THE HISTORY OF A RESIDENCE, THE HISTORY OF FRANCE

An Aristocratic legacy

Hôtel de Crillon is one of the jewels of Place de la Concorde, and their stories are intertwined.  It was Louis XV who, in 1755, commissioned the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel to design the Place Louis XV - which became Place de la Concorde - to showcase his equestrian statue. At the same time, the sovereign signed deeds authorising the sale of the surrounding land.

The Duc d'Aumont, who held the rank of Premier gentilhomme de la chambre du roi - First Gentleman of the King's Chamber - bought a plot of land at number 10 on the Place. He hired Louis François Trouard as architect and Pierre-Adrien Pâris as designer, painter, architect and collector. The latter designed the interior of the house in the very epitome of 18th-century style, with woodwork, friezes and mirrors. The ceilings of the main reception rooms, now listed as Historic Monuments, date from this period.

In April 1788, the Count of Crillon became the owner of the property. Imprisoned and then released after the Revolution, Monsieur le Comte left Paris for his own safety from 1802 to 1811. Presaging its future glories, for a short period during those nine years, his residence became a hotel under the name of Courlande. Elevated to the rank of Duke and Peer of France, Crillon returned to his home. In 1895, the Polignac family, who had inherited Hôtel de Crillon, commissioned architect Charles Lenormand to restore the Grand Salon, the dining room and the facade, which was listed in 1896.

A new destiny

In 1904, the Société du Louvre bought Hôtel de Crillon from the Duchess de Polignac's heirs to transform it into a prestigious hotel. The company sold a great deal of the furniture and decor, including the sublime boudoir designed by Pâris, which is now in the Met in New York. On March 12, 1909, the first guests arrived to enjoy the French art of living at Hôtel de Crillon.

After the armistice in 1918, Hôtel de Crillon became part of history. It was here that, in early 1919, the international delegations laid down the foundations of the League of Nations. During the Second World War, Hôtel de Crillon, initially the headquarters of the Allied forces, was requisitioned by the German military command.

A series of renovations

In 1954, Hôtel de Crillon was acquired by the Taittinger family, owners of the famous Champagne House. The avant-garde collections of Pierre Cardin and the British designer Mary Quant were shown in the salons of Hôtel de Crillon. It also served as a meeting place for artists and personalities of the time: Peggy Guggenheim, Leonard Bernstein, the sculptor César, Sonia Rykiel and Cocteau - to name a few - were regulars at the Palace. In 1992, Andy Warhol, the king of pop art and a regular guest, honoured the Debutante Ball with his presence.

In 1982, Jean Taittinger, President of the Société du Louvre, asked his friend, the fashion designer Sonia Rykiel, to update the interior design. She put her mark on it with yellows and reds in an Art Deco style.  The sculptor César designed a monumental bar sheathed in a mosaic of faceted mirrors. The 18th century elements, other than the listed items, disappeared over the course of these renovations. Fifty years after its acquisition, the Taittinger family sold its shares in the Hôtel de Crillon to Starwood Capital Group, which five years later were sold to a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family.

The 21st Century

On March 31, 2013, Hôtel de Crillon closed its doors for the biggest restoration in its history. Four years of work.

KEY FIGURES WORKING ON THE RESTORATION

Richard Martinet: project manager

Richard Martinet, founder of the architecture and design agency Affine Design and a specialist in the restoration of high-profile buildings throughout the world, has enhanced the 18th-century building, including the decor of the sumptuous historic reception rooms on the second floor, and that of the bar, all of which are listed as heritage monuments. He and his team were responsible for the restoration of both the exterior and interior structure, and drew up a very detailed inventory of all the listed elements and protected areas, in close collaboration with the Architectes des Bâtiments de France and the Commission du Vieux Paris, which is responsible for the city's heritage and urban planning policy. As the project's main architect, he explains that he “wrote part of the script before leaving the directing to others”.

Aline Asmar d'Amman: artistic director, creator of exceptional interiors

Lebanese by birth, Parisian at heart, the architect was the artistic director of the renovation of Hôtel de Crillon and, with her agency “Culture in Architecture”, designed the interior architecture of the Signature Marie-Antoinette, Duc de Crillon and Jardin suites, as well as the decor of the prestigious Salons Historiques, which overlook the Place de la Concorde. Aline Asmar d'Amman created the project's key decorative themes, building bridges between the 18th and 21st centuries, with daring and modernity, while maintaining full respect for the building’s heritage; and the designers Tristan Auer, Chahan Minassian and Cyril Vergniol created alongside her, ensuring consistency and balance. Karl Lagerfeld, working closely as guest of honour with Aline Asmar d'Amman, designed the Signature Suites known as “Les Grands Appartements”, infusing them with his learning and love of the 18th century. 

