Hotel Lutetia: A Parisian Legend Reborn

Standing at the corner of Boulevard Raspail and rue de Sèvres, the Hotel Lutetia is one of Paris’s most storied landmarks. More than a hotel, it is a monument to the city’s cultural memory, a place where art, history and luxury converge. Opened in December 1910, the Lutetia was commissioned by Marguerite and Aristide Boucicaut, the visionary founders of Le Bon Marché. They sought to create a hotel that would welcome the department store’s wealthy clientele and reflect the cosmopolitan flair of the Left Bank. The result was a building unlike any other in Paris: a fusion of Art Nouveau exuberance and nascent Art Deco restraint, its grand façade enlivened by sculptural reliefs and flowing lines.

From the outset, the Lutetia attracted an elite crowd. It was frequented not only by wealthy visitors but by artists, intellectuals and writers who helped define 20th-century culture. James Joyce corrected proofs of Ulysses within its walls. Picasso and Matisse came to dine. André Gide and Saint-Exupéry were regulars. Later, jazz greats like Josephine Baker brought glamour and rhythm to its salons. This unique blend of high society and artistic avant-garde gave the hotel a character quite distinct from the grand establishments of the Right Bank. The Lutetia was less about ostentation and more about creativity, less gilded pomp than cultured conversation.

The Second World War marked a more sombre chapter in the Lutetia’s story. Occupied by German forces, the hotel became a place of surveillance and control. Yet after Liberation, it assumed a profoundly humane role, serving as a reception centre for deportees and prisoners of war returning to France. Families gathered here in search of news about their loved ones, and the name Lutetia became entwined with the themes of loss, reunion and remembrance. This episode cemented its place in the nation’s collective memory, lending it a depth and gravity rare among luxury hotels.

In the post war decades, the Lutetia regained its role as a beacon of Parisian life. It remained a favourite of visiting dignitaries, artists and fashion designers, and its bar and brasserie became fixtures of the Saint-Germain scene. But by the early 21st century, time had taken its toll. The interiors, once fresh and modern, felt tired, and the hotel’s reputation had begun to fade. In 2014, its owners made the bold decision to close the property for a complete transformation.

What followed was one of the most ambitious hotel restorations Paris has ever seen. Entrusted to architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the four-year project sought to restore the Lutetia’s historic features while reinventing it for a new era of luxury. Frescoes hidden beneath layers of paint were uncovered and painstakingly restored, marble floors were re-laid, and spaces reconfigured to bring in more light. The number of rooms was reduced from 233 to 184, creating larger, more comfortable suites with views over the rooftops of Saint-Germain. Materials such as eucalyptus wood, Murano glass and Carrara marble lent the interiors a sense of timeless refinement. Wilmotte’s guiding principle was respect: to honour the Lutetia’s soul while ensuring it could stand alongside the world’s greatest hotels in the 21st century.

When the hotel reopened in 2018, it was hailed as the rebirth of a legend. The restored Bar Joséphine, with its shimmering frescoes and live jazz, once again became a magnet for Parisians and travellers alike. The brasserie, under the direction of acclaimed chefs, re-established the Lutetia as a culinary destination, balancing tradition with innovation. In keeping with contemporary hospitality trends, a new emphasis was placed on wellbeing. The creation of the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, with its 17-metre pool, hammam, sauna and treatment rooms, brought a dimension of serenity that felt both modern and essential. It was no surprise when the spa was later recognised as one of the finest in France.

More recently, in April 2025, the Lutetia embarked on a new chapter by joining the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Rebranded as the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris, the hotel has now been woven into a portfolio synonymous with Asian-inspired luxury and impeccable service. For the Lutetia, this is less a reinvention than an evolution. It retains its status as the Left Bank’s only officially designated “Palace” hotel, a recognition of both its heritage and its exceptional standards. At the same time, it benefits from Mandarin Oriental’s global reach, ensuring that its reputation endures among a new generation of international travellers.

To stay at the Lutetia today is to participate in a living history. It is to sleep beneath ceilings that once sheltered James Joyce and Josephine Baker, to sip champagne in a bar where Picasso once lingered, to swim in a pool lined with marble yet resonant with echoes of the past. Few hotels anywhere in the world combine such layers of meaning with such contemporary elegance. The Lutetia is, quite simply, a Parisian institution: a grande dame that has witnessed the triumphs and traumas of the 20th century, adapted with grace to the 21st, and continues to embody the spirit of the Left Bank.

A Recommendation for the Traveller

For visitors seeking more than just a night’s accommodation, the Lutetia offers an immersion into Paris itself. It is ideal for those who wish to discover the city through the prism of its artistic and intellectual heritage, while enjoying the highest standards of modern luxury. Its location in Saint-Germain-des-Prés places the literary cafés, art galleries and boutiques of the Left Bank at your doorstep, while the Seine and the museums of the Right Bank are just a short stroll away. To choose the Lutetia is to choose an experience that is at once glamorous and authentic, where every detail whispers of Parisian history yet every comfort speaks of the present. For anyone in search of a truly memorable stay in the French capital, the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris remains without rival.

Practical Details

Address: 45 Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris, France.
Nearest Métro: Sèvres–Babylone (Lines 10 and 12), directly opposite the hotel.
Category: Official “Palace” hotel designation.
Rooms & Suites: 184, including seven signature suites with panoramic views.
Dining: Bar Joséphine for cocktails and live music; Brasserie Lutetia for contemporary French cuisine; Salon Saint-Germain for afternoon tea.
Wellbeing: Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre with pool, hammam, sauna, fitness studio and spa treatments.
Rates: From around £950 per night for a deluxe room, with suites beginning at approximately £2,200 per night (seasonal variations apply).

To learn more, please visit: mandarinoriental.com