Le Bristol

We just arrived in Spain at the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona (separate review written) after departing Le Bristol in Paris and boy what a let down. Le Bristol Hotel is what all luxury hotels should aspire to be. From their amazing staff (literally nothing is too much for their expertise) to the gastric experience that is Epicure or the bar with amazing champagne and tea cakes our stay was impeccable.
Our room was beautiful (to be honest it wasn’t ready but we were seated in a lovely area and served coffee/​tea and yummy cookies while we waited (truly a minimal wait time) and they were very apologetic as well.
Paris is an amazing city and the staff at the Bristol made getting around a pleasure. Great recommendations for restaurants and sight seeing.
Cannot recommend this hotel highly enough. We are usually Four Seasons people and I’m very happy that we stepped out of our comfort zone and tried this incredibly elegant yet comfortable taste of Paris. We will absolutely return!

Rendez-​vous avec un ami au Bristol, un matin d’été. Quelle bonne idée il a eue ! C’est surtout pour le cadre magnifique qu’on aime se poser dans cet endroit, au calme. Le patio avec sa fontaine et sa verdure offre un moment en dehors du temps, ou l’on savoure simplement le bruit de l’eau qui coule, le jus d’orange pressé et sa chocolatine. L’hôtel diffuse une musique classique, pour la plupart des musiques de film: 99 francs, Amélie poulain … Cela sied parfaitement au cadre.
D’autant plus que c’est dans cet hôtel que s’est tourné Midnight in Paris de Woody Allen !

Le Bristol is a TripAdvisor Three Category Award Winner for Best Luxury Hotel, Top Hotel and Best Service in 2014, as well as being the #1 rated hotel in Paris.
My wife and I have been very fortunate to stay at some very nice hotels and our favorite hotel was The Dorchester in London. For the last three years, the only other hotel that came somewhat came close to The Dorchester was the One & Only Palmilla Resort in Cabo, Mexico. I’m proud to say that the Hotel Le Bristol is now our #1 hotel for it’s luxuriousness, elegance and service.
Right when we walked in, we were in awe. We were immediately greeted by English speaking attendants, lucky for us. We then checked in with Marjorie Gomez and all she did was congratulate us on our 10 year anniversary and our birthdays, upgraded our room, and then left a handwritten note for us in our room! She was amazing!
Le Bristol made our 10 year anniversary extra special with a bottle of champagne, an assortment of fine chocolates, rose pedals on our bed and around the bath tub, and hand written notes. Even the Le Bristol President and General Manager, Didier Le Calvez, wrote us a note wishing us a happy anniversary/​birthday!
He’s the guy at the top of the list!
The Le Bristol Concierge Team was spectacular. They all spoke very good English and were always eager to provide assistance and answer any questions. I don’t think there is anything this team can’t achieve for their hotel guests. They helped us re-​confirm our dinner reservation at their own 3 star Michelin restaurant, Epicure. (I should also mention that Constance was amazing as she worked with L’Astrance, another 3 star Michelin restaurant, on booking dinner reservations for us a month prior. Without Constance, I know we would have not gotten into L’Astrance.) Every member of the Concierge Team and the Le Bristol Team was warm, polite, and friendly. I actually wondered if the staff got daily bonuses for the number of times they smiled at their hotel guests!
Our room was spacious and luxurious. Everything was authentic as reproductions of paintings, mirrors, prints are not allowed in the hotel. Our bath soap was made by Hermes and our shampoo was from the La Prairie Spa! The bed was divine as were the sheets.
Le Bristol is also located near the Palais d’Elysee (home of the French president) and on a shopping street (rue du Faubourg Saint-​Honore) parallel to the Champs-​Élysées, which is two blocks away. Within walking distance were stores like Chopard, Ferragamo, Céline, Yves Saint-​Laurent, Givenchy, Chloé, Christian Lacroix, Versace, Ungaro.
To sum it up, Le Bristol is definitely pricey as we paid about $ 1,100 USD per night but it’s well worth it.
Le Jardin Français Restaurant:
Caesar Salad: 45 euros or $ 57 USD
Pumpkin Soup: 26 euros or $ 33 USD
Pan-​fried roasted beef filet: 68 euros or $ 85 USD
Red Berries Dessert Platter: 33 euros or $ 41 USD
Homemade Ice Cream: 24 euros or $ 30 USD
Epicure Restaurant: 3 star Michelin Restaurant and requires reservations
Chef Eric Frechon’s Suggested Menu: 295 euros or $ 370 USD/​person
1L of Evian Water: 12 euros or $ 15 USD
Le Bristol is our new favorite hotel and we will be staying there the next time we are in Paris.
Special thanks to the Le Bristol Team for making our 10 year anniversary so special!