Karl Lagerfeld: a dream come true

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld always dreamed of designing a hotel. At the request of Aline Asmar d’Amman, the designer agreed to oversee the design of Nobile 2, on the 4th floor, a series of suites looking onto the Place de la Concorde. He brought his expertise in luxury craftsmanship and his personal vision, and the “Grands Appartements” became an unprecedented testimony to his love for the 18th century and his perfect mastery of the French art of living. And, because Karl Lagerfeld likes to surprise, next to the Grands Appartements is Choupette, a delightful room named after his cat.

Tristan Auer: eclectic chic

“Restoring the nobility of this remarkable 18th-century residence was a story built around sensuality and alchemy,” confides Tristan Auer. The designer applied his signature refined aestheticism to the reception area, designed without a front desk, the Conciergerie, the lobby, the brasserie, and the hairdressing salon, which features alcoves, one lined with peacock feathers and black feathers, very much in the style of Madame de Pompadour. Tristan Auer also discovered and redesigned Hôtel de Crillon’s courtesy vehicles, including a 1973 DS Pallas, which is available to guests for trips around Paris with a driver.

Chahan Minassian: the aesthete's eye

Heading up the renovation of most of the dining areas (he redesigned the Jardin d'Hiver, L'Ecrin and the bar Les Ambassadeurs), Chahan Minassian has played on the contrast of materials, semi-precious stones, sumptuous fabrics, and the subtle marriage of design and contemporary style, particularly in the bar Les Ambassadeurs, formerly the gourmet restaurant, which has now become a trendy, chic lounge. Chahan Interior Design, his studio, also designed the private tasting cellar and created a Spa with an exceptional swimming pool. He reinterpreted the Bernstein and Louis XV Signature Suites, and then, where there were formerly offices under the eaves, created three suites offering a fabulous, clear view over the city and which, when booked exclusively, provide a perfectly Parisian apartment.

Cyril Vergniol: detail in focus

The architect/interior designer renovated all the rooms and suites other than the ten Signature Suites, taking an art connoisseur approach, enhancing the decor with an eclectic selection of objects, photos and paintings, “a sort of studio with a lovely organised chaos” as he put it.

In the grand tradition of patronage of the arts

Hôtel de Crillon is maintaining the heritage of the aristocrats and merchants who have always been patrons of the arts. More than five hundred original items have been carefully preserved and used in the decor in their original state or with a new twist. Curator Fru Tholstrup, formerly director of Sotheby’s flagship London Art Gallery, S|2, and Jane Neal, fellow curator and a friend, worked closely with the interior designers, adding contemporary works to the collection, with a focus on emerging artists represented by major galleries. The whole collection of more than a thousand works of art, arranged in each room just like in a private residence, creates a natural artistic journey in perfect harmony with the architecture and decor.

Louis Benech: dreaming of a garden...

Louis Benech, whose discretion belies his star landscaper status, took up the challenge of planting for this unique residence, which has courtyards instead of gardens. “The Cour d'Honneur is an outside space, albeit formal and mineral, it still has to look the part”. Orange crate boxes planted with Camellia are very welcome... and the walls are covered with star jasmine, an evergreen climber with fragrant flowers. The Cour Gabriel, more Parisian, is centred on the lightwell and fountain-like water jets which illuminate the swimming pool. The look is completed by exuberant, fresh and abundant greenery, almost tropical, which for a moment makes you travel away from Paris...

Hugo Matha: Farewell to uniforms, and farewell to uniformity

Hugo Matha, a young designer, was asked to design the staff's outfits, and he led with a casually chic note: no ties, instead, silk scarves with the colour indicating the staff member's role. A really fashionable wardrobe, but with a focus on the primary function: practicality. His couture approach has made Hôtel de Crillon an ambassador for French fashion.

Djorde Varda - flowers as works of art

This gifted and sensitive artist, who lives most of the year in Saint-Barthélemy, works with his team to make the Palace truly bloom. “Highlighting French floral art and creating a link with the courtyards that Louis Benech has landscaped is a constant pleasure. I have developed a collection of vases and a unique rose variety named after Hôtel de Crillon. I have obtained exclusive access to rare orchids with particular colours, to denote a genuinely 5-star environment”.

HÔTEL DE CRILLON, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL

A management style in tune with the times

Rosewood has been chosen by the owners of Hôtel de Crillon to run the Palace. Sonia Cheng, CEO of the Group, sums up her philosophy with passion and humility: “For me, Hôtel de Crillon is Paris. A showcase, a living testament to its architecture and knowledge. It represents the best of its craft, its art of living, its gastronomy, and its 'terroir'. It is a distillation of history right back to the 18th century. Owned by aristocratic families for generations, the Palace reflects our philosophy “A Sense of place®”. When you walk into Hôtel de Crillon, you are walking into the Palace's history and the history of France.  Rosewood, with its collection and its teams, has all the elements to provide customer satisfaction for what I call the influential explorers, trendsetters. We need to know their tastes and preferences, which are constantly changing, in order to stay in tune with this community and offer them a range of locations that meet their requirements”. Today, Rosewood is expanding significantly in Europe and is a pioneer in this approach, choosing its projects and destinations to reinforce this positioning. It is appreciated for its discreet luxury, the quality of its service, the way all of its hotels are entirely part of their environment, just as Hôtel de Crillon is.”

