It may be just one of the almost criminally large number of Paris grand hotels, but Le Bristol manages to distinguish itself with an elegant-but-quirky character. Blame that on its history -- the mid-18th-century building was originally a home and didn't become a hotel until 1925 -- and on the fact that it's a favorite with those in the city's omnipresent fashion industry (especially as it's close to shops like Hermès). Today, Le Bristol attempts -- usually successfully -- to bridge the gap between its more traditional clientele and the hip fashionistas who set up shop here.
