Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Whether you go on holiday for the suntan, new experiences, to blow off steam, or just to escape the daily grind, we’re willing to bet that you want to feel relaxed and free to be yourself. Thankfully the resorts and gay hotels in Paris allow you to do just that – to be 110% yourself, without a single double-take, all in the company of other open-minded folks.
It’s hard to argue that Paris is the most romantic city on planet Earth. There is something about it that just awakens that magical something inside you that rarely gets out, that amour. Cities like Rome, Vienna and New York City can all lay claim to being romantic places, but there is the only one City of Love, and that is Paris.
But what is it that makes Paris so uniquely charming? Maybe it’s the distinctly Parisian architecture and iconic monuments – The Arc de Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, and so many more. Or maybe it has something to do with the French culture, that combination of effortless sophistication and zest for living that can be seen in the language, the food, and every other facet of French culture.
The city embraces the spirit of love, too. Nowhere is this better seen than the Jehan Rictus Square, where the words “I love you” can be seen in almost every language in the world on the Mur des “Je t’aime” (the Wall of Love).
And Paris is not only the city of love but also the City of Light. You will understand why this is so once you witness the Eiffel Tower at night. If Paris is charming by day, it’s nothing short of magical by night.
And the best part of all this is that the beauty of Paris can be experienced by anyone regardless of their lifestyle choice. Paris is a city that embraces everyone – it is, alongside Berlin, the gay capital of Europe and has been for quite a long time. It is home to well over 100 gay bars and clubs.
The most eminent among them, Le Depot, is one of the largest gay clubs in all of Europe. And gay culture is so engrained and enmeshed with Parisian culture that likely no one will bat an eye upon meeting an LGBTQ person. Suffice it to say one could not pick a more gay-friendly city to visit.
So it should come as no surprise that Paris has some excellent gay hotels where LGBTQ tourists experiencing the city can find great accommodations and a welcoming atmosphere. Here are the best.
In this article we will cover...
Hotel Gay Lussac
This townhouse hotel for both LGBT and straight clientele promises a hotel experience that provides “an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience,” with an array of amenities, not to mention great service and accommodations that won’t bust your budget.
Hotel Gay Lussac enjoys a great location with several Paris landmarks nearby, such as the Palais Garnier – Opéra National de Paris and Le Marais (home to one of Paris’ gay villages). The Luxembourg Metro Station and Le Jardin du Luxembourg are within five minutes walk from the hotel.
The 29 soundproofed guest rooms are furnished but relaxing, and they offer free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Rooms have private bathrooms with showers. There is daily housekeeping, and cribs can also be provided upon request without further charge.
The hotel has concierge service, a 24-hour front desk, and baggage storage. Hotel Gay Lussac is also a pet-friendly hotel. A breakfast buffet is offered each morning and provides a pleasant respite from a busy day. There are also several fine French restaurants conveniently located near the hotel.
Hotel Gay Lussac provides a welcoming setting where anyone can stay and feel comfortable. With a great location and a respectable amenity set, this hotel is a great choice for LGBT tourists in Paris looking for accommodations that are just as budget-friendly as they are gay-friendly.
Little Palace Hotel
The Little Palace Hotel gets the best of both worlds with a quiet and serene garden setting right in the heart of the city in between Beaubourg and Le Marais, with its vibrant gay neighborhood.
And with so many of Paris’ best attractions within walking distance – the Louvre, the Bastille, the Picasso Museum, Notre Dame, Pompidou Art Center, Place des Vosges, and more – the four-star Little Palace Hotel makes the perfect gay-friendly base for LGBT culture buffs and Francophiles to enjoy while getting their culture fix.
And with the Reaumur Sebastopol metro in front of the hotel, getting around the city will be no problem.
The hotel is within a Hausmann building (which means it is quintessentially Parisian) that was built in 1911 and has always been a hotel, and which enjoys the greenery of the bordering Arts et Metiers Square. Gaite Lyrique Theater is opposite.
Rooms styles consist of standard singles and doubles, superior singles and doubles, and suites. All rooms feature air conditioning and free Wi-Fi access. Other room amenities include a computer safe, hair dryer, office area, minibar, and satellite TV.
