If the 8th arrondissement is where Parisian grandeur comes to play, then Le Bristol Paris wrote the playbook. This Oetker Collection giant is also one of the largest ‘palace hotels’ in the city. The hotel’s allure lies in its design, staff’s attention to minutiae and the clandestine magic of its amenities. The large courtyard set against the hotel’s concrete flanks was recently redone with nods to a Japanese garden, blooms of which are pollinated by resident bees. There’s also L’Epicerie, the Le Bristol reinvention of a corner shop, selling handmade bread prepared from flour milled on-site, and chocolates by the in-house chocolatiers. Look out for Socrate, the pedigree kitten which is the hotel mascot.
Across its 190 rooms are a handful of signature suites. The most iconic among them, Suite 1925, an ode to Josephine Baker, offers unobstructed views of the Eiffel Tower—even while you lounge on the bed.
Indoor pools with outdoor terraces are a rarity in Paris, so Le Bristol’s is worth an afternoon. Designed like the inside of a ship, the pool shares the floor with three hotel spas. Slot in a treatment at all-natural skincare label Tata Harper’s for an extra dose of pampering.
Le Bristol Paris, 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris.
What to do in the city:
Musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac
If you’ve already checked the Louvre and Museé d’Orsay off your list, make this your next stop. Its striking vertical garden facade makes way to over 300,000 works by indigenous creators throughout history, from Africa to Polynesia.
Musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac, 37 Quai Jacques Chirac, 75007 Paris.
Kiliwatch
Immerse yourself in emerging designers and a trove of vintage finds at one of the city’s pioneering independent concept stores that continues to inspire the likes of Jean-Paul Gaultier and Isabel Marant with its curated collection.
Kiliwatch, 64 Rue Tiquetonne, 75002 Paris.
Little Red Door
A nod on the World’s 50 Best Bars list is a reason to visit this Marais gem, but you stay for its clever approach to cocktails—where local producers are celebrated with the same creative energy the district is known for.
Little Red Door, 60 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris.
Cinematheque Française
The beating heart of French film rests in this Frank Gehry cinematheque with its retrospective exhibitions, a world of international films, and an archival library drawing culture buffs in droves.
Cinematheque Française, 51 Rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris.
Frenchie Pigalle
Grégory Marchand, the genius behind Michelin-starred Frenchie, has branched out into bistro fare with Frenchie Pigalle. Dubbed a free spirit with sexy-trash cuisine by the team, expect a cross-cultural menu and natural wines here.
Frenchie Pigalle, 29 Rue Victor Massé, 75009 Paris.
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