“ We looked at the hotel that Was OpEn fOr 114 yEarS and asked hoW We could make it betteR . theRe WeRe a lot of stRong , elegant , histoRic elements but theRe WeRe also some Weaknesses that needed to be bRought uP to 2016 standaRds ."
Regional PRofile : EuropE
Ritz PaRis ,
ciRca 2016
The ritz paris first opened its doors to guests in 1898 on the place Vendôme and has hosted a long list of a-List guests including Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway .
For General Manager Christian Boyens and his team at the Ritz Paris , quality wins over quantity . The legendary hotel closed on August 1 , 2012 , for a major restoration by architect Thierry Despont , and is getting ready to welcome guests again in early 2016 .
Among the changes was a reduction in room keys to 142 , previously 159 , with 71 guestrooms and 71 suites . Rooms will continue to embody their original opulent empire style , but also include improvements that cater to modern travelers such as double-vanity sinks , heated floors and fiber-optic Internet .
Boyens , who spent about a decade in management positions at California ’ s Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica and The Peninsula Beverly Hills , explains the ambitious project is not meant to bring a second life to the hotel . Instead , it will continue the legend of the Ritz Paris while staying true to its historic DNA .
“ We looked at the hotel that was open for 114 years and asked how we could make it better ,” Boyens says . “ There were a lot of strong , elegant , historic elements but there were also some weaknesses that needed to be brought up to 2016 standards .”
“ We looked at the hotel that Was OpEn fOr 114 yEarS and asked hoW We could make it betteR . theRe WeRe a lot of stRong , elegant , histoRic elements but theRe WeRe also some Weaknesses that needed to be bRought uP to 2016 standaRds ."
- Christian Boyens , ritz Paris
Other key aspects of the project include the construction of a tunnel under the Place Vendôme to provide private hotel arrivals through the parking garage and a retractable roof that will transform the winter garden into a year-round patio . The Ritz Paris also purchased the adjacent former bank building to expand its spa and health club . Paying homage to Coco Chanel , who lived at the hotel for several years , the spa will be named “ Chanel au Ritz Paris ” and feature an exclusive area dedicated to Chanel skin care products .
The history and grandeur have also presented challenges during the renovation . Protecting the authenticity of the property requires daily problem solving and creativity .
“ We have to work with the city of Paris and the architects to respect all of the guidelines ," Boyens explains . “ It ' s a challenge to integrate the latest technologies when you can ' t just take the ceiling down , but instead work around it and keep the moldings in place .”
At press time , the Ritz Paris was preparing to start accepting reservations on March 14 , 2016 . However , Boyens is optimistic that the opening will move to earlier in the year .
32 HOTELS December 2015 www . hotelsmag . com