Superior rooms feature double beds, and some feature a terrace or balcony. The 38 square meter suites add a living area with a chase lounge, coffee table, armchairs, and work table. Suites also include a bedroom with a king bed and larger bathrooms with a bathtub and double washbasin. Suites sleep up to four (2 adults and 2 children).
The Little Palace has an on-site bar, Le Bar, that features an art deco cloisonne glass canopy that is unique in France. Le Bar offers a selection of spirits, beers, and wines by the glass or bottle.
With great 4-star service and an excellent location, you can’t beat the Little Palace for a gay-friendly accommodation option, with both the cultural attractions of Paris and the gayborhood of Le Marais so close by.
Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opéra
This is a 5-star, world-class gay-friendly hotel on the right bank of the River Seine, affording an up-close view of the Opera Garnier and the Place Vendome. The hotel building was built in 1861; the building can only be described as quintessentially Parisian. In fact, the hotel boasts a distinctly French brand of flair throughout.
The hotel indicates the style of the wealthy Opera neighborhood – one of the city’s most beautiful. And while it isn’t necessarily a gay community, per se, there are a few gay entertainment options here, as well as two gay saunas (Sauna IDM and Euro Men’s Club) within walking distance.
The hotel boasts a long list of amenities, with air conditioning and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property, as well as concierge, porter, and room service available. The hotel is also wheelchair accessible.
Rivages is one of the Sofitel Le Scribe’s on-site restaurants. The lounge-style establishment is highlighted by a sunny, Mediterranean setting, not to mention a fine menu with such fare as Tuscan-style roast beef with baby potatoes and parmesan.
There is also a cocktail menu, including mocktails and other delicious drinks that go down smooth, whether enjoyed by themselves or to cap off a fine meal.
Another hotel restaurant, Le Lumiere, is named in honor of the Lumiere brothers, who pioneered the art of cinema and held their first private film screening in the hotel’s building. And L’Obscur Bar is at once swanky and old-fashioned and is like a window into the past.
Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opera’s 201 rooms across 6 floors include 5 room types and 7 suites types; also included in this number are 6 rooms for those with limited mobility and 39 family rooms.
All accommodations feature tasteful decor and furnishings, as you would no doubt expect here, and all the fine amenities of a 5-star hotel. You are not likely to find a better gay-friendly combination of style and luxury anywhere in the city.
Legend Hotel Paris by Elegancia
This four-star boutique hotel offers “an intimate and enchanting refuge” in an ideal location on the Rue de Rennes. Saint Germain, Luxembourg Gardens, and Chatelet & Notre-Dame are all within walking distance of the hotel, which likes to think of itself as a bubble of relaxation and rejuvenation in the heart of Paris.
The hotel features 38 rooms imaginatively decorated with warm colors and furnished with contemporary design furniture and fantastic lighting. The cumulative effect is a welcoming and inviting ambiance – reflected in the hotel’s inclusive attitude toward guests of all kinds, all creeds, and all lifestyles.
The hotel has a fine set of amenities, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a safety deposit box, luggage storage, concierge service, an iron and ironing board on request, complimentary newspapers, dry cleaning, room service, and tourist information.
Rooms also feature TEMPUR mattresses and pillows, flat-screen televisions, desks, minibar, iPhone dock, and ensuite bathrooms with either shower or tub and hairdryer, makeup mirror, and courtesy toiletries.
Among the 38 rooms are more unique choices like the Narcisse Room, which features décor intended to evoke the themes from the Greek legend, such as plant and water motifs. Or the Dream Catcher Suite, which features a dreamcatcher talisman in the room, ensuring guests’ dreams will be pleasant. The suite also has a fireplace that adds to the cozy atmosphere.
It is no wonder the Legend Hotel by Elegancia is such a gay-popular hotel. It offers everything anyone could need: a great location, style to spare, comfortable rooms, a friendly staff, and an excellently designed establishment.
