Le Bristol Paris, icon of timeless glamour in the heart of Paris, has reopened its doors to a fabulous new chapter in a remarkable history. As the very first hotel in France to receive ‘Palace’ distinction when the classification was invented, Le Bristol has long been a favourite of the great and the good since its opening in the Roaring Twenties, and has a glittering past guestlist that includes Hollywood and fashion icons. Now, after a quiet hibernation allowing for final touches to be completed, Le Bristol unveils a unique new spirit, bringing a contemporary vision to its rooms and suites with designs that embody discrete elegance, telling a story of timeless sophistication. These majestic refurbishments are the capstone marking the completion of Le Bristol Paris’ multi-phase renewal.
For the new room and suite designs, Le Bristol Paris consulted Countess Bergit Douglas and the creative team at her architectural firm, MM Design. The traditional artisanry of Colefax & Fowler, Briatte, Farrow & Ball, Maison Taillardat and Loro Piana are displayed in tasteful touches throughout.
Brand-new: Lumière Suite
Le Bristol’s star-studded cast of rooms and suites is joined by a new member: the Lumière Suite. Located on the hotel’s fifth floor with a view over Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the suite was designed in the spirit of an elegant Parisian apartment with a library corridor between the drawing room and bedroom, and large bow windows to invite an abundance of light. Soft tonalities of aqua, jade and coral bring a warm and contemporary feel to this brand-new pied-Ã -terre that is conceived to be a tranquil harbour for the Paris bound.
Paris Suite
The beloved Paris Suite has been infused with the beauty of embroidered draperies at the French doors, creating a sumptuous and regal threshold between the resplendent quietude of the interior and the stylish runway that is Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. The richness of the wood parquet – the same as is seen in the Palais de Versailles – and the ornate luxury of a rug made from silk give reason to look down and admire the poetry beneath one’s feet.
Elysée Suite
In the majestic Elysée Suite, a walk-in closet illuminated by natural light offers a veritable stage for showcasing the day’s purchases from the famous boutiques in Paris’ most exclusive shopping district. In the expansive drawing room, walls painted in soft hues are outlined by limed oak moulding for a light, contemporary finish and a gentle atmosphere in which to relax after an afternoon’s treatment at Spa Le Bristol by La Prairie. A private bar now graces the living space for in-suite entertaining that will rival any evening out in the City of Light-an exclusive prelude to dinner at Epicure.
The Panoramic Suite
The Panoramic Suite, famously captured in the Academy Award winning film, Midnight in Paris, is preserved in the same design as seen on the silver screen. Now boasting a plush new sofa, it beckons the jet-lagged to curl up with a great book and a glass of rosé Champagne. Suite 1925, a tribute to perennial diva Josephine Baker, is enlivened by original portraits of the beloved entertainer, taken right here at Le Bristol Paris. One imagines dancing the Charleston through this charming, mansard-roofed suite.
Honeymoon Suite
A voyage spent in love’s embrace has one quintessential destination: Le Bristol’s Honeymoon Suite. Here, the cinematic view over Paris offers a pure dose of romance. The Terrace Suite, with its private outdoor spa, channels all of the serenity of a wellness retreat into this rooftop haven, where the warm sun and soft perfume of roses soothe both body and mind with their gentle essence. And in the majestic Penthouse Suite, one is elegantly cut off from the world – but not of its riches – in 350m2 of lavish living space.
The New Courtyard Garden: the Jardin Français
World-renowned landscape designer Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd has created the new courtyard garden guided by a deep respect for nature’s delicacy, her permanent source of inspiration. All flora is native to the Paris region and suited to local conditions, deliberately chosen to support the biodiversity of this precious Parisian oasis. Each season of the year will unfold in its full splendor in this ever-changing microcosm at the heart of the hotel. At the arrival of spring, narcissi and tulips will bring the first explosion of colour, giving way to white bougainvillea and softly tinted pink before the deep burgundy roses announce summer. The blooms of ornamental grasses and the copper toned beech leaves mark the descent into autumn, and winter’s incubation is gracefully sculpted by evergreens. An enchanting meeting place, the garden is now a renewed a sanctuary for guests to explore and relax, whether over morning coffee or afternoon rosé.
The glamorous Palace has undergone a metamorphosis of characteristic grandeur.
This is the rebirth of Le Bristol Paris.
