HOTEL MEURICE (*****L) By Gilles Malaisé (Composed March 1999. Updated September 2000) Two crowned greyhounds: the coat of arms of the MEURICE
is catching the attention Just opposite Tuileries Garden, few meters away from Louvre and the former Tuileries Palace, the MEURICE welcomed as soon as opened the most selected and noble guests. Though hosting at that time Edward VII King of England, Emperor Napoleon III and mistress Miss Elisabeth Aryet, the his MEURICE really merits the nickname "hotel of the kings" when restored in 1907 by the architect of the Sorbonne: Henry Nenot. A promotion leaflet introduces then the guests of the MEURICE as "the most elegant, glamorous, select and aristocratic in all Europe". The decoration is sumptuous. It is still the same nowadays, directly inspired by the castle of Versailles... No less ! One can understand why the Queen Mother of Jordan, H.M Zeine El Sharaf, likes to have tea there when staying in Paris. In the lobby is a lift, copy of Queen Marie-Antoinette's sedan chair. One of the first clients of the "new Hotel Meurice"
was a very handsome young boy MEURICE:
228, rue de Rivoli 75041 PARIS Cedex 1
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ABOUT THE PALACE HOTELS IN PARIS
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Design: Mohamed Sally, 1999-20003 |
of
the visitor entering number 228 rue de Rivoli, in Paris. He may then suddenly
realize he does not pay visit to an ordinary palace hotel, but to a place
attracting the most important members of the international gentry, since
founded 1835.
reputed
for his power of seduction. He had moreover the great privilege of getting
name of Alfonso XIII King of Spain. The young monarch would be very soon
its most faithful customer. He used to rent one floor for himself, his
ministries and secretaries. His fantasy consisted in bringing into his
suite -always the same 106-108- his own furniture... imported from Madrid.
When exiled, on April 1931, he immediately asked his driver to drop him
in Paris, Hotel Meurice. His wife, Queen Victoria, and Crown Prince Don
Juan, joined him very quickly. In the hotel was created a monarchist and
counter revolutionary Spanish embassy. At that time, when everybody used
to travel via Paris by the Orient Express, the lobby of the hotel received
very prestigious and international guests. Here was the Sultan of Zanzibar,
crossing in the lift the Maharajah of Jaipur and his suite. Sometimes bad
news reached such a peaceful and luxurious residence, when a groom brought
a message to the Shah of Persia telling that he had been dethroned... Just
before the Second World War, Count Ciano liked to discuss political matters
with Gabriele d'Annunzio, in the Bar Fontainebleau; while, in the neighbouring
ballroom, the King of Siam was receiving his mates from the Military School
for a brilliant party . His step grand-daughter, Queen Sirikit, remains
nowadays one of the most faithful guests of the MEURICE. She generally
stays there about three weeks, renting one whole floor for her own comfort.
Once, a harpsichord player was enrolled to play classics during a reception
organized in the honour of the queen by the general manager of the hotel.
Satisfied, she congratulated the musician before requiring her help to
buy a harpsichord for her husband, H.M King Bhumibol: a very distinguished
music lover. The artist was then very kindly invited to the Court, in Bangkok.
She was cordially received in Chitralada -the royal residence- as a VIP
guest. Which shows that fairy tales do not happen only in the poor cottages,
but also in the plush Parisian palaces.