Mercure Paris Centre Eiffel Tower
As one might have been able to guess from its name, this hotel is just steps from the world-famous Eiffel Tower. That almost makes it a winner all in itself. But the 4-star Mercure Paris has so much more than that going for it. The hotel has contemporary and functional rooms, and they come in Standard and Privilege rooms and Junior Suites. Some rooms have a view of the Eiffel Tower.
This completely renovated establishment, while primarily being a business hotel, is gay-friendly and welcoming toward everyone gay, straight, bisexual, or of any other sort of lifestyle so that guests can count on a pleasant, comfortable stay experience.
Le Jardin is the hotel’s on-site restaurant. It features a terrace for al fresco dining and fine Frech cuisine, which is available 24/7 in the restaurant or in your room. Both a brunch buffet and lunch/dinner are on offer. The drinks list includes cocktails, wine by the glass, Voss sparkling, soft drinks, digestifs and aperitifs.
The hotel’s Bar Lounge also offers a fine selection of drinks and beverages and is a great place to get some downtime or enjoy the relaxed ambiance with a cocktail or local beer. And finally, the Eiffel Café restaurant offers the quintessential Parisian café experience within the shadow of the Eiffel Tower – it really doesn’t get more Parisian, more French, than this.
And really, the same goes for Mercure Paris itself. For LGBT tourists looking for a welcoming hotel that provides a distinctly Parisian experience, this one will be hard to top.
Sinner Paris
This hotel seeks to break free of the traditional codes of luxury hotels. This playful and provocative gay-friendly hotel is located in super-trendy Haut-Marais.
Sinner Paris has a pool situated within the spa and inspired by Roman baths. The spa, Ablutio, is located behind a studded door, features a Hamam and steam room, and offers a range of services.
Notable among them are facial treatments using all-natural Ayurvedic Orveda products. And the body treatments include the Unio – which involves a blindfold and aromatherapy – and the Aurum treatment, in which you will be covered in 24-carat-gold oil.
The 43 rooms come in an array of styles, from classic and superior rooms to deluxe and executive suites. Rooms offer standard amenities like free Wi-Fi, TV, complimentary newspapers, air conditioning and free in-room movies.
Sinner Restaurant offers ethnic tribal cuisine from Africa and South America for a different kind of gastronomic experience. Le Bar du Sinner offers cocktails along with cold kemiah, cromesquis, ceviches, chich kebab, tapioca with vegetable sauce, and more. It also serves spirits from small distilleries, including 15 different rums, 30 whiskeys, and gin selection.
This is the perfect fit for a unique LGBT-friendly stay that defies all the conventions of your typical luxury hotel.
L’Hotel
L’Hotel offers a gay-friendly luxury stay option with a fabulous location on the left bank of the River Seine, central to most of the biggest Paris attractions. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Louvre Museum, and Musée d’Orsay are all within walking distance, and a short drive will also take you to the Eiffel Tower less than two miles away, and the Paris Catacombs about a mile and a half distant.
L’Hotel itself has so much more to offer than just a great location, however. It can be the world’s first boutique hotel (not to mention the last home of poet Oscar Wilde).
This glamorous establishment has seen a long line of famous names come through its doors over the decades: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Salvador Dali, Frank Sinatra, Princess Grace and Jim Morrison have all been guests here.
The hotel’s 20 rooms (making it one of Paris’ smallest 5-star hotels) are all unique and luxurious, each following its theme and offering plenty of space and a fine set of amenities. Free wireless internet, air conditioning, safe, minibar, coffee and tea facilities, continental breakfast included with rooms.
Also among L’Hotel accommodations is the L’Apartment, which has a private terrace overlooking the city’s rooftops and the bell tower of Saint Germain-des Pres. It also has a separate bath with a walk-in shower.
The Oscar Wilde Suite perfectly embodies the words of the literary lion himself: “I have the simplest taste. I am always satisfied with the best.” It features all the best amenities the hotel has to offer, and like all rooms, 1-hour private use of the Hammam Pool is included.
And speaking of that Hammam Pool, there is also a steam room and there is a treatment suite where spa services are on offer.
