Le Bristol Paris
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Luxury hotels in Paris fall into two categories. One type is renovated old buildings, piled with marble, gold leaf covering the ceilings—walking in feels like visiting a museum. The other type is a house where people actually live, which happens to be over a hundred years old and happens to open its doors to guests. Le Bristol Paris belongs to the latter.
I've stayed at this hotel four times. The first was in winter 2019, the most recent was this March. This article is based on those four stays.
Location
The hotel is at 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This street stretches from the Élysée Palace to Place de la Madeleine, lined with the Hermès flagship store, various embassies, and several antique dealers. The hotel's main entrance is small and easy to miss when walking down the street. No grand portico, no uniformed doormen standing on the sidewalk. Only after pushing open the door do you discover the courtyard and garden inside.
Walking from the hotel to Place de la Concorde takes about eight minutes, to the Louvre fifteen minutes, to the Champs-Élysées five minutes. The nearest metro station is Miromesnil, behind the hotel, a three-minute walk.
Walking Distances
- Place de la Concorde — 8 minutes
- Champs-Élysées — 5 minutes
- The Louvre — 15 minutes
- Miromesnil Metro — 3 minutes
The Building
The main building was constructed in 1925, originally a private mansion. In 2009, the hotel underwent a major renovation and added a new wing. Between the two buildings is a French garden planted with neatly trimmed boxwood. You can have afternoon tea in the garden; in summer, white parasols are set up.
The elevator in the main building is an old-fashioned iron cage type that makes a slight creaking sound when running. The new wing has modern elevators. I personally prefer staying in the main building—the room layouts are irregular, and the ceilings are higher. Rooms in the new wing are more square-shaped with better soundproofing.
The hotel's top floor has a swimming pool with views of Parisian rooftops and the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The pool isn't large, about 15 meters long. It opens at 7 AM; going at that time usually means no other guests.
Rooms
The hotel has 190 guest rooms and suites in total. Room types I've stayed in include Superior Room, Deluxe Room, and Junior Suite.
The Superior Room is in the main building, about 35 square meters, with windows facing the interior courtyard. The room has a fireplace that doesn't work—purely decorative. The bathroom is white marble, stocked with Le Bristol's own toiletries, scented with fig and sandalwood.
The Deluxe Room is about 45 square meters, with the extra space mainly in the bathroom. There's a separate bathtub and shower, double sinks. Windows may face Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré or the courtyard—you can request when booking.
I stayed in a Junior Suite in the new wing once, over 60 square meters, with a separate living area. The décor is more modern, with an American king-size bed. I couldn't get used to that bed—too soft. On subsequent stays, I specifically requested the main building.
All rooms have Nespresso machines, and the minibar is restocked daily, with charges settled at checkout based on actual consumption. Tested WiFi speed in the room was around 80 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload—sufficient for work.
Service
Le Bristol is one of the few hotels in Paris that still maintains butler service. At check-in, the front desk introduces your dedicated butler, and you can call the butler's mobile directly for any needs. Here I've booked opera tickets, arranged private shopping appointments at Hermès, and had the butler pick up dry cleaning for me. Response time is usually within ten minutes.
Le Bristol is one of the few hotels in Paris that still maintains butler service. At check-in, the front desk introduces your dedicated butler, and you can call the butler's mobile directly for any needs.
Breakfast can be eaten in the room or in the ground-floor restaurant. Room delivery has no extra charge; I usually choose to have it sent to the room. Ordering à la carte, a classic French breakfast (coffee, juice, croissant, butter, jam) is about 45 euros. Fried or scrambled eggs add 18 euros.
The front desk can help book reservations at almost all of Paris's hard-to-get restaurants. I've had them book L'Ambroisie and Arpège one week in advance, and both times they got them. Not sure if the hotel has an allocation or if it was pure luck.
Dining
The hotel has three restaurants. Epicure is the main restaurant, three Michelin stars, with Chef Eric Frechon. The menu follows classic French cuisine; the signature dish is truffle-stuffed chicken in puff pastry, 198 euros per serving. I've eaten there twice; the second time didn't feel as impressive as the first—possibly an expectations issue. The lunch set menu at 145 euros is more economical than ordering à la carte.
| Restaurant | Style | Price Guide |
|---|---|---|
|
Epicure ★ ★ ★ |
Classic French, Chef Eric Frechon | €145–€198 |
| 114 Faubourg | Casual dining, Sunday brunch | €38–€98 |
| Le Jardin Français | Garden terrace, summer only | Light fare & tea |
114 Faubourg is the hotel's casual restaurant, more affordable. A steak frites is 38 euros. The Sunday brunch buffet is 98 euros, good quality, very crowded—reservations needed in advance.
Le Jardin Français is in the garden, only open in summer, serving light fare and afternoon tea.
About the Cat
Le Bristol keeps a Burmese cat named Fa-Raon. This cat roams freely throughout the hotel, often appearing in the lobby, restaurant, and garden. The official story is that after the original died in 2023, another cat took over the position, also named Fa-Raon.
When I stayed this March, I saw the current one in the lobby—its coat looks darker than in photos. The hotel sells merchandise themed around this cat—mugs, postcards, and such.
Pricing
Current Room Rates — Superior Room
Current room rates: off-season Superior Room is about 1,100 euros per night; peak season (fashion week, trade fairs) can reach 1,800 euros. Booking through Amex FHR includes breakfast and a $100 hotel credit, which works out better than booking directly on the official website.
The hotel has no resort fee, no hidden charges. Parking is 75 euros per day; I've never used it—driving in Paris makes no sense.
My Staying Habits
A few tips from experience:
Final Thoughts
Le Bristol is my regular choice in Paris. It doesn't have the grandeur of George V, the historical weight of the Ritz, or the design sensibility of Park Hyatt. It's just an old house where the people inside know how to take care of guests.
I plan to go again this fall and will update with content about the renovated spa and the newly opened bar. Those who have stayed at this hotel are welcome to comment and share your experiences.
