Steeped in Parisian history, the elegant Westin Hotel has long resided at the heart of The City of Light. Amongst other renowned guests was romantic literate Victor Hugo...
Who? Steeped in Parisian history, the elegant Westin Hotel has long resided at the heart of The City of Light. Originally named The Hotel Continental, it was designed in 1878 by Henri Blondel, son-in-law of prestigious architect Charles Garnier, with the stated aim to be the most luxurious and decadent hotel in Paris.
What? The hotel has played host to a number of celebrated guests and events throughout its history, including the meeting of the Franco-American Union and sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi to discuss plans for the Stature of Liberty in 1880, and frequent visits from iconic French novelist Victor Hugo. For the duration of Napoleon III’s exile between 1898-1919, his wife, the Empress Eugenie, lived in the hotel in a suite overlooking the Tuileries Garden. A hive of political activity during both the First and Second World Wars, in more recent years, the hotel has hosted fashion shows for Yves Saint Laurent, Guy Laroche and Christian Lacroix.
"It was at the Westin Hotel that the author Victor Hugo chose to stage a great banquet held in his honour in 1883"
Why? French icons do not come greater than Victor Hugo, and it was at the Westin Hotel that the author chose to hold a great banquet in his name in 1883. Staged in the exquisitely decorated Grand Salon, the celebration was attended by a pantheon of celebrities including the poetess Juliette Lamber and the Prefect of the Seine, also famous as the inventor of the eponymous waste disposal device, Monsieur Poubelle. To this day, despite name changes and the ravages of history borne by the city, the Westin stands as testament to the extraordinary craftsmanship of nineteenth century French design, and the wonderful stories of the characters who passed through its doors.
The Westin is located at 3 rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris.
Text by Rhiannon Wastall
