The Hotel Ritz in Paris (France) on the “Place Vendôme”, close to the French Ministry of Justice really is one of the world's most prestigious hotels. It was established in 1898 and is part of a unique XVIIIth century block of buildings on a square (“Place” in French) designed by the great architect Jules Hardouin Mansart. The whole Place Vendôme is in the same symmetrical style and in the center the column topped by Napoleon is another Parisian symbol. The luxury hotel was created by César Ritz who gave his name to this fabulous palace where opulence prevails with fine dining and great service, offering 161 rooms, a restaurant and two bars. A night at the “Suite Empire” costs 12 000 euros.
Tha façade is on the square and rooms also overlook the gardens at the back. The bar was named after Ernest Hemingway, said to have liberated the hotel at the end of WWII. Numerous wealthy persons from all over the world stayed or are staying here, for instance French writer Marcel Proust, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Reza Shah of Iran, Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Jean-Paul Sartre, Lady Diana or Sir Elton John. The large rooms offer both elegant French classical furniture and modern comfort. The hotel was decorated in the Louis XVI style by Charles Mewès who drew his inspiration from Versailles and Fontainebleau châteaux. The so famous couturier Coco Chanel lived here from 1935 to 1971. She used to call the palace “her home”.
Her Royal Highness Lady Diana stayed here when she so suddenly passed away in a car accident in the “Pont de l'Alma” tunnel on August 31, 1997. The hotel was bought from the Ritz family in 1979 by Mohammed Al-Fayed who opened a Gastronomy School by the name of Auguste Escoffier (1847-1935) “The Emperor of Cooks”. Lady Diana's companion Dodi Al-Fayed was the son of the present proprietor.
The Ritz Hotel was featured in Billy Wilder's film “Love in the Afternoon” (1957) with Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper. Recently, Robert Langdon stayed at the hotel in “The Da Vinci Code”, as well as Andrea Sachs and Miranda Priestly in “The Devil wears Prada” by Lauren Weisberger.
Before you leave the gilt decoration and fine furniture and the “ritzy” atmosphere, saunter along the Place Vendôme. You cannot miss all the great names in jewelry such as Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpel, Chaumet, Patek Philippe, Boucheron, Dior, or Chanel. Of course, you cannot wait to bathe again in the Graeco-Roman pool and buy presents in the so glamorous shopping gallery (110 meters long), a summary of the “Rue Saint-Honoré” in the Hotel. And what about a “Peach Melba”? It was invented here in the Ritz by Escoffier for the Australian soprano cantatrice Nelly Melba. Originally white peaches were served with vanilla ice-cream. Have a nice stay in Paris and don't be shy to “put on the ritz”, for the occasion only!
The “Hotel Ritz”, Paris (France).
The “Place Vendôme”, Paris (France).
