I’ve been very fortunate to stay at two of Paris’s palace hotels: Mandarin Oriental Paris, and Shangri-La Paris. But in 2025, when Mandarin Oriental re-opened the Lutetia – the famed literary hotel and the only palace hotel on the Left Bank – I immediately added it to my hotel bucket list.
It was my 35th birthday this April, and I decided to do a little solo trip to Paris a couple of days before the big day and my big party.
Obviously, the natural hotel choice was the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia.
Arrival at Mandarin Oriental Lutetia
The hotel is stunning.
With its unique blend of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles it really is incredibly special to arrive at.
The staff were brilliant, and after a swift check-in process they gave me a quick tour of the hotel.
I’m obsessed with the history of it.
Not only were Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse regular visitors, but James Joyce also finished Ulysses at the Lutetia.
Then during WW2, Lutetia was requisitioned by the occupying German forces. Following the liberation of Paris, it became a sanctuary for Holocaust victims returning from the camps. Ironically, the hotel is now owned by a Jewish family!
The hotel went through a major renovation in 2018, and Mandarin Oriental reopened it in 2025, so the hotel feels really fresh and is beautifully designed.
Grand Superior Room
I was booked into a Grand Superior Room (number 526), which is MO Lutetia’s entry level room category.
It was more than enough space for my one night stay.
The room had an entrance hallway which contained the closet space and the mini bar, and then the bedroom area which had a large king-sized bed, desk and chair, and a small table with two chairs.
My room overlooked the courtyard, which was nice and quiet even with the windows open, but there are rooms available that overlook the busy main roads should you favour a view.
However, all rooms are soundproofed, so you don’t need to worry about any noise from the streets below unless you like to keep your windows open like I do (it’s the German in me, haha).
The room also came with everything you could need, including fluffy robes, slippers, and stationary & postcards. There’s even an extensive pillow menu!
If you’re a fan of a mini bar, it’s very well stocked with plenty of drinks and snacks.
As I was celebrating my birthday, the staff had very kindly left a card and chocolates for me in the room, as well as a pillow embroidered with ‘Happy Birthday’.
I then received a knock at the door, and opened it to find them standing there with pink and silver balloons! I honestly can’t even begin to tell you the smile this put on my face!
The Bathroom
The bathroom was absolutely incredible.
It was large, with double sinks and a gigantic shower (honestly the shower alone was the same size as my entire bathroom).
The towels were lovely and thick, and they provided Chopard toiletries, and a bathroom amenity kit which included mouthwash, cotton buds etc. There was even a television hidden in the mirror!
The toilet paper was so ridiculously thick and soft I actually contemplated putting a roll in my bag to take home with me!
Turndown Service
Now, I love a hotel that does turndown service.
It just feels so lovely getting back from dinner to find chocolates on your pillow, fresh water, and the bed turned down ready for you to climb into.
They even added a Mandarin Oriental Lutetia branded bookmark to my book, and they put my damp swimsuit that I’d hung over the rail to dry, onto a special swimsuit hanger!
Spa & Wellness
The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia was one of the best spas I’ve experienced at a city hotel.
There was a beautiful large lap pool, a sauna, a hammam/steam room, and a hydrotherapy pool curved around a cold plunge pool.
Loungers line the wall opposite the pool for you to relax, and robes, slippers, towels, and bottled water is provided. They even have snacks (dates, nuts etc) on hand for if you get peckish!
There are also separate men/women saunas and steam rooms inside the changing rooms.
I spent all afternoon in the spa & pool area on the day I arrived, it was bliss.
Restaurants & Bars
I truly thought my stay at the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia couldn’t get any better.
Then I experienced Bar Josephine.
And then I experienced the breakfast.
Bar Josephine
The Lutetia hotel has two bars: Bar Josephine, and Bar Artistide.
I chose Bar Josephine for it’s muralled ceiling and live jazz band.
Bar Artistide is a cigar lounge if that’s more your thing.
But back to Josephine. I’d had a poor dinner experience at Brasserie Lipp, and Bar Josephine felt like a warm hug as I walked into it and ordered a Hugo Spritz.
The bar was buzzing with people, the band and live singer made my musicians heart swoon, and the staff were lovely.
Spending an hour sitting in the bar, nursing my Spritz and listening to the live jazz while people watching, more than made up for the bad experience at nearby Lipp.
Even if the cocktail did cost 30 Euros.
Breakfast at Brasserie Lutetia
The following morning I awoke bright and early, ready for the epic breakfast spread in the brasserie below.
I chose a table outside in the narrow conservatory. It gave me the best of both worlds: I felt like I was outside, but was sheltered from the cool morning breeze.
I highly recommend choosing the American Breakfast Buffet at Brasserie Lutetia.
Fortunately it was included in my room rate, but even if it wasn’t, it’s worth the money. The food is plentiful and of a ridiculously high quality.
I chose the pancakes with berries and maple syrup, and a freshly squeezed orange juice.
As well as the unlimited a la carte selections, you also get access to the buffet within the American Breakfast Buffet. Duh.
This isn’t just a standard buffet though. Oh no. The pastries!
They’re all handmade on-site by the Lutetia’s pastry chef, and they are delicious.
Make sure you go to breakfast very, very hungry.
Location of Mandarin Oriental Lutetia
You really can’t beat the location of Mandarin Oriental Lutetia.
It’s the only palace hotel on the Left Bank, and you’re just minutes away from Saint Sulpice (my favourite church in Paris), Jardin du Luxembourg, and the Saint Germain bookshops.
You’re also walking distance from Notre Dame, the Louvre, and Jardins du Tuileries.
Lutetia vs MO Paris
The Mandarin Oriental Lutetia feels very different to Mandarin Oriental Paris, on Rue Saint Honore.
Lutetia is newer, fresher, and just feels more special.
I still adore the original Mandarin Oriental Paris (and the location in the fashion district is incredible), and MO Paris is definitely best if you’re a big foodie.
But for me, Lutetia is my favourite out of the two. It’s just beautiful, and I’m so glad I finally got to experience it.
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
