Football’s coming home? Not quite… the UEFA EURO 2016 tournament takes place across France this month with the world’s finest national teams (excluding the South Americans) doing battle to reach the final at the Stade de France on July 10. The quadrennial tourney kicks off a month prior on June 10, when tens of thousands of fanatics will be spilling into French cities from across Europe. To savour the occasion, we’ve cherry-picked three new and/or improved hotels for a fine stay throughout the footy.

Glitz at the Ritz
The iconic Ritz Paris closed in August 2012 after 140 years of continuous operation, shortly after the last EURO football event, co-hosted by Poland and the Ukraine. According to general manager Christian A. Boyens, “the hotel was running well but technology wise, it was a little tired – it was not on top of it’s game anymore”.

Vive La Renaissance
Nowhere else would the Renaissance brand carry more connotations than in the heart of France. This time round, it’s all about the next-gen traveller, with a host of cultural experiences on offer in the up-and-coming “it” neighbourhood of La Republique, near Le Marais and Canal Saint Martin. The newly opened 121-room Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel takes over a former home for travelling artists, having been remodelled by renowned interior designer Didier Gomez.

Summer in bloom
Le Bristol Paris has carried on its tradition of teaming up with artists and this summer is welcoming Galerie Kamel Mennour and leading artists Daniel Buren and Hicham Berrada. Buren has installed a spectacular, totally unique pergola (archway which provides shade) especially created for the garden space at Le Bristol, which faces the colonnade of the three-star restaurant Epicure.