Historical Royal Hotels: The Ritz in Paris
The amazing Hôtel Ritz in Paris is located at the Place Vendôme (number 15) in
the first arrondissement of Paris. The hotel is ranked at the list of the
"Leading hotels of the world".
After a major renovation the Hôtel Ritz re-opened on 6 June 2016. Besides
these facts, the hotel really is an interesting place full of royal history.
Some (royal) history
On 7 June 1738, Cesar Ritz bought the building at the Place Vendôme number
15 to for fill his dream. The hotel was an immediate success, attracting a
distinguished and moneyed clientele headed by the Prince of Wales in 1897.
Ritz's innovative standards of hygiene demanded a bathroom for every suite,
the maximum possible amount of sunlight and the minimum of curtains and
other hangings.
The hotel opened on 1 June 1898 to a "glittering reception". Together with
Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, Ritz made the hotel synonymous with
opulence, service and fine dining.
During the summer of 1940, the Luftwaffe set up their headquarters at the
Ritz with their chief Hermann Göring.
Auguste Escoffier died in 1935 and Cesar Ritz died in 1976. After the death
of Cesar Ritz the hotel went into a period of slow decline.
In 1979 it was rescued by an Egyptian businessman, Mohamed Al-Fayed,
who gave the hotel a renovation.
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Al-Fayed 's son
Dodi Al-Fayed dined in the Imperial suite of the Hotel before leaving
the hotel with their chauffeur and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones
to have a fatal car accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel.
On 1 August 2012 the Ritz closed for the first time in its history for an
extensive restoration.
In the 21st. century the Ritz really is one of the "Leading hotels of the World".
The Ritz style
The Ritz was built in a classical architecture style from the end of the reign of
King Louis XIV of France. The façade was designed by the royal architect,
Mansart, in the late 17th. century.
Each guest room is uniquely decorated, most with Louis XIV or Louis XV
reproductions. There are famous suites as:
- The Elton John suite
- The Windsor suite (with portraits of the duke and duchess of Windsor)
- Coco Chanel suite
- The imperial suite (with an identical bed to that of Queen Marie-Antoinette
in the Versailles Palace).
Famous guests
Marcel Proust;
F. Scott Fitzgerald;
Ernest Hemingway;
King Edward VII of England;
Coco Chanel;
Queen Marie of Romania;
Elizabeth of Greece;
Maria of Yugoslavia;
Shah of Iran;
George H.W. Bush.
Nowadays
Now the Ritz is listed as number 356 from the 1830 hotels in Paris on
TripAdvisor (date: 21 April 2024).
the first arrondissement of Paris. The hotel is ranked at the list of the
"Leading hotels of the world".
After a major renovation the Hôtel Ritz re-opened on 6 June 2016. Besides
these facts, the hotel really is an interesting place full of royal history.
 |
| Ritz Hotel in Paris Entrance - own picture taken in 2017 |
Some (royal) history
On 7 June 1738, Cesar Ritz bought the building at the Place Vendôme number
15 to for fill his dream. The hotel was an immediate success, attracting a
distinguished and moneyed clientele headed by the Prince of Wales in 1897.
Ritz's innovative standards of hygiene demanded a bathroom for every suite,
the maximum possible amount of sunlight and the minimum of curtains and
other hangings.
The hotel opened on 1 June 1898 to a "glittering reception". Together with
Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, Ritz made the hotel synonymous with
opulence, service and fine dining.
During the summer of 1940, the Luftwaffe set up their headquarters at the
Ritz with their chief Hermann Göring.
Auguste Escoffier died in 1935 and Cesar Ritz died in 1976. After the death
of Cesar Ritz the hotel went into a period of slow decline.
In 1979 it was rescued by an Egyptian businessman, Mohamed Al-Fayed,
who gave the hotel a renovation.
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Al-Fayed 's son
Dodi Al-Fayed dined in the Imperial suite of the Hotel before leaving
the hotel with their chauffeur and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones
to have a fatal car accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel.
 |
| Ritz hotel in Paris - own picture taken in 2017 |
On 1 August 2012 the Ritz closed for the first time in its history for an
extensive restoration.
In the 21st. century the Ritz really is one of the "Leading hotels of the World".
 |
| Ritz hotel in Paris, France - own picture taken in 2017 |
The Ritz style
The Ritz was built in a classical architecture style from the end of the reign of
King Louis XIV of France. The façade was designed by the royal architect,
Mansart, in the late 17th. century.
Each guest room is uniquely decorated, most with Louis XIV or Louis XV
reproductions. There are famous suites as:
- The Elton John suite
- The Windsor suite (with portraits of the duke and duchess of Windsor)
- Coco Chanel suite
- The imperial suite (with an identical bed to that of Queen Marie-Antoinette
in the Versailles Palace).
 |
| Ritz Hotel in Paris, own picture taken in 2017 |
Famous guests
Marcel Proust;
F. Scott Fitzgerald;
Ernest Hemingway;
King Edward VII of England;
Coco Chanel;
Queen Marie of Romania;
Elizabeth of Greece;
Maria of Yugoslavia;
Shah of Iran;
George H.W. Bush.
Nowadays
Now the Ritz is listed as number 356 from the 1830 hotels in Paris on
TripAdvisor (date: 21 April 2024).
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