New Ritz Paris

The dust has settled.  The iconic Ritz in Paris reopened this June 2016 after a 4-year closure and a complete gut, basement to roof, renovation.  The verdict?  The more things change, the more they stay the same.   With  a cool $450 million dropped in the bucket by the Ritz’s owner Mohamed Al Fayed, The Ritz came back looking just about the same.  Except brighter, (the windows were widened to let the light in) fresher, (the moldings were completely restored) and more modern (with comforts like high-speed Wi-Fi and completely new baths). It’s a gutsy move to spend all that cash to bring back the original look of the 140+ year hotel, but then again, it’s also a differentiator given all the modern luxe hotel openings in Paris as of late.  There is no doubt in your mind when you enter the Ritz that you are in a classic Parisian institution. 

We are headed to check out the hotel this December, where our first stop will be Bar Hemingway, named after the famed author who “liberated” it from the Nazis, well after they had fled Paris.  That must have been one good cocktail they served that night.  Bar Hemingway will always have a special place in our hearts as one of the first fancy spots we learned to drink a good cocktail. After all, the more things change, the more they stay the same.