One of Paris’s most storied addresses has just added a new chapter. The Shangri-La Paris, housed in the former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, has opened Les Salons du Prince — a new restaurant that transforms the hotel’s historic salons into a full dining experience steeped in 19th-century French aristocratic grandeur.
This isn’t a simple menu refresh or a rebranded dining room. Les Salons du Prince is a deliberate, meticulously designed homage to the Belle Époque era — the golden age of French culture, elegance, and social ritual. For travelers who’ve always wanted to eat dinner inside a living museum of Parisian history, this opening is worth paying attention to.
The restaurant opened in March 2026, and already it’s drawing attention for the sheer ambition of its concept: to transport guests back to the aristocratic salon culture that defined Parisian high society more than a century ago.
A Palace With a Story Behind Every Wall
The Shangri-La Paris has always had an extraordinary backstory. The building itself was the private residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, and that heritage runs through every corridor and gilded ceiling. Les Salons du Prince leans fully into that history rather than simply nodding at it.
The décor is not an approximation of the past — it’s a careful reconstruction of it. Wood paneling lines the walls. Intricate tapestries hang alongside exquisite paintings. The overall effect is one of entering a private aristocratic home at the height of its glory, rather than a conventional hotel restaurant.
Luxurious armchairs, tables draped in white linens, and floral tableware complete the setting. Every design choice reinforces the same idea: you are not simply dining out — you are stepping into another era entirely.
What Les Salons du Prince Actually Looks and Feels Like
The experience shifts noticeably depending on when you visit. During the day, the space carries the grandeur you’d expect — bright, formal, and visually overwhelming in the best possible sense. The craftsmanship on display, from the tapestries to the painted walls, rewards close attention.
In the evening, the atmosphere softens into something more intimate. A piano plays quietly in the background. A fireplace flickers. The same grand room becomes a cozy, refined retreat — the kind of setting that makes a long dinner feel like an event rather than a meal.
That contrast between daytime splendor and evening intimacy is one of the more thoughtful design decisions behind Les Salons du Prince. It means the restaurant can serve very different moods without ever feeling inconsistent.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Shangri-La Paris, former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte |
| Opening Date | March 2026 |
| Design Era | Belle Époque / 19th-century Parisian aristocracy |
| Key Décor Elements | Wood paneling, tapestries, paintings, floral tableware, white linens |
| Evening Atmosphere | Live piano, fireplace, intimate lighting |
| Seating Style | Luxurious armchairs at formally dressed tables |
Why This Kind of Dining Experience Is Having a Moment
There’s a broader trend here worth acknowledging. Luxury travelers — particularly those who’ve already checked off the standard fine-dining boxes — are increasingly drawn to experiences that offer genuine historical context alongside exceptional food and service. A beautiful meal in a beautiful room is one thing. A beautiful meal in a room where French aristocracy once gathered is something else entirely.
Les Salons du Prince is designed precisely for that appetite. It isn’t marketing itself as a restaurant that happens to be inside a historic building. The history is the product. The Prince Roland Bonaparte connection, the Belle Époque aesthetic, the salon culture that shaped French intellectual and social life — all of it is woven into the fabric of every visit.
For Paris, a city that already has no shortage of exceptional restaurants, that kind of differentiation matters. The Shangri-La Paris has always traded on its aristocratic heritage, and Les Salons du Prince makes that heritage the centerpiece of an entirely new dining proposition.
What This Means for Travelers Planning a Paris Visit
If you’re building a Paris itinerary around exceptional food and design, Les Salons du Prince has just become a serious contender for the kind of reservation that anchors a trip. It’s the rare venue that offers a genuine reason to visit beyond the menu alone.
The Shangri-La Paris is located in the 16th arrondissement, one of the city’s most elegant and residential neighborhoods. The hotel itself is already considered one of the finest in the French capital, and Les Salons du Prince adds a compelling new reason to either stay there or simply make the trip for dinner.
For those with an interest in French history and Belle Époque culture specifically, the restaurant functions almost as a living exhibition — one you can eat a three-course meal inside. That combination of historical immersion and luxury hospitality is genuinely difficult to replicate.
What to Expect Going Forward
Les Salons du Prince opened in March 2026, which means it is in its earliest days as a public-facing venue. As with any ambitious new restaurant — particularly one carrying the weight of a heritage property — the coming months will be telling. Reservations at newly opened luxury venues in Paris tend to fill quickly, especially those with a strong visual identity and a clear story to tell.
The Shangri-La Paris has built Les Salons du Prince around a concept strong enough to sustain long-term interest. The Belle Époque setting, the Bonaparte connection, and the thoughtful shift between daytime grandeur and evening intimacy all suggest a venue designed for lasting relevance rather than short-term novelty.
Travelers planning ahead would do well to factor it into their Paris calendars sooner rather than later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Les Salons du Prince?
Les Salons du Prince is a new restaurant at the Shangri-La Paris hotel, housed in the property’s historic salons and designed to evoke the Belle Époque era of 19th-century Parisian aristocracy.
When did Les Salons du Prince open?
The restaurant opened in March 2026.
What is the historical connection behind the restaurant?
The Shangri-La Paris is built in the former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, and Les Salons du Prince is designed as a tribute to that aristocratic heritage.
What does the décor look like inside Les Salons du Prince?
The restaurant features wood paneling, intricate tapestries, exquisite paintings, luxurious armchairs, white-linen tables, and floral tableware — all designed to reflect 19th-century aristocratic salon style.
Does the atmosphere change between day and evening?
Yes — in the evening, the space becomes more intimate, with live piano music and a fireplace creating a warmer, cozier ambiance distinct from the daytime grandeur.
Where is the Shangri-La Paris located?
The Shangri-La Paris is situated in the 16th arrondissement, one of the French capital’s most prestigious and elegant neighborhoods.
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