Le Meurice, Dorchester Collection

If you want a piece of Paris’s history, we’re not sure it gets any better than this.

If you value location, are interested in design, and appreciate service that puts a premium on privacy, Le Meurice is worth the splurge.

Ceilings are sky-high, bathrooms are marble, fabrics are pastel silks and velvets, and chandeliers and gold leaf are plentiful. It is classical without being dowdy; time-honoured but still totally sexy. Like Paris, come to think of it.

Reminiscent of 19th-century style, with architecture that takes inspiration from Parisian landmarks, the suite incorporates a sitting room, dining room, walk-in wardrobe and bedroom with en suite Italian marble bathroom, plus a pantry and kitchen for a personal chef and butler.

Le Meurice stands out among the Paris palaces with its prime position on arcaded rue de Rivoli, just minutes from the Louvre. Past guests, who included Salvador Dali, and superb staff get the right balance between obsequious and witty. Rooms are awash with pastel-toned satin and Louis XVI chairs.

Since 1835, the Meurice has welcomed royalty and celebrities from the Duchess of Windsor to Salvador Dalí, who both resided in the grande-dame establishment, and Paris's first palace hotel continues to please with service, style, and views.