Lovely.

Dreamy…
My husband and I are still talking about our experience at le Bristol. We arrived in Paris jet lagged (of course) around breakfast time to this amazing palace. As we entered, we noticed a beautiful white fluffy kitty with flame point ears lounging on the newel post in the entry — he added some serious glam! (A few days later, we saw some adults were chasing him and trying to keep him in captivity so they could pet him!)
Once we were checked in, Jeremy and Geraldine whisked us away to the lovely neoclassical style sitting room for a few croissants, brioche, fresh juice and coffee to relax while our room was getting prepped. The sitting room was full of beautiful seating, colors and the high ceilings and the light just poured through the room — magnificent!
They led us to our room. We opened the door and there among the Juliette balcony adorned with flowers and greenery was a view of the eiffle tower! There was a hand written note with sparking water and fresh figs beautifully displayed on a tray. The room was fairly large in comparison to other European hotels. There was a king size bed with a sofa, desk and vanity. The bathroom was huge with all white marble floors, dual sinks complete with a killer hair dyer, Hermes soap, toilet, bidet, shower and bath. They also had adapters for us to use.
Now for the bar, just go– you must! It’s a glamorous mix of beautiful tapestries, mirrors, upholstered wing chairs, sofas, fireplace– then there is someone spinning music but not in an obnoxious clubby way… the perfect mix. We had champagne and they brought us dark and milk chocolates. The bathrooms down the hall have amazing recessed curved doors and are automatic. Cool
The service here at the hotel was fabulous. What an amazing start to our trip. The only downside to staying here was that it made our other hotel accommodations on our European venture seem just average!
J’adore tu le Bristol! See you again on another special occasion!

Après une journée de visite de musées sous un soleil de plomb alterné par l’ombré et les escaliers des métros, soulées par le niveau sonore beaucoup trop élevé des rues de Paris, prendre le thé dans le patio de l’hotel Bristol à été une vraie merveille.
Nous arrivons dans un monde feutré de luxe et de douceur.
Un jardin, sans aucun bruit de voiture, avec la douce cascade de la fontaine qui s’écoule, les petits oiseaux qui chantent, l’ombré enfin.
Des fauteuils moelleux, un service impeccable.
J’ai choisi la formule thé et patisserie à 27 euros. Né pouvant résister au chocolat chaud proposé (un grand cru jivara), j’ai pu le choisir à la place du thé.
La carte des thé est assez pointue, mais ridiculement petite; le choix en thé vert se résume à un seul thé.
La patisserie: café/​citronnelle douce et originale.
Quel plaisir !

