As a French guy passionates about luxury, I always wanted to stay in the jewel, the king, the legend of hotels worldwide: Ritz Paris. And the dream has finally come true after years of patience, waiting for the end of its renovation works started in 2012.
It’s after a pharaonic 4-year renovation period – which costed 400 millions of Euros and overseen by Thierry Despont designer – that Ritz Paris reopened its doors in June 2016. This location was not only a five-star hotel before that, but also a legend for both hospitality market and worldwide history; its name has always been an evocation of perfection while all past or present celebrities, royalties, world leaders ever stayed there to enjoy the “luxe à la française”.
As you can imagine I was really impatient to visit the Ritz Paris and see if reality was up to the myth. Let’s break the suspense: this is by far, I mean BY FAR, the best place I ever stayed in. In term of living, accommodation, dining or service quality, the simple fact to give a rank would be an insult to the fantastic work done by its teams. Wow, wow and wow again.
Living
The result of renovation works on common areas goes actually far beyond what I expected and really honors the glory of Ritz Paris.
Ritz Paris main entrance
The main entrance is pretty small on Place Vendome but once you pass through it you enter a huge cocoon of pure luxury and classy opulence: stones, marble, gold, ,glassware, art pieces… An incredible showcase for French Art. Despite this opulence the hotel is warm and invites guests to relaxation, once you pass the “show off” phase.
Ritz Club indoor pool
Among the long list of deeply refurbished places, I particularly noticed the Salon Proust, the Eiffel-style glass canopy over the Bar Vendome, the vast courtyard garden – new design inspired by Le Notre – and of course the large indoor pool area at Ritz Club. This hotel is now THE place to be and be seen in Paris.
Accommodation
We have been upgraded from an Executive to a Prestige Apartment – #134 – located on 1st floor and overlooking the stunning Place Vendome.
Prestige Apartment bedroom with 6-meter high ceiling
I am not sure how many Wow factors I had when entering the room for the first time, but for sure I had one for the 6-meter high ceiling, one for the view, one for the gold-coated faucets in bathroom and one for the overall neoclassic decoration finishes… This room was REALLY amazing; believe me I searched a lot but I couldn’t find even a small negative point.
Prestige apartment bathroom gold-coated faucet
Equipment was top notch, as expected: TV in the mirror with built-in Ritz Paris entertainment system, touch screen for room and phone control, direct button making the link with housekeeping, jacuzzi bathtub with gold-coated faucets and premium bath amenities, etc. Of course furnitures and art pieces are absolutely authentic in all room which definitely consolidates the opulent ambiance.
Dining
L’Espadon restaurant was already a Parisian institution before the renovation period and it seems the new Chef Nicolas Sale is going to pursue that legacy. The new decoration is lighter but still composed of woodwork, draperies and crystal chandelier for an opulent luxury atmosphere.
Breakfast at L’Espadon restaurant
We had the privilege to enjoy an a-la-carte American breakfast there – invoiced EUR60/pers. – and that was a great culinary experience. Everything was obviously fresh and homemade, I especially liked the honey pancakes and farm yoghurt. I am convinced that lunch and dinner must be outstanding.
Level of exigency
Service quality is definitely a key point that made Ritz Paris famous throughout its history, and I can confirm it still offers an unparalleled level of service today. All staff members, from reception to housekeeping and restaurant, have been graduated from prestigious hospitality schools worldwide and that’s clearly visible: from the moment you enter the lobby they will proactively answer your needs in the most elegant and smartest way until you leave the place, whatever you come for a night, a lunch or a Spa massage.
Honestly, service and facility qualities greatly contributed to make our stay unforgettable at Ritz Paris
Stay from January 2nd to 3rd, 2017 – Non-sponsored media visit.
The Ritz Paris opened its doors originally in 1898; it re-opened in June 2016 after 4 years of huge renovation works and is now composed of 142 room and suites. We stayed in a Prestige Apartment – around 50sqm large – which public rates starts at EUR1700/night.
Ritz Paris – Book
Address:
15 place Vendome,
75001 Paris, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ritzparis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_RitzParis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritzparis/
