When one is in Paris, one must go to the Ritz! The founder of the Ritz Hotels (Paris Ritz 1898, London Ritz 1906...) César Ritz transformed luxury hospitality to such a degree that his last name now has its very own entry in the dictionary, defined as "ostentatious luxury and glamour."
Go to the Ritz to BREATHE it, feel it, be in the flow. ENJOY -- joie de vivre! This is PARIS -- this is where one can truly experience "La Vie En Rose." Just take it in. Go ahead.
I stayed here years ago -- before Princess Diana left the Ritz and died in that tragic auto accident on Pont d'Alma and before the most recent $$$ overhaul. Back then, it was "ostentatious and oozing luxury and glamour "and, bien sûr, it is this way today. I remember the housemaids back then looked like gorgeous Amelie-like French maids in their fitted pale pink maid outfits.
This time, I just went for tea and cocktails with my BFF. We booked online and had the sweets-only tea at Salon Proust. Fresh magenta peonies. 3 tier silver tray decadently holding beaucoup de desserts. Gorgeous presentations. The menu is a leather bound book with quotes from Marcel Proust.
Every so often, parading down the long hallway were Lolitas, the fashion subculture from Japan that is highly influenced by Victorian and Edwardian children's clothing and styles from the Rococo period, with a aesthetic of cuteness, gothic, classic, and sweet. Fashion brand is Angelic Pretty. https://i-d.vice.com/en_au/article/gym5ej/inside-the-emerging-lolita-scene-in-paris. They happened to be having their fashion show in one of the Ritz reception rooms. Fun and definitely interesting.
Still hungry and wanting savory, we went down the Gallery hall, past the beautiful courtyard to Bar Hemingway. 30Euro cocktails - are like veritable GARDENS of flowers/fruit. Mini sliders satiated.
One goes to the Ritz because it's the Ritz. You're there for the HISTORY and for the future they're creating. It is TIMELESS.
Bar Hemingway, we sat in the back amongst a handful of other Americans. A snazzy group of media types from Hollywood. Two Mid-West moms on a getaway from their teenagers. Two single women Instagramming their every moment. Us - two moms enjoying our moment in the magic hour of light that is the Paris Ritz.
Fun Fact: The only Ritz hotels that César Ritz personally managed were in Paris and London, his health having deteriorated rapidly after the opening of the latter. The properties in Paris, London and Madrid remain open today. Each is privately owned, and they alone retain the right to call themselves "The Ritz" (although the Madrid property is now managed by Mandarin Oriental). It is important to point out that those three properties remain independent from the American luxury hotel brand Ritz-Carlton. Although César Ritz was not involved in the management or ownership of Ritz-Carlton, he was directly responsible for its creation. (Wikipedia) read more