Boulevard du Faubourg Saint-​Honoré, la nuit tombe tout juste, l’ambiance est ouatée. Nous passons le tambour d’un des plus prestigieux hôtel parisien, assistés d’un groom pour entrer dans un autre monde, celui du luxe, du faste, de l’inaccessible. L’entrée est majestueuse, du marbre au mur ou sur les colonnes, des espaces dédiés à la détente, aux affaires, à la dégustation des plats du chef étoilé, Monsieur Fréchon. Cinq personnes nous attendent et l’une d’elles nous invite à lui donner notre manteau pour le poser au vestiaire (oui on né met pas notre manteau au vestiaire, on l’y poooose). J’aime bien être prise pour une «princesse Doe».
Nous sommes conviés à nous diriger vers notre droite, traversant le premier bar pour entrer dans LE NOUVEAU BAR du Bristol.
Ma première impression sur le lieu (avertissement: là, je parle du bar) même (je vous préviens, elle n’est pas bonne): un côté vieillot (oui, j’assume ma déception).
Une pièce aveugle, du beige omniprésent, avec des touches de bois naturel. Un écran anachronique lance des images de Paris depuis le comptoir. Mais surtout, j’ai été choquée (oui, je suis un tou’ti être sensible) par les bibelots sur les étagères des bibliothèques: pierres, vieux livres quasi «empaillés», oiseaux en plâtres, fauteuils en tissus verts chamarrés ou cuir (certes confortables) ! Je dis non à cette décoration; je m’attendais à un mélange de moderne moelleux et de frais traditionnel.
Parlons «amuses-​bouches»: là, je dis oui. Ces mini-​bouchées sont raffinées (nems printaniers, crevettes au sésame, bâtons chauds de fromage, etc) surtout dégustées avec un excellent et classique Taittinger. Yummy !
Le plus :
J’y ai été pour le lancement du bar et j’ai donc eu le privilège de visiter l’hôtel.
Un tout nouveau spa y a ouvert proposant massages et soins (salle individuelle ou pour 2) mais aussi une crèche !
Petit plus bis :
Et là, c’est le drame… 0n a une folle envie de régler 808 € minimum réglementaires pour s’offrir la plus petite chambre de ce Palace. Mais pourquoi cette folle envie, m’interrogerez-vous sûrement? Au-​delà d’être logé au Palace? La réponse est simple: juste pour profiter de son incroyable piscine réservée aux clients et qui a la rare caractéristique d’être panoramique sur le tout Paris.
Ah bah non, ça né va pas être possible finalement…

My husband and I went to Italy and Paris for our honeymoon. My husband chose Le Bristol and what an amazing decision on his part. With the help of Stephanie N, he booked a suite on the sixth floor overlooking the Eiffel tower. She helped out tremendously to make our honeymoon perfect. Our bathroom had a steam-​room which was fabulous.
The staff at this hotel was marvelous and they made us feel very welcomed. Valerie was the first face to greet us and show us to our room. She was warm, kind and very helpful. The housekeeping staff keeps the rooms immaculate. They were also very sweet and kind enough to take a picture of my husband and me overlooking the Eiffel tower. The place is beautiful and upscale, and their breakfast was delicious. I can’t imagine going back to Paris and staying elsewhere. I plan to go back every year for my anniversary, and I will be staying at this amazing hotel.

II took my wife to Le Bristol for her 40^th birthday and it was a magical five-​hour dinner extravaganza. The food was absolutely wonderful, the waitstaff was impeccable, and the setting was sublime.
The highlight was when Chef Frechon came out to our table with a translator to ask if we enjoyed our meal and watching the translator try to explain to Frechon my wife’s response: «You blew my mind!». ZOOT ALORS!

UNRESPONSIVE! E-​mailed Le Bristol three times for info. Receive read receipts but no answer!
So much for the service from the first official «Palace» in Paris :(!!!
Marco Polo
The Photographing-​Poet-​Errant
Mauritius

Evidemment, le Bristol avec son ambiance guindée, sa harpe envahissante dans le salon de thé, ses serveurs aux (trop) petits oignons et ses prix si typiques d’un palace pourrait né pas récolter plus de de 2 – 3 étoiles selon certains critères Unilocaleux (rapport qualité /​prix en tête).
Néanmoins, j’aime beaucoup m’y rendre tous les deux mois, un dimanche pour prendre le thé et me retrouver au XVIIIè siècle. Si on y passé l’après-midi (genre de 16h à 19h), ce qui est vite passé entre amis, journaux ou collations, le rapport qualité prix peut s’avérer plutôt bon.
Biensûr la carte des thés né va pas en dessous de 9 euros, mais pour ce prix là vous avez évidemment une théière entière de mélange de thés divins.
Coté nourriture, des plateaux d’assortiments de mini-​desserts entre 15 et 20 euros peuvent faire des heureux: mini tarte au citron, macarons au citrons, choux à la crème vanille, tarte aux fraises (j’ai mis plusieurs photos sur la fiche du Bristol de tout cela)…etc.
Bref, une petite escapade à consommer avec modération cara attention au portefeuille mais au final très plaisante. Il y a toujours une ambiance élégante, guindée mais tout de même légèrement décontractée (notamment avec les serveuses qui sont très sympathiques).

time to update the décor bristol!

