The Palace label has just expanded with six new members in France, including three in Paris: the Bulgari Hôtel Paris, the Cheval Blanc Paris, and the Fouquet's Hôtel. It was Serge Papin, the minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade and Tourism, who unveiled this Tuesday the new “Palace Collection 2026,” bringing the total number of establishments crowned with the famous capital P to 33 nationwide.
Established in 2010 by the French government to formalize an appellation that had been circulating without clear rules, the Palace label is awarded by Atout France, the government agency responsible for tourism development. To qualify, a property must be rated five stars and demonstrate a continuous operation of at least 24 months for a new establishment, or 12 months if it has undergone a complete renovation.
The process unfolds in two stages: an eligibility-check phase conducted by Atout France to verify objective criteria, followed by an analysis phase by a panel of qualified experts. The commission assesses the location, the aesthetics, the history of the site, the personality of the establishment, the involvement of the teams in the pursuit of excellence, the presence of a restaurant gastronomique and the environmental policy. The establishment must notably be located in an area of exceptional quality, with an architectural and natural environment in harmony: a classified site, monumental perspective, UNESCO World Heritage, or protected landscape.
The digitalization of services also factors into the evaluation: the level of in-room automation, digitalization of the customer journey, and the use of new technologies. The establishment’s online reputation, its listing in major international guides, and its staff training policy are also taken into account. Following a reform published in the Official Journal in February 2024 and taking effect on October 1, the distinction is awarded for three years, renewable, instead of the previous five, to ensure a consistently high standard of excellence.
Paris now has 13 palaces, including three that were newly awarded labels this year:
These two boast a deeply rooted Parisian story paired with standout architecture, which clearly works in their favor in securing the label.
The ten other Parisian palaces whose distinction is being renewed are the Hôtel de Crillon, the Bristol, the Four Seasons Hotel George V, the Hôtel Meurice, the Plaza Athénée, the Royal Monceau, the Shangri-La Paris, La Réserve Paris, the Peninsula Paris and the Hôtel Lutetia.
This new list confirms what was announced in mid-May: the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, on Rue de la Paix, and the Mandarin Oriental Paris, on Rue Saint-Honoré, are no longer included. The same goes for the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, currently undergoing a full renovation. These properties will be allowed to reapply once their work is complete. In Saint-Tropez, the Byblos had already lost its distinction on the previous list.
These two iconic Paris hotels are set to lose their prestigious Palace status in June.
Le Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme and the Mandarin Oriental Paris are set to lose their Palace designation on June 2, 2026. The Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz would also be affected by this rare downgrade in French luxury hospitality. [Read more]
Outside Paris, the Martinez de Cannes joins the circuit on the Côte d'Azur, the must-visit address at the Cannes Film Festival for decades. In the Alps, it's the Four Seasons Resort à Megève that makes its entrance, while the Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa, tucked among the champagne vineyards of Épernay, completes the lineup on France's eastern front.
Overall, the 33 French palaces are distributed as follows: Paris (13), the Southeast (9), the Alps (7), the Southwest (2), the East (1) and the Caribbean with Cheval Blanc Saint-Barth. The last newcomers date back to 2019: since then the list has remained frozen, as the sector regrouped after the pandemic.
These two iconic Paris hotels are set to lose their prestigious Palace status in June.
