112 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 75008 Paris

Le Bristol Paris

Name: Le Bristol Paris
Address: 112 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, Paris, 75008, FR
Rating: 4.75

Hotel-restaurant 5-star with pool and spa in Paris

Presentation

Crossing the door is like changing eras. The lobby blends eighteenth-century woodwork with touches of contemporary art, period furniture, Gobelins tapestries, and a few pieces that once adorned the Louvre. You move slowly, as if not to miss anything.

The rooms and suites, nearly 190 in total, follow this classic vocabulary. Louis XV or Louis XVI furniture, silky fabrics, marble bathrooms. Some suites open onto a wrought-iron balcony, with views over the zinc rooftops of the 8th arrondissement. One of them was redesigned by artist Bertrand Lavier: classical setting, pop furniture, a life-size Mickey comic strip hanging on the wall. The contrast is striking, unexpected.

On the ground floor, Café Antonia serves breakfast from 8 a.m., eggs, pastries, fresh-squeezed juices, in what you might call a hushed boudoir atmosphere. A little further on, the Michelin-starred brasserie 114 Faubourg offers a more relaxed cuisine than Epicure, the hotel’s gastronomic table, awarded three stars under the direction of chef Arnaud Faye, Meilleur Ouvrier de France. It’s the place for a long meal, without watching the clock.

In the evening, the Bar du Bristol changes face. Centuries-old woodwork, carefully crafted cocktails, and from Thursday to Saturday, Bristol After Dark evenings extend the night until 1:30 a.m. with a DJ.

Heading up to the sixth floor, you discover the pool, boat-hull shaped, facing the Sacré-Cœur on one side and the Eiffel Tower on the other. It remains more intimate than its two viewpoints might suggest, a pool designed for relaxation rather than for doing laps. Nearby, the La Mer spa features eight treatment rooms, including a suite for two, a hammam, and a fitness room equipped with Kinesis machines.

The inner courtyard garden, 1,200 m² of greenery in the heart of Paris, is probably the rarest spot in the hotel. In spring, magnolias scent the air, geraniums bloom in the windows. It’s where you have a coffee in the late morning, or a last drink before heading back up.

Families also have their place, with a Bonpoint kids’ club set up near the spa and connecting rooms that can link up to four rooms.

One thing to know before booking: during fashion week, rooms sell out in just a few days, so much so that the hotel remains a gathering point for nearby fashion houses. It’s better to book early if you’re aiming for a specific date at that time of year.

One last tip for the morning: ask for a garden-side table at Café Antonia before 9 a.m.; the light is still soft then and the tables fill up quickly afterward.

Summary of some positive reviews read on the Web

The porter offers a glass of water on arrival and departure, a small gesture that matters after a long-haul flight.
The morning pastry basket changes every day, presentation is neat, breads still warm.
Heated teak-wood pool at around 28 degrees, view all the way to the Eiffel Tower, quiet if you go before 8 a.m.
Lively neighborhood during the day because of the proximity to the presidential palace, allow a little extra time for taxis, quieter in the evening.
The front desk already knew our last name an hour after arrival, without us having to repeat it.
Stayed during fashion week, room well insulated from street noise, and the concierge found a table in a fully booked restaurant the same evening.