Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France


Slideshow | Lightbox (23 pictures) Tags: France   hotels   ParisPosted: 01/19/2010 by Val

Hotel de Crillon Paris, France at night. This photo clearly illustrates that the hotel occupies only half of the building on The Place de la Concorde. The second half hosts The Automobile Club of France, or simply ACF. To be accurate, I have to note that the so-called Hotel de Coislin is also located in the same building. It is known as a place where on February 6, 1778 France, first of all nations, recognized the independence of the United States.

View on Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) at night from Place de la Concorde, one of the major public squares in Paris, France. Hotel de Crillon is behind the viewer.

Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France - entrance. Five-star hotel occupies one of two identical stone buildings constructed in 1758 as a result of a commission from King Louis XV. Initially the building served as government offices. In 1788, the Count of Crillon, acquired the hotel. It was confiscated by the government of the French Revolution and eventually returned to Crillon's family who ran it until 1907.

Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France - reception area. A number of American presidents stayed at the hotel - they include Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt stayed at the hotel in 1918 when he was Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy.

Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France - one of the halls of the hotel

Hotel de Crillon Paris, France - its Winter Garden a cosy place for a coffee and cake in the morning, light dishes and drinks during the day, teas and patisseries at teatime as well as early evening drinks.

Hotel de Crillon, Paris - La Boutique located near hotel entrance.

Entrance to the deluxe double room in Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France

King-size bed in a deluxe room at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, France.

Seating area in a deluxe room at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, France. Rooms in this hotel are decorated with good taste and design. On the picture: on the left - entrance to bathroom and dressing area; on the right - entrance to the "apartment."

Entrance to the bathroom in deluxe room in Hôtel de Crillon Paris, France

Bathroom countertops with two sinks and Carrara marble decor throughout.

Hôtel de Crillon, Paris, France

Address: 10 Place de la Concorde 75008 Paris, France
Hôtel de Crillon on map

If you want to find a place to stay in Paris during your vacations and stay there in style, Hotel de Crillon is a perfect place to do it. Located in the very heart of Paris and overlooking Place de la Concorde with Avenue des Champs-Elysees, Rue Saint-Honore and Louvre in a minute walk distance, this hotel is an answer to all tourists dreams.

A Bit of History

Place de la Concord where Hotel de Crillon is located was designed by Anqe-Jacques Gabriel in 1755 between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries Gardens and was named Place Louis XV. In 1758 King Louis XV ordered to build two similar palaces with colonnades separated by rue Royale. Both of them were assigned for offices, but soon western building was turned into a hotel. The eastern palace continues to serve as the government building with French Naval Ministry occupying it now.

Since times when the building was transformed into a hotel, it was been popular among the nobility. French Queen Marie Antoinette and her friends used to spend time there. However, in 1788 the Count of Crillon bought the Palace and gave it his name and used it as private residence. Interestingly, the Crillon building was confiscated during French Revolution but eventually was returned to the Crillon family after the restoration of the House of Bourbon. The Crillon remained a family home until 1907. In 1909 the Palace was turned again into a hotel, with the name Hotel de Crillon.

Through the centuries the Hotel was a part of history. Many famous people stayed in it. Before World War II, in 1918-1919 Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at that time Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy, American general Pershing, president Woodrow Wilson with American delegation stayed at the Crillon. Later, other American presidents stayed at the Hotel: Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon.

Arriving at the Hotel

When you get out of a taxi at the entrance of Hotel de Crillon, you suddenly realize that you are about to enter a place where history itself was made. At first sight it seems that neither hotel's four hundred years of age nor stormy historic events left any mark on the building. Unfortunately it is not true. If you cast a more attentive look at the Palace you'll see rows of net on the walls columns and statues. They serve to protect passers-by from the stones or plaster decorations falling off the walls of the Hotel.

Nevertheless the facade and the entrance are magnificent, and several porters meet you at the door. You step into a big reception hall of gold and deep brown marble with beautiful crystal chandeliers. The receptionist meets you practically at the doorway, and in no time you are checked-in.

Hotel de Crillon is a five-star hotel and was famous for its service through all the years of its existence. And I can say that during our stay in the Hotel there was nothing that contradicted it. The service was polite, efficient and unobtrusive. The room was always clean and in order with fresh linen, supply of Annick Goutal perfumed toiletry products and clean towels. Attention to details and guest needs are what makes this hotel unique. For example, not in many hotels in the world you will find tomorrows' weather forecasts as part of the regular service. Hotel de Crillon is one of few hotels in the world where pictures published in marketing brochures are close to what you actually find in the hotel.

Concierge service is impeccable. Information, bookings and maps are provided quickly as requested. For example, long before our arrival, we sent an-email with a long list of restaurants we would like to visit with specific dates and times. When checking-in we found that this request was kept with our reservation all the time - all we needed to do was to re-confirm that it was still our wish. Later on we found in our room a separate letter for each and every reservation with names of places, their addresses and directions.

Hotel Rooms

The Hotel has 103 rooms 39 suits and five apartments among them famous Leonard Bernstein and Lous XV suits with big terraces looking onto Paris. Let's look at one of the regular deluxe double rooms at the Hotel. When you open the door, first you get into a small hall with a bar which welcomes you. Through another door in the hall you actually get into your room. What is surprising there is an old-fashioned lock carved into it, and you have an old-fashioned heavy key in a keyhole which locks the door extra.