Finally, Wilde’s Lounge is a cozy on-site cocktail bar and one of the hippest establishments in Paris. It has an extensive cocktails menu, and its signature L’Hotel cocktail is a must-try if you stop in. This fabulous LGBT-welcoming hotel has so much to offer, it is surely one of the best accommodation choices for discerning gay, lesbian or bisexual visitors to Paris.
Hotel Elysa
This gay-friendly hotel in the Latin Quarter offers “elegance and tradition in the heart of Paris.” Hotel Elysa offers a typically Parisian setting for that authentic stay experience, with plenty of seclusion from the noise of the city.
With the Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon, and Boulevard Saint-Michel all steps away, gay travelers who choose to guest here might have a hard time getting too far away from the Hotel Elysa with so much to do right at their doorstep.
The hotel has 32 rooms on 6 floors, with the ultimate blend of cozy comfort and contemporary style. All rooms have a private ensuite bathroom with either a shower or a bath. Other amenities are a mini fridge, TV with international channels, safe, high-speed Wi-Fi, and more. Classic and superior rooms can be upgraded to balcony versions.
Some rooms afford gorgeous views of the rooftops, gardens and even the Eiffel Tower. A PMR room can accommodate people with reduced mobility. Deluxe suites and family rooms offer the most spacious of the hotel’s offerings, and in the case of the latter customized bedding, options can even be pre-arranged by calling the hotel.
Other hotel services include laundry service, car rental, babysitter, and show booking are all offered on request. There is also a 24-hour reception and a breakfast buffet each morning from 7 to 10.
Best of all is the excellent staff and great service of the Hotel Elysa, and the accepting, friendly atmosphere which provides a safe and comfortable experience for all guests regardless of lifestyle. This is a great choice for a gay-friendly, quintessentially Parisian hotel experience.
L’Empire Paris Hotel
For a world-class hotel that offers top-of-the-line luxury and a gay-friendly experience in the heart of Paris, look no further than L’Empire Paris Hotel. The establishment is a Napoleonic0era residence transformed into an elegant boutique hotel.
Guests love the unbeatable location: the Louvre Museum, Samaritaine shopping center, Tuilleries Garden, Palais Royal, Saint-honoré Street, Châtelet, Pompidou Center, the historical district of Marais but also the Seine River, Pont-Neuf, L’île de la Cité and Notre-dame of Paris Cathedral, will all be within a short walk from L’Empire Paris Hotel.
The 42 rooms and suites represent a wide array of room styles. Rooms are bright, spacious and soundproofed and feature top-quality furnishings and equipment, not to mention additional touches that set the hotel apart, like solid oak flooring and chic decoration.
Room amenities vary and collectively include free Wi-Fi (all rooms), room service, kettle, Nespresso machine, safe, minibar, air conditioning (all rooms) and laundry service. All rooms have private bathrooms with either a shower or bath, and some have Balneo therapeutic mineral baths. Also, complimentary bathrobes and slippers.
Rooms generally feature either queen or king beds and twin beds are available upon request, as are cribs and – in some rooms – additional beds. Many rooms have fantastic views of the city streets or the hotel’s courtyard. Some rooms have terraces. The in-room message is available in the upgraded rooms. There are two room styles (the superior and deluxe rooms) that can accommodate people with reduced mobility.
L’Empire Paris features a wellness area with a spa, sauna, Hamam, and a range of spa services and treatments. The L’Empire Paris Bar & Restaurant serves breakfast each morning in your room or in the restaurant buffet. Breakfast features artisan pastries, fresh fruit juice, and a selection of gluten-free offerings.
Lunch and dinner offerings include salads and pasta, as well as such classics as salmon steak and foie gras, to name a few savory examples. The bar section has wine by the glass, champagne, and a selection of hot drinks in addition to tapas and sandwiches.
L’Empire Paris Hotel is one of your best bets for a surefire pleasant hotel experience where everyone is welcome, and there is no better place to enjoy your Paris discoveries. A real winner for LGBT tourists.
Gay Hotel Map Of Paris
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Paris? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Paris! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Paris.
