Simply Abu Dhabi XXVI

1 2 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” – Ernest Hemingway A gathering place for the greats of this world – royalty, artists and writers, first among themMarcel Proust and Ernest Hemingway – the Ritz Carlton Paris has had a loyal following since its opening in 1898. Ritz Paris is veiled in a cloak of chic heritage: the hotel’s Salon Proust is a historic embodiment of Parisian luxury where guests can take à la Française afternoon tea along with French gourmet creations by pastry chef François Perret. But for nearly four long years, the doors to one of the greatest hospitality establishments remained firmly shut to visitors. In a near Herculean effort, the iconic Ritz Paris underwent a $200 million restoration project in 2012 to return it to its famous standards of beauty and opulence. Top ateliers won the bids for furniture restoration. Light fixtures were entirely revamped, from gildings to pendants. Some 95 percent of the original light fixtures were returned to their original places as were the furniture and fabrics. The architecture atelier COS, which supervised the work, engaged skilled experts. The 1,500sqm of roofing were renovated; the Marbreries de la Seine studio restored the marble floors, while Ateliers Gohard tended to the paintings and gildings. No fewer than 78 colours were created exclusively for this project by the painter-decorator Pierre Finkelstein, and the colour chart reserved for the Ritz Paris is covered by copyright.