Even lower level category rooms (such as deluxe and superior) are quite big, especially by European standards. Such rooms are about 45 sq. m with sitting area, small dressing room and bathroom (deluxe double room €610, 2009 prices). Every room has its color scheme. Ours was blue with white and golden trim, nicely decorated with 19th century furniture: comfortable, king size bed, a working table with couple of chairs, sofa, small table with armchairs in a sitting area, plasma TV, free broadband Internet access, 110/220 V sockets.

It is a street view room (and many rooms in the hotel are), but traffic noise will not disturb you. Though all the windows are looking onto rue Boissy d'Anglais, the room is very quiet. Partially, this is because of double pain windows in all hotel rooms; also, rue Boissy d'Anglais is essentially closed to traffic - American Embassy is located on the other side of the street, and Embassy's premises and surrounding areas are heavily guarded.

Another door takes you to a short corridor which gives you an excess to a walk-in dressing closet on your right and ends with a bathroom. The dressing room is not big but comfortable with enough space to accommodate his and her clothes and shoes. You can find safe in that area too.

But the cosiest space in the "apartment" is a bathroom. There is a bathtub, double vanity with big mirrors, separate space for a toilet and bidet and separate room for the shower. Everywhere you are surrounded with Carrara marble which gives the bathroom an immense opulence. The first thing you feel entering the bathroom is a dry warmth coming from the floors with radiant heating and a heated towel rack. In a cold rainy weather it is a very welcoming feature. Bathrobes, towels, and slippers embroidered with the hotel crest as well as Annick Goutal perfumed toiletry products are provided.

I would like to stress that talking about the hotel, its rooms and services, I am not trying to idealize the reality. Mistakes, lapses and issues do take place sometimes as in any other place. For example, on one occasion, upon arrival, we could not find sleepers in our room. On another, the air-conditioning unit (located in the dressing room above the ceiling) leaked the condensate. However, we have always seen quick actions to correct problems to the fullest satisfaction of hotel's guests.

Hotel Amenities

Besides rooms and suites Hotel de Crillon is famous for its salons three of which Batailles Room, the Aigles Room and the Marie-Antoinette Room with its terrace are reception rooms classified as historical monuments. Salons can be found on the frirst floor and served and continue serving as a place for business and celebration gatherings. You can admire 17th and 18th century tapestries, Louis XVI chests and chairs, gilt-and-brocade furniture, crystal chandeliers, pictures and sculptures in the salons.

Two restaurants offer their service to the guests of the hotel: Les Ambassadeurs and L'Obelisque or L'Obe. Les Ambassadeurs is located in the former ballroom of the Dukes de Crillon palace. It is recognized as one of the best restaurants. It is decorated in Louis XV style (architect Jacques-Angel Gabriel) with opulent crystal chandeliers, frescoes on the ceiling, inlays of different types of marble on the walls. Opening hours: from 7 am to 10.30 am; from 12.30 pm to 2 pm; and from 7.30 pm to 10 pm. L'Obe is more modest in appearance but nevertheless is very good, serving French cuisine especially of the Faubourg Saint Honoré area. Opened: from 7 am to 10.30 am; from 12.30 pm to 2 pm; and from 7.30 pm to 10 pm.

You can enjoy light food, tea with pastry or drink in winter garden which was recently renovated in burgundy and golden-brown colors.Opening hours: everyday from 8 am to 10 pm. Or you can have your coffee, tea or drink in the Hotel Court Yard. A very cosy place in the open air surrounded with bushes, flowers and Greek statues. It is open for public from May till September.

There are many other facilities one can enjoy in the Hotel de Crillon: gym, room service, baby-sitting, laundry service, dry cleaning and a store, La Boutique, located near hotel entrance. Hotel de Crillon, majestic and elegant, has all the best you can imagine. And if the price does not bother you, it is the place to make your headquarters in your explorations of Paris.

Highly recommended.

The Hôtel de Crillon offers 25 executive rooms, 18 deluxe rooms, and 50 superior double rooms. Each room has its own decor and color scheme.

Even lower level category rooms (such as deluxe and superior) are quite big, especially by European standards. Such rooms are about 45 sq. m with seating area, small dressing room and bathroom.

Through a small hall you can see a bathroom. This is a street view; nevertheless the room is very quiet - partially because windows in this room look at the US Embassy; partially, because rooms are sound proof.

Small walk-in closet or room as it is presented in the hotel marketing material. Safe is located inside. This picture also shows tear and wear.

This picture clearly shows the opulence of the decor in Hotel de Crillon Paris, France.

Bathtub inside the bathroom (deluxe double room) at Hotel de Crillon Paris, France

In bathrooms, you will find bathrobes, towels, and slippers embroidered with the hotel crest. This picture shows entrance to the shower.

Inside the shower you are surrounded by Carrara marble.

Toilet and bidet are in a separate area inside the bathroom.

Inside toilet and bidet area inside the bathroom - as the rest of deluxe double room, this area is spacious and decorated with taste.

Hôtel de Crillon (Paris, France) uses Annick Goutal perfumed toiletry products.

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