By Sophie DelonThe always-celebrated Hôtel Le Bristol. luxuriously perched on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, has gotten bigger and better (and more expensive), while still staying faithful to the spirit of Hippolyte Jammet, who built the hotel in 1925. Last month, Hôtel Le Bristol entered a new chapter in its history with the addition of a whole new wing. Spread out over a surface area of nearly 35,000 sq. ft., the new wing comprises 21 rooms, five luxury suites and a new restaurant, Le 114 Faubourg, all on seven floors with two façades: one that looks out onto Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and another which overlooks Avenue Matignon.
The essential architecture of this Haussmann-inspired building, featuring a host of friezes and wrought iron works, has been preserved and restored in the new wing designed by owner Maja Oetker. And adhering to their philosophy that each guest is unique, the Hôtel Le Bristol made each of the 21 bedrooms and five suites in the new wing one-of-a-kind. Harmony, freshness, well-being, comfort, elegance and luminosity were among the key words borne in mind in order to offer guests of Hôtel Le Bristol a kind of timeless luxury à la française that reflects the hotel’s art de vivre. This manifests itself above all in terms of space and luminosity. The ceilings are high and the light is generous, with every piece of furniture, every color, every material, every picture and every light carefully selected, if not made to order. This spirit of sophistication, a hallmark of the hotel from its garden to its Belle Époque swimming pool, reached its height with the addition of five new breathtaking suites. The spacious suites even include services such as hammams, dining rooms, private kitchens, along with panoramic views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower.
The icing on the cake? Chef Éric Desbordes brings an exciting menu with him to the new restaurant, 114 Faubourg, combining classic cuisine and world flavors. It’s perfectly matched by a chic interior by Guendalina Litta Modignani, with colorful dahlias and orange walls that, like the cuisine, is both original and creative. The restaurant is dominated by an atmosphere that is at once floral, warm and poetic, in contrast to the high-tech nature of an open kitchen that can be seen from the restaurant, and the glass-walled cellar. There’s even a private room for 12, a separate, reserved place where privacy is guaranteed.
At the helm of the 93-seat restaurant is Desbordes, a young chef who was mentored by Eric Frechon, Hôtel Le Bristol’s Chef des Cuisines. A perfectionist with a passion for his profession, the man with three Michelin stars to his name wanted to make sure that he would be working with someone who shared the same philosophy on cooking as him, and who had already demonstrated his talents at the Hilton, the Hôtel George-V and Pershing Hall Hotel.
The menu is cheerful, original and simple. The cuisine offers fresh and seasonal vegetables featuring heavily in both lunch and dinner dishes. For example, smoked salmon potato waffles may be served as an entrée, while cucumber and coconut milk soup may served to refresh the palate. Another speciality of Le 114 Faubourg is cooking to order, a small revolution in the culinary world. Customers can choose between a meat (three kinds, depending on the season) and five seasonal varieties of fish, which can be grilled, griddled, steamed or, for large pieces (a whole chicken or monkfish tail), spit-roasted. This customized cooking even applies to sauces, letting customers choose between traditional and more unusual sauces.
When it comes to dessert, customers with a sweet tooth will thank Laurent Jeannin, Hôtel Le Bristol’s talented and creative Pastry Chef, who serves up crunchy cocoa biscuits, irresistible noisettes, exotic fruit salad, green apple and raspberry broth, Bourbon vanilla and slightly salted caramel millefeuilles.
So for those who find the hotel’s rooms a little too pricey, a visit to Le 114 Faubourg may just prove to be enough of a delicious experience to tide you over.
Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris
Tel. : 01 53 43 43 00
www.lebristolparis.com