My second visit to Le Bristol was less magical than the first, if only slightly. There were a couple key differences unrelated to food. First, we weren’t seated in the gorgeous summer dining room, but rather in a more confined space by the hotel lobby. I was a bit disappointed, but I will say it was a sumptuous room, decked out in carved wood, red brocade, and gold chandeliers.
Second, there was a huge blip in the service. Matt and I had a 12:00 reservation and showed up on time. Le Bristol was not ready to open, and the hostess asked us to have a seat outside. We were seated at 12:20. There were no apologies, not even when we hinted at our discontent. This was stunning coming from a Michelin 3-​star restaurant, and odd considering the rest of the service. Once we sat down, it was as impeccable as I remembered. I really liked our head waitress, a polished and smiling blond, and she was quite effusive when our plates were switched during one of our courses. In any case, there was a bright side to the mishap — we saw the Olsen twins in Le Bristol’s lobby.
The food was, once again, extraordinary. This time the € 85 menu included four courses rather than three, with both cheese and dessert. With a few exceptions, the food was entirely different.
We started again with the bacon shallot stick but a new trio of canapés. These were a cream of mushroom soup with parsley, a crispy goat cheese lollipop with roasted pineapple and black pepper, and tzatziki in a cucumber geleé. The soup was delightfully light and earthy, with just a hint of parsley in a thin green layer. The lollipop was tangy and sweet, and the strip of peppery pineapple echoed its play of flavors, with a savory zip from the pepper. The bubble of cucumber yielded to nutty sesame in a pleasing burst.
Then came the epic bread basket, and soon after, our amuse bouche. This was fig roasted with mozzarella and balsamic vinegar, with crunchy nibs of fresh almond tucked under the oozy cheese. The fig was soft and sweet, and the combination of favors straightforward and well done.
The appetizers were not as good as they were my first time, but they were still excellent. I had raw salmon and oysters marinated in lemon, with sesame oil, nori, and a thin spaghetti of cucumber. It was slippery and refreshing, with utterly fresh seafood, and the cucumber added nice coolness and texture. The better starter, though, was Matt’s preserved duck foie gras with four spices, blackberry jam, green apple jelly, and brioche toasts. The spices — ginger, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper — were smoothly incorporated into the rich foie gras. The creamy foie was spot-​on, and the layer of blackberry jam on top was the perfect foil for the fat and the subtle spices.
Our entrees brought the bookends to our meal. Matt’s John Dory was worse than anything else I’ve had at Le Bristol by several degrees. Sauteed then served with cream sauce and a ravioli of bacon, clams, and young onions, it was bland and the fish dense and grainy. The ravioli was pretty — instead of pasta, a thin sheet of clam was placed on top of a nest of bacon and greens. The clams were great, but the greens, which contained something like cabbage as well as onion, were stringy and a bit bitter. Now, though, for the best of the entrees I’ve tasted at Le Bristol — the spit-​roasted wood pigeon. I’d never had pigeon before, and now when I see them on the street I get a little hungry. This was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The meat was beautiful and red, tender with the exact optimal amount of chew. It was masterful cooking, the pigeon enhanced by a delicious red onion almond compote and the pigeon’s natural juices. Just exquisite.
Not that I wanted my palate cleansed, but I enjoyed the refreshing mango sorbet with almond milk, orange blossom, lemon, and vanilla. Ditto the dessert that followed. There was a liquid nitrogen lychee snowball with an iced meringue perfumed with pear, rose, and lemon. It was frosty and delicate, with lovely flavors that tip-​toed on the tongue. The chocolate dessert was richer, darker, an origami crane holding iced coconut milk and a hot chocolate elixir. The chocolate crane was paper-​thin, and the lava within flowed with decadence. There was something like chocolate cake inside as well, and the coconut did well to temper the richness.
Then came a cart of mignardises, from which we grabbed dark chocolate and orange, milk chocolate and nuts, marshmallow, nougatine, salted caramel, passionfruit caramel, puff pastry swirl, and raspberry ginger and salted butter caramel macarons. As last time, the caramel macaron was the show-​stopping highlight.
When it was over, we got Le Bristol gift bags with chocolates and mignardises inside. We took these home and I savored them, recalling our lunch. Dinner carries more food and a higher price tag, but I’m not even tempted. I don’t buy that anything could far exceed Le Bristol’s lunch experience.

