It feels reductive to say a Paris hotel has old-world charm, given nearly every building has a history that dates back a century (or far more). Yet the family-owned Le Bristol, with its fluffy Louis XVI fauteuils, Pierre Fray Fabrics, and resident white Burmese cat Socrate, exudes a Parisian elegance that’s almost all-encompassing. The pièce de résistance? Their garden, where you can enjoy a croque monsieur surrounded by roses and orange trees. —Elise Taylor, senior living writer
Amenities: Restaurants, bars, pool, café, fitness center, spa, children’s club, bicycle rentals
Address: 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, Paris, Paris, 75008
Photo: Courtesy of Saint James Paris
Tucked away in Paris’s quiet, leafy 16th arrondissement just a short walk from the haute shopping end of the Champs-Élysées sits the Saint James Hotel. The breathtaking property—which features 50 rooms and suites, including duplexes and two ground-floor suites with terraces—has been reimagined and updated by French interior designer Laura Gonzalez, who kept all that was wonderful about the place, from the bones to its stately 19th-century tiling, while imparting a brighter, more playful vibe to the grandeur. As if its sheer beauty weren’t testament enough to the wonderful reputation of the Saint James, a Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by the acclaimed Grégory Garimbay boasts a mouth-watering menu and unmissable dining experience, while just a floor below, a subterranean spa bubbles away, complete with hammam, sauna, and a naturally lit pool. –Corey Seymour, senior editor