Hotel Le Bristol
has always been considered one of Paris’s most elegant and understated hotels. This is not to say the hotel does not get its share of the rich and famous. It’s just that the rich and famous that stay here are more likely to be of the established variety. In the eighth arrondissement, it sits squarely in the high-fashion area. The hotel has recently emerged from a complete overhaul and with the new tower, it is with out a doubt , an absolute dream for hotel regulars that understand and accept only the finest.
Housed in a flower-dotted art-deco building constructed in 1925, the Hotel Le Bristol incorporates a former convent. Its lawn and garden cover nearly an acre of some of Paris' most exclusive and expensive real estate. Fresh flowers adorn elaborate lounges appointed with Louis XVI armchairs, sofas upholstered in Lyon silk, wonderful Gobelins tapestries, and a gorgeous 19th-century Savonnerie rug. The glow from 23 Baccarat chandeliers lights up the Carrara marble floor.
The renowned three-star hotel Restaurant d'Hiver incorporates the decor of what was once the private theater of Madame de Pompadour. It displays rich paneling and tapestries, and a brass grid stretches across the sunlit ceiling. Its menu boasts favorites fitting for a cold Parisian day such as hot soupe a l'oignon and mussels that will make mouths drool. Try a cup of the homemade hot chocolate for a real dessert treat. You will never think of hot chocolate in the same way ever again.
The hotel Restaurant d'Ete has a retractable glass ceiling and movable walls that transform it into part of the colonnaded formal garden. The largest private garden in Paris, it is full of magnolias, azaleas and rhododendrons that make a verdant cradle for a chubby cherub fountain. In fair weather, this is one of the loveliest dining spots in the city. The Bristol wine cellar stocks more than 30,000 bottles and guests can drink them in the restaurant, in the bar graced with tapestries and paintings or in the piano bar tucked away near the garden.
The sixth-floor health club has a rooftop pool, sauna, massages, exercise equipment and a beauty parlor based on Anne Semonin's products, which include a jet-lag treatment.
The multilevel garage under the hotel offers the unimaginable: free parking and complimentary valet service. Two Smart cars are available for guests at bargain rates to use on local shopping or tourist jaunts.
Accommodations are among the most spacious in Paris, classically elegant, draped in velvets and brocades, and fastidiously maintained. Bright, cheerful color schemes, museum-grade antiques, gorgeous period furniture, chintz and thick carpeting create a palatial look.
Rooms come in standard, superior and deluxe, with each boasting a different decor. All provide air conditioning, Egyptian cotton linens, thick duvets, large closets, dataports, wireless high-speed Internet access, safes and on-demand fax machines. Baths feature white marble, thermostatic showers, robes, large tubs, towel warmers, phones, hair dryers and Hermes toiletries. Delicate chandeliers and intricately patterned fabrics create a majestic atmosphere to behold. Request the Avenue Matignon wing which offers the best views of the Eiffel Tower.
Suites and apartments are large. The bi-level, 3,225-sq-ft Penthouse Suite has a private dining room and four bedrooms. Its sun terrace affords views as far as Sacre Coeur. The Panoramic Suite on the seventh floor is really an apartment with two bedrooms, a sitting area, gym equipment and a private kitchen. In 2009, the property plans to add an additional 27 rooms to the elegant roster of accommodations.
Room service is on-call around the clock, housekeeping tidies up twice daily and maintenance is impeccable. Pets are discouraged, but small ones are still allowed.
Thes beautifully managed Hotel Le Bristol caters to a prosperous international clientele. The experience for a night in this true palace does not come cheap. However, once you step through the doors resistance will melt. Our advice is to plan on spending at least a few days.
