Historic luxury hotels such as the Claridge and the Ritz invest in facelifts as Asian hospitality groups gain ‘palace’ listings
The hotel bar where Ernest Hemingway used to while away the hours is now a Starbucks cafe. The swimming pool no longer exists. But the five-star Claridge hotel on the Champs-Elysées has restored the 110 rooms and suites above, where glitterati such as Edith Piaf, Coco Chanel and Marlene Dietrich once stayed, to celebrate its centenary.
The Claridge, the model for Georges Simenon’s Hotel Majestic in his Maigret books, remained open during its latest refurbishment, which took place one floor at a time. It is not alone in its revamp, as other so-called “palaces” of Paris carry out major renovations to fight off a challenge from big Asian hospitality groups.
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