The Paris hotel that makes you feel like a 1920s film star

Tata Harper Spa Room at Le Bristol.

Walking into the lobby of Le Bristol in Paris’ eighth arrondisement, through brass-paned, revolving doors and onto pale, cool, marble floors, you will eventually see, to your right, an 18th century painting of Marie Antoinette herself, perched and poofed and regal as hell. The painting, formerly of the Louvre, is the jewel in the crown of this, one of Paris’ finest hotels. And it sets the tone aesthetically too – Louis XIV-style sofas; marble pillars, manicured gardens and plush, luxurious fabrics.

Colonnade at Le Bristol.

Le Bristol opened in 1925 in the fashion epicentre Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. It fast became a firm favourite of silver-screen stars like Rita Hayworth and Charlie Chaplin, with Josephine Baker spending many a night here hosting parties and whiling away her evenings. It is fitting, then, that it featured in Woody Allen’s ode to the era, Midnight in Paris. Unlike so many hotels of this period, Le Bristol has retained both its charm and elegance, a century on – this is not a hotel that rests on its laurels.

A black and white photo of Josephine Baker on the wall of the 1925 Suite.

Our room, the 1925 Suite, is situated on the seventh (top) floor, right on the rooftop, just a short walk from the hotel’s dreamy rooftop pool (designed by Cäsar Pinnau, the architect of the Onassis yacht, no less). Our living room is decked-out in comfortable furnishings, with photos of Josephine Baker gracing the walls, and more books than one could ever hope to read on a weekender.

Rooftop pool designed by Cäsar Pinnau.

The bedroom is huge (especially when you consider the cupboard-sized spaces that usually pass for bedrooms in the City of Lights), with a generously-sized dressing room, two bathrooms, and the best bit: views from every window of the Eiffel Tower herself. In fact, the 1925 Suite prides itself on having views of Paris’ own iron lady from the bed. We don’t shut the curtains (how could we?) and awake at dawn to her elegant frame silhouetted against the rising sun.

Junior Suite.

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Breakfast, like everything else here, is a sophisticated affair. The pastries really are some of Paris’ best and a basket is brought overflowing with croissants, pain au chocolats and flaky, buttery pear caramel danishes. The Le Bristol Breakfast sees our table flooded with plates of smoked salmon with blinis and dill cream; burrata with Parma ham, and eggs topped with caviar and gold leaf. A glass of Champagne comes along too. When in Paris…

Deluxe Suite

Le Bristol is home to not one but four Michelin stars: three at restaurant Epicure, and one over at 114 Faubourg. We eat at the latter, diving into Pol Roger Champagne served alongside king crab with eggs, ginger and lemon inside a porcelain egg shell. Then there’s langoustine ravioli, and tender cod cooked southern-style with tomato. Young pigeon comes stuffed with foie gras and butter-drenched, petits pois à la française. The meal ends with sweet ciflorette strawberries and refreshing lemon verbena sorbet.

Epicure restaurant.

At some point, you might want to leave the hotel. Luckily, complimentary electric bikes are at your disposal. Cycling in Paris is one of life’s great pleasures, and is so much more of a delight than traipsing around underground through the Metro. Thanks to the city’s many bike lanes, it’s easy too. Much of the Seine’s edge is dedicated to bikes and pedestrians now, so you can dawdle by the water as you make your way across town.

Le Bristol x Bonpoint Spa.

When you come back to Le Bristol, you’ll be glad you had an adventure, but you’ll also be so glad to return. It’s what luxury hotels should be – sharing much with the elegance, grandeur and warm, generous service of hotels like Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Hanoi’s Metropole. It’s a class above five star – one of France’s Palace Distinction hotels ­– but somehow it also feels like a home from home. No wonder Miss Baker spent so much time here.

Vogue Living experienced Le Bristol as a guest of the hotel. Scroll down for additional images of the Deluxe Suites.