If you retraced the footsteps of Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe, George Clooney and Charlie Chaplin, their paths would cross at Paris’ Htel le Bristol, lebristolparis.com. Situated just two blocks from the Elyse Palace on the chic Rue du Faubourg St.-Honor, it has for generations attracted celebrities, diplomats and the world’s most well-heeled travelers. They visit to indulge in amenities that include the city’s largest bathrooms and a sixth-floor pool with sweeping views of the Paris skyline. But it’s the hotel’s strong sense of place — 18th century tapestries of peasant life, a harpist in the courtyard — that keeps them coming back. “The Bristol is as French a hotel as there is,” says general manager Didier Le Calvez. “And that’s a beautiful thing.”
Maintaining that beauty comes at a price. With a restaurant that dates from 1829, a grand limestone facade and a stunning glass and wrought-iron elevator designed by a Jewish architect the hotel harbored during World War II, the Bristol is a high-maintenance building, and the owners — the Oetkers, one of Europe’s richest families — must spend $8.5 million a year to keep it in working order. But while travelers are drawn to delightful old landmarks, nobody is actually going to spend a night in one if it means sacrificing convenience and comfort. Thus there are the frequent refurbishments and upgrades necessary for attracting customers. Over the past six months, the hotel has invested nearly $30 million in renovations, doubling the size of its spa, adding a panoramic rooftop suite and refreshing 40 rooms with the hotel’s signature decor: toile de Jouy — patterned furnishings and floral motifs everywhere.
