tower views. Meanwhile, 100 per cent of the rooms are decorated in an East-meets-Parisian style (opulence by way of a duck-egg blue, cream and gold colour scheme), a marble bathroom, complete with a deep soaking tub, and underfloor heating. They also come equipped with a Nespresso coffee machine and Egyptian cotton sheets.

At 36 square metres, even the Superior Room (the hotel’s smallest) is fairly substantial in size and overlooks the peaceful courtyard below. Most have interconnecting options, if your family is lucky enough to join you. But for unparalleled panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower and sweeping city vistas, opt for the La Suite Shangri-La – a one-bedroom apartment perched high in the sky with a direct outlook to the famous monument.

Restaurants and bars

Shang Palace, the only Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant in France, offers exquisite Cantonese cuisine: deliciously soft dim sum, fluffy fried rice and perfectly seared vegetables. The blue lobster congee alone is a dish worth revisiting for. Elsewhere on site, La Bauhinia is a light-filled restaurant — thanks to its architecturally impressive glass domed ceiling — offering Eastern cuisine with Parisian flair. Tigre qui pleure, or ‘crying tiger’, is a Black Angus steak with a tear-inducing (hence the name) bird’s eye chilli sauce.

For a nightcap, head to Le Bar Botaniste, named in homage to Prince Bonaparte himself, an avid botanist who once owned the largest herbarium in Paris. May we suggest the Dalmore King Alexander III, a lip-smacking single malt?

Travel for work

You’ll find a full-size marquetry writing desk in every room at the Shangri-La and wi-fi is free and fast, so working from the comfort of your room could be an attractive option. If your needs are more substantial, the hotel has hundreds of metres of space dedicated to meeting rooms and conferences, while the business centre is open 24 hours. Of course, you could always take your meeting to Les Lounges, cold glass of Perrier-Jouet optional.

Spa and pool

If Shangri-La’s signature style takes a back seat to honouring the building’s historic origins throughout the rest of the hotel, the spa signals a subtle change of pace. Chi, located in what used to be Prince Bonaparte’s stables, is a nod to its Asian stewardship with botanical-inspired wallpaper and serene colour palette.

The star of the show is the 17-metre, column-lined indoor pool, which is flooded with natural light thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows that spill out onto an outdoor terrace. Upstairs, there’s a fitness centre and three treatment rooms offering bespoke services using London-based The Organic Pharmacy products.

What you need to know

The spa has just three intimate treatment rooms, so advance booking is recommended during busy periods. Alternatively, you can arrange a treatment in your own room or outside of the spa’s opening hours – advance booking is also essential.

You won’t want to miss the sabering of the champagne, where the champagne cork is removed with a sword, as was custom among Napoleon and his cavalry officers while celebrating victory. The performance takes place at 7pm in Les Lounges.