As the most celebrated hotel in Paris and probably the world, this establishment is the benchmark for grace and elegance in hospitality.
Thanks to heavy infusions of capital and continued devotion to noblesse oblige, it continues to deserve its accolades in spite of approximate equality with the Meurice, the Four Seasons George V and the Crillon.
Since its opening in 1898, its fame has been owed at least in part to loyalty by celebrities such as Marcel Proust, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway. (Hemingway claimed to have liberated it from the Germans in World War II and was rewarded by having a bar named for him.) Mohamed al-Fayed spent a fortune restoring this first arrondissement property two decades ago.
Aside from its history, the Ritz enjoys a location that secures its renown. Snuggled in beside it are mega-buck shops such as Van Cleef and Armani, all peering sedately across the Place Vendome and its statue of Napoleon. Approaching the hotel, one has to look sharply for the modest entrance but, once inside, the impression is that of a royal waiting room, with a long, receding gallery of chairs and sconces, swagged damask drapes and thickets of flowers.
The long curved counter of concierges seems to reach their arms outward, and receptionists await discreetly at desks to greet and counsel guests amid white marble walls and hand-loomed carpets. It becomes obvious that after a few interactions with the impeaccable staff that not only are all of them beautiful people, but they ensure beautiful service.
The reception lounge is decorously trimmed with statues, a museum-quality table, gold sconces, and a chandelier. Nothing is excessive; the air is of a palace that has all the space it needs and doesn't clutter it up. The property embraces three buildings which stretch across the block from Place Vendome to Rue Cambon.
On the Vendome side, guests enjoy lunch in the exquisite garden courtyard (the largest in the city after a recent overhaul) and drinks in the elegant music-filled bar that adjoins it. The lavish L'Espadon shows radiant trompe l'oeil skies of blue that complement heavenly food, faultless service, and a 23-page wine list. Its terrace is a favorite place for high tea.
Those interested in learning how to imitate the expedient chef's masterpieces can enroll in culinary courses at the hotel's popular cooking school, a prestigious feat for most. The famous team of 80 chefs works in beautiful surroundings where they boast a private bakery, patisserie and herb garden.
Meeting space is on the Rue Cambon side, which is a long walk from reception down Temptation Walk, the famous showcase-lined gallery. On the Cambon side, too, is the colorful Hemingway Bar (where its Ernest namesake used to spend his time sipping and supping), enhanced with oak paneling and a hint of stately directoire decor, and the Ritz Club, the former chic private nightclub in the basement now used primarily for banquet space. The Bar Vendome opens for dinner in the evenings and offers aperitifs and cocktails throughout the day.
The fitness facilities center on the 16-by-8-m Roman-style indoor pool, the largest of its kind in the city, where guests can take tea, snacks or their favorite beverage. There are also a squash court, whirlpools, saunas, steam baths, massages and body wraps, hairdressing, and other beauty treatments.
Guests find the space rarely crowded despite pricey memberships open to the public. The redesigned courtyard features a new putting green for duffers who prefer not to stray too far from the city. Parking is in a garage under the Place Vendome. A business center supplements grandiose meeting facilities for several hundred.
The layout, full of long corridors, is 
confusing but works to guests' advantage, because most accommodations enjoy peaceful garden exposures. Guest rooms are large and have many of the Louis XIV and Louis XVI luxuries found in the public areas, plus fireplaces, tapestries, sparkling chandeliers, fresh flowers, large framed mirrors—and windows that are soundproof and bulletproof. Elaborate fabrics drape the beds in colors that tend toward pale blue, gold and beige.
Reminders of Cesar Ritz's obsession for details are found in cabinets, antique desks and perfectly maintained hardware. Amenities include high-speed Internet access, Bose stereos and CD players, cable flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. Room 527 boasts an extraordinary view of the Opera Garnier.
Baths are notable for bronze swan-shape fixtures and Madame Ritz's penchant for peach-colored fabrics and 19th-century pull cords to call maids and valets. The ethereal Suite Coco Chanel, longtime home of the famed couturiere, has a superb collection of Asian antiques. La Suite Chopin—no, he didn't live here—overlooks 12, Place Vendome, where he did live during his last days. The fabulous parquet and marquetry in this suite complement an extraordinary suite of directoire furniture. Other suites include everything from Carrera marble baths to private saunas and whirlpool tubs.
Valet service and room service are on call round the clock, and the veterans on the staff are utterly without airs and always pleasant and good humored towards the mix of Europeans, Americans and Japanese that mostly stay here. And with nearly three employees for each guest room, that becomes an absolute treat for visitors. Maintenance needs echo the hotel's history with cracks, chips, dings, and fades almost adding to the historic formality rather than distracting from the elegance. This is probably the most famous hotel in the world—one need only stay here to understand why.
