Three luxury hotels in France, including Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, Mandarin Oriental Paris, and Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, have lost their 'palace' distinction due to not meeting excellence standards. The downgrades are the first since the label's introduction in 2010. Despite this, all properties maintain their five-star status. The French tourism ministry will announce new palace distinctions in June 2026.