LUMIÈRE DE LUTETIA
LUMIÈRE DE LUTETIA
A PAINSTAKING RESTORATION OF PARIS ’ HÔTEL LUTETIA LIGHTS UP THE LEFT BANK .
Contributed by ALICIA SHEBER
The only “ grand hotel ” on Paris ’ Left Bank , the Hôtel Lutetia in Saint- Germain-des-Prés holds a remarkable place in the city ’ s heritage as well as the hearts of its residents . Wilmotte & Associés Architectes was given the daunting task of returning the landmark – named after Julius Caesar ’ s designation for the city – to its former glory .
A four-year architectural and interior design restoration has resulted in a contemporary but reverential transformation of what the studio ’ s founder and architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte calls “ the most Parisian spot ever .”
HISTORY RESTORED The Boucicaut family opened Hôtel Lutetia in 1910 . Owners of the world ’ s first department store , Le Bon Marché , they accommodated patrons traveling from country estates . Requisitioned during World War II , in time it again became a luxury hotel , and in 1955 was acquired by Taittinger . Following Taittinger ' s sale to Starwood Capital in 2005 , Starwood sold the hotel to Israel ’ s Alrov group in 2010 for US $ 171 million . The building closed for renovation in April 2014 and reopened in July ; costs for the project doubled from US $ 117 million to US $ 234 million .
Alrov also owns The Set , of which Hôtel Lutetia is the third address after the Conservatorium in Amsterdam and Hotel Café Royal in London . The group plans to grow to 10 to 12 properties , says Jean-Luc Cousty , who became GM of the Lutetia in 2008 and shepherded its transformation , along with Wilmotte and Borina Andrieu , the design studio ’ s managing director . “ We surveyed 190 guests , employees and people from Paris institutions to understand what was important to them ,” Cousty says .
“ The Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles from original architects Henri Tauzin and
44 hotelsmag . com November 2018