There are luxury hotels, and then there are the true Grand Hotels of Europe, whose accommodations and service are frequented by heads of state, royalty, and celebrities. The Hotel Meurice – a Paris hotel featured prominently in my novel, The Last Train from Paris – is a grand hotel in this tradition, and had been for decades prior to World War II.
In short, it was just the place that Nazi commanders would have sought out for their accommodations. My character, Oberst Lorenz, has his suite there – it’s where he hangs his stolen Matisse!
And because this hotel becomes the scene of many dramatic moments in the novel, I thought I’d provide readers with a relative location, some pictures, and a few historical tidbits.
Let’s start with the pictures:
This one is a current street-side view from Google
The tree-lined sidewalk across from the hotel is the Tuileries Garden, the most central park in Paris, stretching from Louvre Museum to the Concord Square. This puts the hotel in the heart of the city, on one of the most fashionable streets.
And here is a more traditional view of the Hotel Entrance:
This is what part of Oberst Lorenz’s suite may have looked like:
And here are a few historical tidbits that I’ve taken from Wikipedia:
“At the beginning of the 1920s, Le Meurice’s international reputation sparkled. Media were impressed by the hotel’s elaborate Louis XVI decor. Mr. Schwenter advertised abroad, helping to develop tourism in France. He was rewarded in 1923 when he became Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, and in 1931, an Officier de la Légion d’Honneur. Picasso and his wife Olga Koklova selected Le Meurice to host their wedding dinner. In 1925, there was no hesitation as to which hotel King Albert would choose. Stylish ads from the 1920s showed a conspicuously upper-crust clientele dining and dancing in Le Meurice’s rooftop garden, overlooking the glamour of night-time Paris.
A number of rulers have found comfort at Le Meurice after leaving or being forced from their seats of power. In 1931, after Alphonse XIII was dethroned, he took refuge at Le Meurice under the name of the Duc de Tolède with all of the royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor also retreated to Le Meurice. The King of Montenegro checked in after being chased from his kingdom, and the Shah of Iran was actually dethroned during his stay at Le Meurice!
Until the 1950s, the Parisian press regularly chronicled the comings and goings of aristocracy from countries ranging from Austria to Zanzibar. Famous guests have included President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Dukes and Duchesses of Windsor, Kent, York and Marlborough, the Baron de Rothschild, Sir Anthony Eden and the rulers of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Iran, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Jordan, Romania, Russia and Thailand.”
What about you? What is one of the most historical or nicest hotels, resorts, or even bed and breakfasts that you’ve stayed in? Any cool historical tidbits on those that you’d like to share?
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