Mythic Hotels

The history of mythical palace hotels began in the 19th century when the European bourgeoisie discovered the joys of travel. Accommodations worthy of the name were needed for these new explorers, and it was in Paris, under the influence of a certain Monsieur Meurice that the first establishment, bearing his name and destined to become a myth in the history of the hotel industry, was opened on the fashionable rue de Rivoli.  In its wake, during the first three decades of the 20^th century, no capital city or beach resort area could escape this new concept. From the Côte d’Azur to the avenues of New York, from Bangkok to the Bahamas, in Cairo as well as in Moscow, luxury hotels were opened, following the increasing pace in the arrival of wealthy tourists. They very quickly became vacation residences for European royalty, protective cocoons for famous lovers or temporary residences for travelling writers. The mythical hotel industry was born thanks to this very special clientele, and still today, these veritable institutions are visited as one would visit a museum. The film industry gave these aging palaces a second wind in the early 20^th century, and some sleepy establishments became part of hotel history thanks to a film festival or the shooting of a successful motion picture. Nowadays, a hotel’s reputation can be obtained much faster. All it takes is for a well known owner to create a daring décor or a revolutionary concept in order to accede to the category of a legendary hotel.