What to expect: An enormous lobby area, bustling and brightly lit, greets guests of this 31-floor circular tower. The lobby has white and red marble floors and round seating areas encircling small palm trees. The inner terrace of the restaurant looks onto this central space. The clientele is mainly made up of businesspeople, but some couples and families stay here too.

Amenity highlights: Connected directly to the hotel are the 150 shops of the Palais de Congrs conference and shopping center and the Porte Maillot Metro stop. A panoramic bar at the top of the building affords spectacular night-time views of the city. Circular corridors walled by mirrors lead guests to their rooms.

Insider tip: The main conference hall of the Palais de Congrs, to which the hotel is joined, is not just for business meetings. It is also the home of the Paris Symphony Orchestra, which regularly stages concerts there. Ask the concierge for the concert timetable.

With one of the largest hotel conference centers in France, this high-rise hotel attracts many international business and group travelers, as well as individuals who prefer extra-spacious rooms and easy access to local transportation links. The hotel is justifiably proud of its art, and thousands of original artworks adorn both public and private spaces.

Behind this seven-story hotel's grand faade, a more intimate interior is decorated in warm reds and grays, with low lighting, stained-glass windows, and distinctive statues by Csar and Arman. As the Left Bank's only historic four-star deluxe hotel, the Lutetia attracts both business travelers and vacationers who want the comfort and services of a palace hotel with the laid-back atmosphere of St-Germain-des-Prs.