The Ritz Paris is not the only five star hotel in Paris closing for renovation – The Hotel de Crillon will also be closing later this year for a complete refurbishment. However, there is hardly a need to worry about finding a luxury hotel in Paris  – among the many outstanding hotels in Paris,  five hotels were recently granted “Palace” status by the French government, indicating a level of luxury beyond five stars:   Le Meurice, Hotel Bristol, Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris, Park Hyatt Paris Vendome and the Hotel George V.

There are some highly regarded new hotels in Paris as well – Le Royal Monceau was opened by the famed Raffles hoteliers just off the Champs-Élysées, the Mandarin Oriental is on the Rue Saint Honoré, and the highly anticipated Peninsula Paris is slated to open in 2013.