The Ritz Paris
15 Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris, France
The Story
The Ritz on Place Vendôme is not so much a hotel as a monument to 20th-century glamour. Coco Chanel lived here for over 30 years, occupying a suite on the Rue Cambon side until her death in 1971. Marlene Dietrich was a regular between the wars. Garbo checked in under assumed names. F. Scott Fitzgerald drank here, of course he did. But the hotel's greatest Hollywood story belongs to Ernest Hemingway, who during the liberation of Paris in 1944 arrived at the Ritz with a group of resistance fighters and "liberated" the bar. The bar is now named after him, and a plaque marks the occasion. The fact that the Germans had already left the hotel before Hemingway arrived has never been allowed to diminish the legend.
" Hemingway's "liberation" of the Ritz bar in 1944 remains the hotel's greatest Hollywood story.
The Bar Hemingway
The Bar Hemingway is small, wood-panelled, and decorated with photographs of Papa. The cocktails are superb and superbly priced. The hotel was closed for a four-year renovation (2012–2016) and has emerged even more pristine than before, which is the Ritz equivalent of a very expensive facelift that nobody is supposed to mention.
Signature Experiences
Bar Hemingway
Small, wood-panelled, and decorated with photographs of Papa, the bar is named for Ernest Hemingway and his 1944 "liberation" of it. The cocktails are superb and superbly priced.
The Coco Chanel Suite
Chanel occupied a suite on the Rue Cambon side of the hotel for over 30 years, until her death in 1971. The Coco Chanel Suite is bookable.
Famous Connections
Who Came Here
Plan Your Visit
Good to Know
- How to Book: Book direct at ritzparis.com or by phone on +33 1 43 16 30 30. The Coco Chanel Suite is bookable for those who wish to sleep where she lived for three decades.
- Best Time: Open year-round.
- Accessibility: Contact the hotel directly to confirm access requirements.
- Tip: Even if a room is beyond reach, the Bar Hemingway is the place to soak up the legend — small, wood-panelled, hung with photographs of Papa, and home to a plaque marking his 1944 "liberation" of the bar.
Nearby
Continue the tour