The Hôtel du Louvre reopened in summer 2019 after several years of renovation work. Why such a long renovation?
Fanny Guibouret - It was due to start in 2014-2015 to convert the hotel to our contemporary brand. Andaz. But after a few months of operation, we realised thatthere was a soul in this hotelThe hotel's clientele was very attached to the history of the place. We would have made a mistake, because the Andaz hotel project would have meant almost total modernisation to create something excessively contemporary. We had a duty to preserve this heritage and review the concept and its cost, which took time. At the same time, we also had to find a new brand, but none of them were a perfect fit. We didn't have the size of a Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency is too business-oriented and Park Hyatt might have been suitable, but we already had one in Paris. Our hotel was therefore at the centre of discussions for the launch of the Unbound Collectioncreated by Hyatt three or four years ago for us, among others.
What characterises the Unbound Collection?
F. G. - It's a free and creative brand where hotels keep their name, their soul. Guests stay here to experience a unique, different experiencee. This reassures independent hotel owners who want to keep their identity, but are happy to have Hyatt's sales force. We are beginning to offer a very fine collection of hotels offering unique upmarket stays. In France, there are three of us, with the Martinez in Cannes and theHôtel du Palais in Biarritz. There are also other exceptional hotels, such as the Great Scotland Yard in London and the Parisi Udvar in Budapest. Not all the hotels in the collection have such a rich history, but they all have a unique character. In Japan, for example, a hyper-themed hotel is being built around a motorbike circuit (editor's note: the Fuji Speedway), with a whole concept revolving around biking.
Let's come back to the renovation of the hotel. Why was it necessary?
F. G. - The establishment had a long-established image, but renovations were needed. It had been 30 years, if not more, since the hotel had undergone such a major renovation. We began this pampering by staying open, but the work wasn't progressing fast enough. So we had to close. Initially for three or four months, but in the end it took 18 months due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, such as the complete replacement of the damaged floor.
The establishment had a long-established image, but was in need of renovation.
This long period of enforced inactivity gave you the opportunity to reflect on the new identity you wanted to give the hotel...
F. G. - In fact, we were able to do some in-depth work on the history of the site. Hence all the storytelling in our seven meeting rooms around personalities who have passed through the hotel and all the stories told by illustrator Emmanuel Pierre, whose collages decorate the rooms and corridors. We spent days searching the Gallica encyclopaedia for every mention of the Hotel du Louvre. This is how we discovered that Jules Verne would go down there every time he came to Paris to see his publisher. Zola mentions the hotel in two of his novels, which Berlioz and Conan Doyle lived there. Pissarro also lived there for several months, painting a dozen canvases illustrating the views from his room overlooking the Avenue de l'Opéra. The Hôtel du Louvre, located in the heart of Paris, was the place to be for the cultural world in the 19th century.
How did customers receive all these ideas?
F. G. - This uniqueness and difference really appealed to both our French and international clientele. When we reopened in June 2019, we quickly sold out. Our regular customers were very happy with the renovation; the soul has been preserved while adding the necessary touches of modernity. Although our hotel caters mainly for a leisure clientele, we are also recognised in the business world for hosting numerous business lunches and dinnersMore and more interviews with celebrities are held in our suites against the backdrop of the Opéra Garnier or the Comédie Française. More and more interviews with celebrities take place in our suites, with the Opéra Garnier and the Comédie Française as backdrops. Unfortunately, just as the hotel was taking off, the current crisis is slowing us down considerably.
Are business customers still coming to the Hôtel du Louvre?
F. G. - With the borders closed, this is virtually the only clientele we have left at the moment. Even though companies are limiting meetings between their staff, we still get requests, always at the last minutefor small residential seminars. The hotel is always in demand, whether for dinner-debates or management committee lunches and dinners. But the hotel's occupancy remains very limited given the current circumstances.
What about sanitary measures in your hotel?
F. G. - Hyatt has put in place a series of measures that have been accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), based on the following criteria excessively precise protocols and more drastic than the protocols used in France. Room service is not allowed in the room. Luggage is no longer carried unless the customer expressly requests it. In this case, our staff disinfect their hands in front of the guest. At reception, everything is done to ensure that the customer has no manual exchanges. Credit cards and passports are no longer touched. For a year now, Hyatt has been offering dematerialised check-in, with guests choosing their room and receiving a virtual key on their smartphone. This is very popular in business hotels, where travellers are in a hurry and don't want to wait at reception.
