Hôtel Le Bristol

Although this grande dame—just east of the Place Charles de Gaulle—is done up in a style that’s pure French fantasy (endless toile fabric and Rococo furniture), management hasn’t skipped touches of cool, like Smart cars (available for shopping excursions). The on-site Anne Sémonin spa has a cult following for its jet-lag facials, and pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez is a star in his own right. Other amenities—Hermès robes laid out in the city’s largest bathrooms, a sizable (13,000 square feet) formal garden that’s scented with magnolias in spring, and personalized bouquets created by the hotel’s florists upon request—round out the experience.