< FRANCE | PARIS: Ritz Paris

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A man of modest origins, César Ritz climbed every rung in his profession before opening his first hotel in his own name. A unique address and a marvel at the time, where every room was equipped with electricity, a telephone and a bathtub. With audacity and an inventive spirit, César Ritz marked his era.

Obsessed with detail and seconded by the architect Charles Frédéric Mewès, he designed a hotel that was modern, “hygienic and comfortable”. Romantic and lyrical, he assured that his hotel offered “all the refinements that a Prince might hope to find in his own private residence”. He invented the alliance of modernity with classicism. “You have created a chef-d’oeuvre”, his admiring investors exclaimed at the opening, adding, “Kings and Princes will be envious of you, Ritz. You’re going to teach the world how one should live”. Many years after, tradition remains.

The Ritz Paris is composed of two buildings: the former residence of the Duke of Lauzun and the Duke of Gramont, facing the place Vendôme, combined with a building at the back, facing the rue Cambon.

Since its opening on June 1, 1898, the Ritz Paris has been a symbol of elegance and the understated luxury of French art de vivre. The privacy and glamour of this unique environment immediately made it a gathering place for the greats of this world, royalty, artists and writers, first among them Marcel Proust and Ernest Hemingway. The 15 Prestige Suites recall certain of the Ritz’s most illustrious guests: Gabrielle Chanel, Marcel Proust, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Charlie Chaplin or Maria Callas.

The hotel is a listed Historic Monument with a landmark façade.

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