We arrived just off Place de la Concorde late on a warm April afternoon, greeted not by a doorman but by stillness — the kind that comes when your street is bookended by embassies and armed gendarmes. What could feel like a red flag (no valet, no welcome committee) has become an unexpected asset: this part of Paris, so central and so iconic, is remarkably peaceful.
This was our umpteenth stay at the luxurious Hotel Sofitel Le Faubourg, named after the elegant Faubourg Saint-Honoré — home to designer boutiques, couture houses, and embassies. It’s long been a perfect base for another long weekend in Paris — and one of our favourite hotels in the city.
Place de la Concorde metro — Lines 1, 8 and 12 — is right there. So are the Tuileries. The Louvre. The Champs-Élysées. And beyond the trees and perfume houses of Madeleine, you can wander to Gare Saint-Lazare or dip into Printemps for a quick hit of old-school glamour.
The reception is set within a light-filled atrium, its palette of creams and soft golds lending a quiet elegance to your arrival. To the rear, past the central concierge table and surrounding lounge chairs, there’s a more intimate space — part reading room, part business nook — dressed in deeper tones. With its dark wood, soft lighting, and curated shelves, it has a masculine charm that wouldn’t feel out of place in a modern gentleman’s library. If I were ever designing one of my own, I’d start here for inspiration.
We checked in within minutes — 3 minutes and 30 seconds, to be precise — and the keys were handed over with the same warm professionalism I’ve come to expect here. The mannequins in reception — dressed once again by a local fashion school for the Art & Material display — struck bold silhouettes against the neutral interiors. It’s a small, charming touch that hints at the playfulness of the design choices upstairs.
The Opera Suite
Our suite stretched long and narrow — a living area sliding discreetly into the bedroom, with Parisian whimsy folded into the details. The cushions were colourful, the welcome chocolate Eiffel Tower both fun and delicious, and the bottle of Château Sainte Marguerite ‘Fantastique’ white was an unexpected treat. I spent a good ten minutes weighing up the logistics of flying home with it intact. (Spoiler: we broke the tower and had to eat it, and forgot to drink the wine.)
Designed by Didier Gomez, the suite reflected his signature blend of elegance and ease — stylish without being showy, with thoughtful details that quietly elevated the space. Framed photographs by Vogue favourite Erwin Blumenfeld hinted at what was to come — we were in Paris for the Couture! exhibition at the Louvre, and fashion would shape much of this stay.
The bed itself was, frankly, superb — firm beneath soft, which is no easy feat. There may have been a layer of duvet under the sheet, but I wasn’t inclined to investigate further.
In the bathroom: double sinks, a private loo-within-the-loo, and a walk-in shower that doubled as a steam room. The latter took a while to get going, then seemed reluctant to stop — until I realised I’d been pressing the ‘start’ button repeatedly, adding steam time like someone trying to snooze an alarm.
Light filters through frosted panels, softened by mustard curtains. It’s cleverly done. But the absence of usable surfaces became a recurring issue. Tiny bedside tables, no dressing table with mirror — an odd oversight in a suite that otherwise nods to style and presentation.
Most importantly, the room was beautifully still. Nothing from the corridor, nothing drifting up through the internal light well. That hush — rare in any hotel — counted for a lot. The loudest moment all weekend? Me yelling at the laptop as Rory missed, then sank, the final ball of the Masters.
Dining In, or Dining Out
We didn’t dine in. Not for lack of quality, but because we were in Paris — and when you’re in Paris, it seems a shame not to step out and find a café that serves breakfast just the way you like it. A buffet breakfast can be amazing, but why spend €40 a head when you can enjoy a perfect croissant with an iconic view for far less? We found a quiet spot near Madeleine that did exactly that, and returned three mornings in a row, watching locals and tourists drift towards the nearest Metro.
The room service menu looked generous, and the Blossom restaurant looked fine. But when every corner of the city promises something delicious, you take the corners. Lunch at le Train Bleu, supper at Maison de la Truffe and dinner at Le Cinq were just some of those corners we sought out.
We had little cause to lean on the staff, though a brief attempt to secure tickets to the Louvre Couture exhibition with Concierge proved fruitless — not for lack of trying. I did find my own workaround for getting last-minute tickets — more on that in this article.
The Details That Matter
Here’s where the Sofitel stumbled this time — not badly, but noticeably. At nearly €6,000 for four nights (room only), the little things begin to speak a little louder.
There’s no kettle, just a Nespresso machine, and not a single breakfast tea to be found. Mugs went missing. The machine itself was tucked away in a dim cupboard without lighting — not exactly intuitive at 7am. It’s a common annoyance: why do so many hotels insist on Nespresso machines when not everyone drinks coffee? Personally, I don’t drink coffee. I take tea, my dear.
By contrast, on a recent stay at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, housekeeping noticed our daughter had joined us one morning and left a third teacup the next day. It was a small act — and unforgettable. It’s these little things that make the difference, and why the Balmoral will make my top hotels list of 2025.
And again, the surface space. Or lack of it. Another common frustration when travelling: no dressing table and mirror. In many hotels, the plug and the mirror live in different postcodes, making it impossible to dry your hair. Here there was neither. Yes, you could dry your hair and do your makeup in the generous bathroom mirrors, but we’re back to a lack of flat spaces — and the fact this hard-working bathroom also served as the main wardrobe and dressing area.
Minor, maybe. But important, for us, at this level.
Looking Ahead
We love this place. We always have. As Accor ALL Silver members, the Sofitel continues to make sense — consistent, stylish, well-located. It’s become something of a ritual.
But on this visit, our eyes wandered. The timeless grandeur of George V beckons. The location of Hôtel Madeleine tempts. We’re not quite ready to stray, but next time… we might hesitate before booking the usual.
On balance, a solid 8 out of 10. A familiar favourite — with just enough room to rethink.
