Westin Paris Hotel

The Westin Paris - Vendôme is ideally situated in the heart of Paris’s 1st Arrondissement, at 3 Rue de Castiglione, directly facing the Tuileries Garden and nestled between the iconic Louvre Museum and the luxurious Place Vendôme. This prime location offers guests unparalleled access to the City of Lights’ major attractions, with the Place de la Concorde just a six-minute walk away and the Champs-Élysées and Palais Garnier within a short stroll. Surrounded by high-end boutiques along Rue de Rivoli and Rue Saint-Honoré, and mere steps from the Concorde Metro Station, the hotel serves as a perfect base for exploring Paris’s rich cultural, historical, and shopping districts. Its central position ensures breathtaking views of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre from select rooms, immersing guests in the vibrant essence of Paris.

The Westin Paris - Vendôme, originally opened as the Hôtel Continental on June 6, 1878, was designed by architect Henri Blondel to host visitors for the Paris Exposition, establishing it as Paris’s most luxurious hotel at the time. Built on the site of the former Ministry of Finance, which burned during the 1871 Paris Commune, the hotel boasted opulent interiors by renowned decorators like Laugée and Mazerolle. It served as a military hospital during World War I and housed the Ministry of Information in World War II. Renamed Inter-Continental Paris in 1969 after a $8 million renovation by Pan Am’s hotel division, it became The Westin Paris in 2005 under Starwood Hotels, with further updates by designer Sybille de Margerie, adding the Vendôme suffix in 2010. A planned $350 million renovation by Henderson Park Capital in 2017 to join Jumeirah Hotels did not proceed. In 2023, Dubai Holding acquired full ownership for €650 million, announcing a major five-star refurbishment starting April 2025, with a projected reopening in 2028, estimated at €1 billion, to elevate the historic property to modern luxury standards.

In early 2023, Dubai Holding, the investment arm of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, acquired full ownership of The Westin Paris - Vendôme for €650 million, buying out Henderson Park’s stake after their 2018 joint venture. The new owner plans a transformative €1 billion renovation starting April 30, 2025, to elevate the historic 1878 property to 5-star standards, with a projected reopening in 2028. The developer aims to reposition the hotel as a top-tier luxury destination, potentially under a new brand like Jumeirah, a Dubai Holding subsidiary, or Accor, though the future operator remains unconfirmed. The ambitious project includes modernizing the 32,000-square-meter hotel’s 428 rooms, suites, and facilities while preserving its iconic Parisian heritage, despite challenges like the redundancy of 250 employees and past social tensions.

The Westin Paris - Vendôme, originally designed by architect Henri Blondel in 1878 as the Hôtel Continental, is a masterpiece of Second Empire architecture, featuring opulent Haussmannian facades and grand interiors adorned by renowned painters like Laugée and Mazerolle. Its iconic ballrooms, with frescoed ceilings and crystal chandeliers, reflect Parisian elegance. In 2023, Dubai Holding acquired the hotel and announced a €1 billion renovation starting April 30, 2025, to transform it into a 5-star property, with a reopening planned for 2028. While specific details about the architect or design firm for this renovation remain undisclosed, the project aims to modernize the 32,000-square-meter hotel’s 428 rooms and facilities while preserving its historic charm. Earlier renovations, such as the 2005 update by Sybille de Margerie, blended contemporary design with traditional Parisian influences, and the upcoming overhaul is expected to follow a similar ethos, potentially under a new luxury brand