Customised rooms and suites

Three designers with very distinct styles, Aline Asmar d'Amman, Chahan Minassian, Cyril Vergniol and the great couturier Karl Lagerfeld, have totally rethought the guest rooms, setting these areas apart with their originality, diversity, and the quality of the furniture and textiles.

To better respond to guest requirements, the number of keys has been reduced to create more suites. Hôtel de Crillon now offers 78 rooms and 46 suites, including 10 signature suites. The most prestigious are the two suites forming Les Grands Appartements, designed by Karl Lagerfeld, on the fourth floor, with a view of the Place de la Concorde, custom-designed furniture and a marble bathroom - the most elegant and spectacular in Paris - and the amusing Choupette room with a floor design reminiscent of scratch marks from the Birman cat which the designer was passionate about.

In a completely different but equally remarkable style, the three suites under the eaves known as the Ateliers d'Artistes - The Writer, The Poet and The Painter studios - designed by Chahan Minassian, transport us to intellectual and bohemian Paris.

Whether they look over the Place de la Concorde or the inner courtyards, all suites and rooms have butler service.

Listed rooms for unique events

The series of rooms, Salon Marie-Antoinette, Salon des Batailles and Salon des Aigles, which look onto the Place de la Concorde, are listed as historical monuments and have retained their original character. Aline Asmar d'Amman has rethought them respecting this: the three reception rooms offer one of the most beautiful reception spaces in Paris. Modular and communicating, they are equally suitable for an intimate dinner or large private or professional events.

Epicurean, hedonistic and... unexpected palace

A far cry from the five-star hotels frozen in their past glory, Hôtel de Crillon is perfectly in line with Rosewood's philosophy, with firm roots in its city, Paris, and anchored in its time, the 21st century.

Bar Les Ambassadeurs: a classic name, and painted ceiling on the listed heritage register. It features a trendy, offbeat, musical atmosphere, with live music on selected evenings, and an original menu of signature cocktails.

Adjacent to it is the Jardin d’Hiver, a hub open to all the public spaces and the Cour d'Honneur. With its soft velvets, discreet lights, and intimacy, it is lively during breakfast, lunch and also dinner, including a selection of delightful tapas and in between offering snacks or aperitifs, with a savoury and sweet menu to satisfy every liking, and a mood that changes depending on the time and the guests. The mouth-watering desserts are prepared by Pastry Chef Matthieu Carlin, while the afternoon tea adds the finishing touch to the culinary experience with its refined selection of delicious canapés.

In 2023, the idea was to reintroduce, with renewed energy, a concept once mastered by ultra‑luxury hotels: the French grill. Nonos par Paul Pairet is a lively, city dining room serving a traditional French cuisine with a twist. Adjoining Nonos, discover the audacity of a chic deli at Comestibles par Paul Pairet: Chicken Caesar, grilled croque-monsieur, French steak sandwich, oysters, fish, cheese and much more…

Butterfly Pâtisserie, the new gourmet space in the hotel located in the heart of Paris, showcases delicacies, artful cakes, seasonal desserts and signature chocolates in a gleaming high jewellery atelier setting.

There is also La Cave for tastings and tailor-made dinners, and of course, a classic room service list. This succession of reception rooms with a great variety of designer decor was created by Chahan Minassian.

Sense, A Rosewood Spa: for him and her

The thousand-and-one-nights style atmosphere of Sense, A Rosewood Spa created by Chahan Minassian, features marble in shades of nude, Venetian plaster, stone-encrusted stucco, ceramics, and offers a menu of therapies and beauty treatments, combining the therapists' skills with the expertise of prestigious French brands such as Maison Caulières and EviDenS de Beauté. Personalised is the keyword at Sense Spa. It combines ancestral recipes and current state-of-the-art techniques to offer the very best. At the heart of this wellness area: a hammam, a sauna and a revitalising and detoxifying salt wall, which sit alongside the long boudoir pool line lit by a long glass roof and with walls boasting a fresco by Peter Lane. Since 2024, a new treatment cabin by EvidenS de Beauté was launched by offering unique rituals combining technical excellence with the pleasure of the senses.

The fitness studio, with overstitched suede pillars and mirrors opening out the space, holds the best equipment, and personal trainers build tailor-made programmes for both beginners and those more experienced in sports.

Signed by David Lucas, the hairdressing salon

Located within the Spa, in a peaceful salon designed by Tristan Auer, David Lucas, a renowned hairdresser adored by his clients, wields his skilful scissors with dexterity for personalised cuts and his “brushes” for meticulous colours and highlights with an ultra-natural finish. His team is trained to the same high standards. The quality of the welcome and the ability to listen are part of the DNA of the establishment, as are the key words: skill and elegance... They also offer shavings and haircuts for men, with the very same professionalism.