Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel. Photo: Matan Hetzroni The City of Lights, Paris, is unsurprisingly also the city of pastries, where every corner hosts a bakery with irresistible aromas. Additionally, this city houses some of the world's most luxurious hotels.
A quick look at booking sites reveals that Paris leads with cost per night in the luxury hotel category. Thus, many Israelis opt for more reasonably priced accommodations.
A friend once gave me sound advice - just enjoy breakfast at a hotel in Paris, trying a different one each time, allowing you to taste and witness luxury without spending thousands per night. Is it true? Yes, indeed. She was right.
So, here are my recommendations for 3 extraordinary breakfasts at luxury hotels in Paris:
Breakfast at Le Meurice Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniThe Wonderful Pastries of Cedric Grolet / Le Meurice Hotel
Le Meurice is more than a hotel - it's a Parisian institution.
Situated opposite the Tuileries Garden and within walking distance of the Louvre, this hotel, open since 1835, has hosted the world's cultural and political elite for nearly 200 years. Historical guests include Mozart, Salvador Dali (a regular for three decades), and Picasso, who celebrated his wedding there.
In 2011, it earned the "Palace" designation from the French government—the highest official honor for a hotel in France. The suites here are especially lavish: one spans 620 square meters, featuring a private elevator, costing around 25,000 euros per night.
Breakfast at Le Meurice Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniThe culinary experience unfolds at La Dali restaurant, a stunning space inspired by surrealism. The hand-painted ceiling, golden chandeliers, and geometric furniture create the feeling of a morning within a fantasy.
But it's Cedric Grolet, the hotel's head pastry chef and a revered figure in the patisserie world, who steals the show. His pastries, resembling edible jewels, have become iconic.
Breakfast at Le Meurice Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniThe menu offers two ways to order: breakfast sets (continental, healthy, gastronomic, etc.) or à la carte. One highly praised dish is the salmon bagel with avocado, but those wanting the full experience can order blinis with 30 grams of Beluga caviar for 390 euros.
The hot chocolate here is legendary too—thick as cream, served in fine porcelain cups.
Le Meurice Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniThe price: About 73 euros for a fixed breakfast set, with additional dishes ranging from 20-50 euros. Salmon bagel with avocado - 42 euros. Beluga caviar - 390 euros.
Souffle Omelet at Plaza Athénée Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniMeet the Souffle Omelet / Plaza Athénée Hotel
On the elegant Montaigne Avenue—one of Paris's most luxurious streets—sits the Plaza Athénée, an icon of Parisian luxury. The hotel's facade is graced with red geranium planters, and the chateau-chic style is present in every corner: from crystal chandeliers to white-gloved attendants. It once hosted Grace Kelly, Madonna, and Karl Lagerfeld, who made it his second home.
The hotel officially opened in 1913 and contains 208 units, including particularly luxurious suites. One of its exclusive features is its spa belonging to Dior.
Breakfast at Plaza Athénée Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniAlmost every luxury hotel in Paris serves an opulent breakfast. But only one offers an omelet that will make you stop everything and think you are dreaming. The Souffle Omelet—or by its full name Omelette Soufflée au Fromage—is the flagship breakfast dish at the hotel. It's almost an impossible blend of whipped egg and the delicacy of a puff pastry. Eggs are separated; the yolks are whisked with French Comté cheese and spinach, and the whites are whipped to a stiff foam, gently folded into the batter, and baked until it all rises, airy and cloud-like. The result is served hot, almost wobbling, with a golden edge and a thin crust that cracks upon touch.
Plaza Athénée Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniYou need to book in advance for the breakfast served at the Galerie restaurant adjacent to the hotel lobby, accompanied by piano or harp music. Each table is served a tempting basket of sweet pastries with salted and regular butter. Seating is usually at long tables beside other guests, and everyone can order what they want from the menu—no buffet.
The price? The souffle omelet costs 30 euros, a fixed menu 73 euros, and dishes on the menu at varying prices.
Plaza Athénée Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniA Buffet in a Real Palace / Four Seasons Hotel George V
This hotel also opened in 1913 and is considered one of the most luxurious in the world. A "simple" room averages 2,500 euros, while suites can reach 20,000 euros for a single night. It is close to the Eiffel Tower, numerous luxury brands, and just a 5-minute walk from the Champs-Élysées.
Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniBreakfast here is mixed. There's an option to choose dishes from the menu, and there's also a stunning buffet in a hall that looks like an opulent room in a palace. Most people in the hall are dressed in glamorous suits despite the early morning hour.
This buffet might be the most luxurious I've ever seen: gold-coated cakes, pastries too beautiful to bite into, gourmet cheeses—all served in mesmerizing antique silverware. Two dishes I particularly recommend: soft scrambled eggs and an acai bowl among the best I've had. Don't miss the hot chocolate with its heavenly texture.
Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniThe price? The buffet alone costs 76 euros, with menu dishes varying - lobster omelet for 76 euros, acai bowl for 18 euros.
Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel. Photo: Matan HetzroniNow that you've made it this far and possibly gained at least 5 kg just from reading, it's time to decide where you want to eat in Paris. My suggestion is to eat at a different hotel each day, thus experiencing the most luxurious French flavors without paying an astronomical nightly rate. Bon appétit.
Matan Hetzroni is a content creator in the luxury world Matanhetzroni@
Four Seasons Hotel. Photo: Matan Hetzroni