Since 1925, Le Bristol Paris has embodied a certain French art of luxury: discreet, demanding, and deeply human. On the occasion of its centenary, the legendary palace on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is celebrating a century of refinement, confidential stories, savoir-vivre… and cats that have become iconic. It will also go down in history as the very first hotel in France to receive the prestigious Palace label, a symbol of its excellence and timelessness.
The birth of a palace in the Paris of the Roaring Twenties
The story begins in April 1925. As Paris lit up with the excitement of the Roaring Twenties and vibrated to the rhythm of jazz, fashion, and carefree living, entrepreneur Hippolyte Jammet acquired an 18th-century mansion at 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, a stone’s throw from the Élysée Palace and the fashion houses. He transformed it into a luxury hotel inspired by English chic and named it after the Earl of Bristol, a great European traveler in the 18th century. The tone was set: this would be a hotel for the cosmopolitan, elegant, and discreet elite.
Hippolyte Jammet in the center with his parents ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
From the moment it opened, Le Bristol Paris attracted members of the international elite, royalty, diplomats, and artists. Coco Chanel was a regular guest, and Salvador Dalí improvised surrealist happenings there. It quickly became a haunt for the aristocracy, but also a cocoon for independent spirits. The atmosphere was hushed, almost family-like, a far cry from the glitz and glamour of other luxury hotels.
A privileged witness to history
During World War II, Le Bristol Paris was requisitioned… but in a unique way. It became the residence of the Hungarian embassy, a neutral country, and thus escaped direct occupation by German forces. The Jammet family continued to live and work there. The palace became a place for secret meetings between resistance fighters and spies. It is said that the chef at the time, Émile Têtu, hid messages in the dishes served to certain guests and that Jewish families found refuge there, discreetly housed on the upper floors. This little-known page of history is now recalled by the hotel with pride and modesty. After the Liberation, the establishment welcomed many diplomats and journalists who came to cover the reconstruction of Europe.
The palace of arts and power
In the 1950s and 60s and over the following decades, Le Bristol Paris became a place of excellence, prized by artists (Charlie Chaplin, Sophia Loren, Pablo Picasso, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, etc.), writers, and the powerful. Orson Welles wrote there, Proust was mentioned there, although he never stayed there. Woody Allen shot scenes from Midnight in Paris, released in 2011, there. More recently, Beyoncé, Madonna, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio have booked suites there, away from prying eyes.
With the palace located just a stone’s throw from the biggest fashion houses, the hotel has become a meeting place for models, fashion designers, and influential fashion editors such as Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, and the late Karl Lagerfeld.
It was at Le Bristol that billionaire Aristotle Onassis proposed to Jackie Kennedy. It is also said that John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed there incognito and that Prince Rainier of Monaco organized his romantic rendezvous there.
As for the powerful, the corridors of the palace have seen many of the heads of state visiting Paris pass through. Jacques Chirac enjoyed dining there. And it is said that a French president once discreetly spent the night there to escape the turmoil of the Élysée Palace during a marital crisis…
A model of independence and high standards
What makes the Bristol Paris so unique? Its independence. Far from global hotel chains, it has been owned since 1978 by the German industrialist Oetker family (who also own the Brenners Park and Cap Eden-Roc). Far from seeking standardization, the Oetker family has chosen to provide excellent service, embodied by its loyal staff, some of whom have been working there for 30 years.
In 1979, extension on the garden side, in the former convent of the Sisters of Good Hope ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
The renovation of the palace in the 2000s, carried out without closing the hotel completely, added a new wing (the Matignon garden) while preserving the soul of the establishment: 18th-century woodwork, Aubusson tapestries, period furniture. Le Bristol has never succumbed to the trend for cold, minimalist design. Guests enter as if they were stepping into a bourgeois apartment steeped in history.
From Fa-Raon to Socrates: felines in residence, a royal tradition
Photo of Fa-Raon ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
In 2010, an unexpected figure appeared on the palace scene: Fa-Raon, a sacred Burmese cat, adopted by the communications director to brighten up the staff’s days and charm the guests. Settling in as a laid-back mascot, Fa-Raon quickly became a star: he had his own Louis XVI chairs, a porcelain bowl, a photo shoot for Vogue, and even an official badge.
Photo of Socrate ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
In 2021, Fa-Raon retired, and Socrate, another Sacred Birman, took over. At home on the grand marble staircase and in the bar armchairs, he embodies the soul of the place: elegant, free, and a touch haughty. Guests adore him. He even has his own Instagram account. But don’t be fooled, Socrate isn’t just there to pose: he takes part in tours, inspects the kitchens, and keeps the lobby calm. It is said that Socrate has a sixth sense for spotting stressed guests and offering them his calming presence. In this way, Socrate continues the feline tradition of Le Bristol, bringing a touch of tenderness and whimsy to this exceptional palace.
The setting for French art de vivre
View of the hotel from the interior garden ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
The Bristol Paris is above all a signature: that of a tailor-made welcome, small touches, sincere attention, a knowing smile, absolute comfort, and discreet elegance. Cuisine crafted to perfection, a hushed atmosphere, a culture of controlled spontaneity… Nothing is left to chance, everything is designed to create something exceptional.