Je me suis faite embringuée pour «juste une petite bise à un ami qui travaille au Bristol» et hop, me voilà au bar de l’hôtel en train de déguster des vins, mon Dieu, quels vins !
Sans compter les petits amuse-​bouches et les desserts tout droit sortis du restaurant, le tout dans un cadre chic, classe, et sobre en même temps.
La soirée s’est terminée affalée dans les gros canapés moelleux de la petite salle à droite du bar, à siroter un Perrier menthe jusqu’à tard, très tard dans la nuit… j’aurai bien fait un petit tour dans la piscine au dernier étage moi.
Ahhh les palaces. Ils méritent bien leur appellation !

28 novembre 2009, 19h. C’est aujourd’hui que Bloody Ma et moi avons motivé nos maris et enfants pour rendre visite à la famille de Papa Cochon dans le fin fond du 15ème. Quelle journée ! Des cris d’enfants, de l’agitation et de la folie, tout ce qu’on attendait de cette rencontre… Le soir venu il est temps de partir et il nous faut un petit remontant ! Allez on confit les enfants aux papas et on se fait plaisir: direction le Bristol pour un mojito et une caïpi vraiment dignes de ce nom au bar fréquenté entre autre par Ardisson (mais c’est une autre histoire). Ici, nous sommes bien reçues, dans le charme feutré du palace, le personnel est aux petits soins. On se sent princesse même si objectivement on est en phase crapaud ! Nos cocktails font leur effet, les petits accompagnements sont engloutis, une deuxième tournée !!! La clientèle est éclectique, on peut passer des heures ici, seul ou accompagné, à regarder le temps passer. Le bar du Bristol est un refuge parisien pour jeune fille en mal de sensation princière.

Ordre et beauté, luxe, calme et volupté…
Je rentre d’un week end à Paris passé dans ce palace qu’est le Bristol: personnel charmant et hyper professionnel (de la réception en passant par les voituriers, les concierges ou les serveurs), décor parfait juste comme il faut (pas trop baroque et pas trop de dorures !), chambre immense et luxueusement meublée et salle de bain gigantesque (au moins 20 m2 je n’avais jamais vu ça !) et une piscine avec sauna et salle de sport au dernier étage: privilège rare ! Une chose est sûre: il me tarde déjà d’y retourner !

El gran hotel de paris
El hotel más lujoso y espacioso de París logra permanecer discreto y acogedor. Cuenta con tapices de Gobelinos, dispone de azoteas con flores y plantas en algunas de las habitaciones y un gran jardín interior de columnas, así como la ­esperada piscina, un gimnasio y un restaurante de gourmet. Dobles a partir de 3.250 francos, la suite presidencial de 300 m2 cuesta 34.000 francos por noche.

Pas loin de la perfection !
Si vous souhaitez avoir B. Willis et Prince dans votre voisinage, allez passer une nuit au Bristol. Un service parfait, des standardistes charmants, un restaurant au top et des petits déjeuners à se rouler par terre. Les chambres ont tout le confort nécessaire pour un excellent séjour.