Review: Saint James Albany Paris

Before even walking through the revolving doors of the Saint James Albany you are impressed.

A facade of five sandstone arches, each carved in true period fashion and corresponding French doors perched above – if this doesn’t make you feel a bit fancy, the four flags hanging above the hotels doors sure will.

Inside, things follow suit. The tiled floors and dark walls act as a contrast to the period courtyard, which features manicured gardens and white, filigree outdoor seating. They call this courtyard the Andalusian patio. To top it off, the water served at the concierge is both ice cold and infused to perfection.

Details

St James Albany Paris

202 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France.

The facade of Saint James Albany Paris is seriously impressive

The room

We booked the superior room, the cheapest on the website. It was smaller than it appeared online, but just as artfully decorated, with a window looking across the road to a beautiful frontage of Parisian buildings.

The large old windows, opening inwards, reveal a decorative railing allowing you to have yours open to the sounds of Paris.

The room has everything one could need: tea, coffee, high-speed internet, a television, a large bathroom and a very comfortable bed, right in the centre of Paris.

Checkout is midday, but it is best to be up and out of the room by then anyway – or you’ll miss the buffet breakfast.

Food and drink

Paris is not only the city of love and lights, but also the home of the lavish croissant – best consumed at the Saint James Albany buffet breakfast.

Along with an array of other delicacies and pastries are your more traditional buffet foods: eggs, bacon, local sausage, toast and cereals.

Have breakfast, lunch and dinner from the comfort of your own room

Not only are the breakfast foods delicious, but they are also presented divinely. Bread sits perched on what look like pewter trays and pastries are placed delicately in a pile, decorated with splayed strawberries.

The 202 Rivoli, the restaurant open for lunch on the ground floor of the Saint James Albany rivals the breakfast, featuring cheese boards, beef bourguignon, smoked salmon pancake and pistachio and raspberry mousse on the menu.

If the saying goes that you are what you eat, then you will be completely delicious after eating here.

Services

Perhaps the best part of our stay was the spa and pool facilities. In a dark and subterranean-feeling room sits an illuminated pool at the perfect temperature for swimming. Not far from the pool, down a small corridor, is a spa room with magazines, cold water (again, infused) and some chocolate snacks. Sadly, no cocktails were found here, but it would have been divine.

The spa was the perfect excuse for walking around the hotel in the white robes and matching slippers, something usually only done in movies.

Nearby activities

I lied. While the spa was amazing, the location was even better. Only a stone’s throw away from both the Concorde and Tuileries metro lines, the hotel is so easy not only to find but also to tour the city from.

Take in the Parisian sun from a private courtyard

Not that you really need to use public transport. The Saint James Albany is within walking distance of the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Place de la Concorde and the Musée d’Orsay, and is directly opposite the Tuileries Gardens. Surrounding the hotel is also a variety of museums, restaurants and shops.

You could also walk to the Eiffel Tower if you’re game and wear good shoes. The stroll takes about 40 minutes, with plenty to do along the way – if Parisian style, architecture and food is your thing, of course.

The IT verdict

The Saint James Albany is a combination of cosy and opulent that a hotel in the centre of Paris should be.

Location: 10/10

Location! Location! Location! Central (albeit quite touristy) and within walking distance to most of the famous Parisian attractions.

Style/character: 8/10

Renaissance exterior and interior meets the best of modern furnishings. I would have preferred a few more winged armchairs with paisley lining, but appreciated the décor.

Service: 7/10

Excellent check in, cleaning and wait staff, although the concierge couldn’t help but sigh when I lost my access card for the second time.

Rooms: 7/10

Not exactly as pictured, but definitely more than good enough. The rooms were comfortable without being overstated; best described as cosy.

Food and drink: 9/10

Incredible variety and quality; true Parisian food.

Value for money: 7/10

At just under $405 per night, the cosy room seems expensive. Spa and pool access was included in the price, but the buffet breakfast set us back another $27 per person. You are essentially paying to stay in the best location in Paris, and to be honest, I’m not mad about it.

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Getting there:

Close to two metro stations, Concorde and Tuileries, you can walk out of the doors and to your next destination. Getting from Charles de Gaulle to the Saint James Albany is as easy as a train from the airport to Châtelet, where you change to Line 1 for Tuileries and walk straight to the hotel.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.