Here, almost everything is homemade: pastries, bread, chocolates, ice cream… The bread is kneaded and baked on site every morning. For 25 years, the kitchen was orchestrated by three-star chef Éric Frechon, before he passed the torch in 2024 to Arnaud Faye, appointed executive chef at just 29 years old and who also earned his three stars in 2025. A brilliant successor, reflecting an establishment that knows how to combine tradition and daring. The pastries are created by the talented Maxence Barbot, a renowned pastry chef.
Maxence Barbot and Arnaud Faye ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
The Bristol Paris also boasts a 1,200 m² indoor garden, an unexpected haven of greenery in the heart of Paris, maintained like a private park, a rooftop swimming pool offering breathtaking views over the rooftops of the capital, a spa by La Mer, suites combining classic elegance and contemporary design, and regular collaborations with contemporary artists.
The hotel’s 650 employees, serving 190 rooms, including 100 suites, perpetuate every day what is known here, with pride and simplicity, as the French art of living.
A century celebrated with finesse
Candle and vaporizer in collaboration with Maison Trudon ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
When asked Luca Allegri, director of the Bristol Paris, what is the secret to the celebration? He replies, “Surprise! Here, we like to surprise our guests by cultivating an authentic relationship with them, but also through subtle events and daily attentions. The discreet and humble artistry of all our staff allows for gentle transformations. The decorative elements evolve harmoniously, the service in the dining room incorporates refined gestures, and above all, we anticipate our guests’ desires. That’s the secret.”
To mark this exceptional year, Le Bristol Paris has chosen to pay tribute to its history with the discretion and refinement that are its hallmarks. No ostentatious pomp, but a series of events, sensory surprises, and exclusive collaborations, faithful to its DNA of elegance and joie de vivre.
A photographic exhibition retraces the palace’s greatest moments, while an anniversary menu created by three-star chef Arnaud Faye revisits the Épicure’s iconic dishes, infusing them with a contemporary touch without betraying their spirit. Pastry chef Maxence Barbot completes this culinary score with an exclusive tea time, a true ode to the venue’s historic desserts. Through these initiatives, gastronomy becomes the common thread of a vibrant tribute: the chefs celebrate the excellence of Le Bristol by enhancing its classics with creativity, rigor, and respect for flavor.
Another powerful symbol is the Livre du Centenaire, a book in which the most loyal guests have been invited to write their memories. It contains precious anecdotes—marriage proposals, family reunions, moments suspended in time—fragments of a collective memory that bear witness to the warm soul of the place.
A new visual identity has also been created, with a centenary logo affixed to everyday objects such as matchboxes, letterheads, and souvenir boxes.
Refined partnerships have been forged, such as a capsule collection with Sporty & Rich, a new fragrance called Honoré designed with Maison Trudon (available in candles and spray form), and a tribute book by Laure Verchère published by Éditions Flammarion, due out in September for the literary season (Le Bristol Paris, ode à un art de vivre).
Multisensory experiences engage all five senses: a vinyl record tracing each decade of the palace, chocolate creations, an exclusive Tata Harper treatment at the spa, and a signature scent diffused throughout the corridors.
And finally, immersive events are planned for 2025: a summer garden party last June, a gastronomic journey to Japan led by Arnaud Faye, a gala dinner bringing together the 100 most loyal guests in November, and even a life-size Cluedo game in the fall, where guests are invited to find Socrates, the Bristol’s famous cat, who has disappeared for the occasion…
The future: modernity and loyalty
The Imperial Suite ©Hôtel Le Bristol Paris
“As true artisans of tailor-made hospitality, we have cultivated timeless elegance while looking to the future. Our quest for innovation will carry us into the next 100 years,” says Luca Allegri, president of Bristol Paris. This statement perfectly sums up the hotel’s philosophy: preserving the soul of the place while keeping it firmly rooted in the present.
Rooted in tradition, Le Bristol Paris remains firmly focused on the future. Its environmental commitment has been significantly strengthened: a permaculture vegetable garden on the roof, the gradual elimination of single-use plastics, eco-friendly cleaning products, locally sourced cuisine… Every gesture counts, without ever compromising on comfort or high standards.
The recent redesign of the Imperial Suite by George Condo, a leading figure in contemporary art, illustrates this subtle alliance between heritage and modernity. Through this bold project, Le Bristol proves that it knows how to evolve without ever betraying what makes it unique.
In 2025, as it celebrates a century of excellence, Le Bristol Paris continues to attract a new generation of travelers seeking a more sensitive, intimate, and less ostentatious form of luxury. Here, they rediscover what many thought was lost: sincere and ultra-personalized service, a sense of timelessness, and the rare pleasure of being recognized, expected, and pampered. At a time when luxury hotels are tending toward uniformity, Le Bristol Paris cultivates the art of difference, a unique way of experiencing luxury, between living memory and a promising future.
A palace can impress, dazzle, and amaze. But few, like Le Bristol Paris, know how to touch the heart. A hundred years after its opening, it does not seek to dominate the Parisian scene, but to be its faithful witness. Neither flashy nor rigid, Le Bristol remains a home. An exceptional home, yes, but one where you can still come across a pianist rehearsing in the lounge, a cat dozing in an armchair, or a maid who greets you by name.
One hundred years old and not a wrinkle in sight – just the patina of true luxury: that of time, memory, and hospitality.
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Featured photo: Bristol Paris
