The Ritz Paris reopens its iconic doors

Originally estimated to cost 140 million euros (£109m), the update did not go entirely to plan, with the relaunch delayed by three months due to a fire in January which damaged two suites and parts of the roof. Owned by Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, the Place Vendôme hotel boats an illustrious history, with a number of famous faces gracing its opulent rooms, bars and corridors during its 117-year life-span. Ernest Hemingway drank enough at the hotel’s most famous bar - which has been refurbished during the recent closure - for it to be after him in 1994, whilst famed French fashion designer Coco Chanel lived in one of the hotel’s suites for a full 35 years. The top-to-bottom restoration was overseen by celebrated architect and designer Thierry W. Despont. The grand hotel now features 142 rooms, including 71 suites, 15 of which are named in honour of famed guests, including Hemingway, the Duke of Winsor, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Coco Chanel; a renovated Bar Hemingway; the world's first and only Chanel Spa; and a tunnel from the parking facility to the hotel for private VIP entrances. In addition to Bar Hemingway, the Ritz Paris has three restaurants and two other bars. Accommodations have been furnished with museum-quality antiques, whilst bathrooms offer TVs, heated floors, and a separate shower and bath. Two lush gardens provide hotel guests with an oasis in the city's centre, and a retractable roof and heated floors enable guests to dine on the terrace year round. The hotel’s renovations have also brought the property up to date, with brand-new plumbing, heating and cooling systems, and high-speed Wi-Fi all being installed. Other additions include an underground ballroom; a 21,500-square-foot garden; and the Salon Proust - named after writer Marcel Proust, who liked the hotel so much he came there for dinner practically every day - where guests can enjoy afternoon tea. Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "When I dream of afterlife in heaven, the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz." And now that it has once again opened its doors, there is sure to be plenty more action at this most mythical of Paris hotels. With the clientele it attracts, that is for certain. You can check prices and availability for the Ritz Paris

here.