It's been expected since the Hyatt Group took over the hotel in 2013, but now it's official: the Hôtel du Louvre will be undergoing a 15-month renovation programme designed to restore the Parisian hotel to its former glory. Originally commissioned by Napoleon III in 1855, it was one of the capital's first 'grand hotels'.
Managed under the new brand name The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, the establishment located at the foot of Avenue de l'Opéra will see all of its spaces redesigned in order to modernise this Haussmann building while preserving its soul. Led by interior designer George Wong, the transformation will offer a new design that is clear and uncluttered, but "just as Parisian", according to the hotel group.
We're talking more about restoration than renovation, because we want to restore the hotel to its former splendour," explains Fanny Guibouret, the hotel's general manager. Many famous people have stayed here, including the King and Queen of England, Camille Pissarro, Sigmund Freud and many others. This makes the Hôtel du Louvre an emblematic and symbolic place in the capital. It's time to restore it to its former glory.
The renovations to the Hôtel du Louvre will take place in two phases. The first will begin in mid-February 2017 and will last seven months. At the end of this phase, the hotel will welcome its guests in a brand new reception area and bar, and rooms combining modernity and history. The second part will see the restoration of the Brasserie du Louvre and the reception rooms. New areas are also on the programme, with a bar opening onto a 19th-century glass roof, a Courtesy Room where guests can relax while waiting for their room to be prepared, and the creation of a gym.
In London, another of the group's flagship hotels, the Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill, also has a new look. Located in the heart of the West End, the hotel has unveiled six new luxury rooms and three new meeting rooms equipped with the latest technology. The design of these rooms and suites, as well as that of the meeting spaces, was inspired by Winston Churchill's legendary elegance of dress and was conceived with the help of the famous politician's family.
These major renovations are not the only news from the Hyatt group. On the development front, the Hyatt Centric brand - the latest to be created by Hyatt and aimed at "modern explorers" eager to explore and discover - is to welcome a hotel to its ranks in the Alps. Located in the centre of the French-Italian resort of La Rosière, the Hyatt Centric La Rosière will offer 71 rooms when it opens for the 2017/2018 winter season. It will also be the group's first ski resort in the region. Hyatt Centric currently has around 15 hotels, mainly in the United States, and is starting to expand internationally with a hotel in Montevideo, Uruguay, and projects in Tokyo, Barbados and Hobart, Australia.
At the same time, Hyatt has announced the acquisition of the American group Miraval, with two spa and wellness resorts in Tucson, Arizona, and Austin, Texas, and a spa and golf resort project under way in Lennox, Massachusetts. The brand, which joins Hyatt's portfolio of brands, is set to develop alongside the other hotel brands. Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, explains this choice: "We know that wellness is a subject that is becoming increasingly important to our customers, and we share Miraval's view that wellness is not just about fitness or nutrition. It's a way of being."
