RITZ PARIS

Recognized as the pinnacle of luxury, the Ritz Paris hotel has remained, since its founding, one of the most brilliant symbols of the French Art de Vivre. Opened on June 1, 1898, it was an instant sensation and quickly became the meeting place for European society, eminent bankers and the new fortunes from across the Atlantic. Now, over a hundred years on, little has changed with the hotel still retaining its unique position among the top hotels of the world.

The Ritz has 159 rooms, including 56 apartments and 6 prestige suites, and a staff of nearly 600. All rooms are equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, flat screen television, radio, mini-bar, telephone, WIFI Internet access while a video-on- demand system is also available in all rooms.

Sumptuously decorated and endowed with every modern comfort, the hotel's six prestige suites are still reminiscent of the personalities and famous clients who frequented them. Among the illustrious names who have stayed here are Ernest Hemingway, after whom a bar in the hotel was named, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marcel Proust, King Edward VII, Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Maurice Chevalier, Jean-Paul Sartre, Elton John, and of course Coco Chanel who made the Ritz her home for more than thirty years.

The Ritz Health Club boasts the largest and, undoubtedly, the most beautiful private swimming pool in Paris (measuring 8 by 17 meters). It is a pool inspired by Mohamed Al Fayed's admiration for the English painter Alma Tadema. Whether for relaxation, workouts or beauty treatments, the Ritz Health Club represents a completely different approach to fitness. The 1700 square meters of ultra-modern facilities, fitted with the most recent technological innovations, are decorated with trompe-l'oeil swags, warm tones and frescos, to create an environment of ancient baths. A restaurant-bar on the mezzanine overlooking the pool, offers a choice of classic or low-calorie cuisine. Massages are also a specialty of the Ritz Health Club: Shiatsu, Swedish massage or relaxation massages, the a la carte massages also draw upon different manual techniques of body massage and have contributed to the reputation of this centre.

For private dining the Ritz has a multitude of banqueting rooms including the famed Salon Louis XV. Certain events demand a prestigious setting, something quite out of the ordinary and the Salon Louis XV offers just such a solemn setting steeped in history. Pure Versailles in style, this is the salon of the great conferences, where some of the most famous agreements of our time have been signed.

The hotel's setting, its refinement and decoration are so renowned throughout the world that it has given rise to what some now refer to as the 'Ritz Style'. More than a hotel, the Ritz Paris is a second home for those guests who appreciate the very finest things in life.