THE LEGENDARY RITZ PARIS REOPENS AFTER EXTENSIVE 4 YEAR RENOVATION

By: Christian Stan | 9 June, 2016

The 117-year-old landmark closed in 2012 for a top-to-bottom restoration by celebrated architect and designer Thierry W. Despont. The grand hotel now features a 50-50 ratio of suites to rooms; a renovated Bar Hemingway, dedicated to the novelist and frequent guest; the world’s first and only Chanel Spa and a tunnel from the parking facility to the hotel for private VIP entrances. Behind the walls, the latest in technology has been added throughout the hotel while great care has been taken to ensure that “the Ritz will always be the Ritz.”

The four-year renovation, rumoured to have cost more than US$450million, resulted in not only new plumbing, heating and cooling for the almost 120 year old palace but a complete update of rooms, restaurants and bars.

 

Located on Place Vendome in the heart of Paris, Ritz Paris reopens with 142 accommodations, an impressive 71 of which are suites. Fifteen suites are named in honor of famed hotel guests, including Ernest Hemingway, the Duke of Winsor, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Coco Chanel, who resided at the Ritz Paris for 34 years. Accommodations are furnished with museum-quality antiques that have been expertly restored, and bathrooms offer TVs, heated floors, plus a separate shower and bath. Two lush gardens span a city block, providing hotel guests with an oasis in the city’s center. A retractable roof and heated floors enable guests to dine on the terrace year round.

The property offers three restaurants and three bars, including L’Espadon for a gastronomic experience under the direction of Chef Nicolas Sale; a magnetic gathering and dining spot called Bar Vendome; a new informal bistro named the Ritz Bar; the beloved Bar Hemingway; and the Salon Proust, a new lobby feature with book-lined walls and afternoon tea service. The two-story Ritz Club, renovated extensively, is the world’s only spa with an area dedicated to the Chanel art of skincare. Guests will enjoy a neoclassic indoor swimming pool, hammam and sauna, and state-of-the-art fitness facilities.

With the reopening, Ritz Paris becomes one of the most expensive hotels in the world, with rooms starting from EUR 2300 per night.