Some people dream of living in a real royal palace. Do not ask about the origins of this desire, but it is there - and many have it. Well, hoteliers Airelles (LOV GROUP), a French chain that owns several hotels for particularly demanding customers in Courchevel, Saint-Tropez, Val d'Isère, Gordy, have offered a solution for those who want to feel like a member of the royal family. Airelles Chateau de Versailles became the first hotel located on the territory of Versailles.
Initially, Versailles, the famous palace and park ensemble created by the architects Louis Levault, Jules Ardouin-Mansard and the brilliant gardener André Lenotre, even before it became the official residence of Louis XIV, had the status of a country royal house. The three-building complex Le Grand Contrôle, located in the entrance area of the palace, was built in 1681 by Jules Ardouin-Mansard for Paul de Beauvilliers, duc de Saint-Aignan, and was bought during the Sun King era to house the Ministry of Finance.
In the middle of the 2004th century, the building was handed over to the army, until XNUMX it housed an officers' canteen, and by then it had fallen into serious disrepair. The French government decided to turn the former dining room into an expensive hotel and gave the complex a concession to LOV GROUP. Architect and designer Christoph Tollemer, who specializes in creating premium class objects, was commissioned to develop the project. His task was to create a "time capsule", conveying the spirit of the era of the Bourbon dynasty.
For four years, Christophe Tollemer studied the archives of Versailles, the personal stylistic preferences of Louis XVI and the interiors of the Petit-Trianon
The hotel rooms were furnished with antique furniture, decorated with works of art and artifacts of the 35th century. The wooden carved panels were also made according to the sketches of that era, and the textile supplier was the Maison Pierre Frey factory and the Royal Manufacture in Aubusson. All modern gadgets and equipment were carefully camouflaged, which also required considerable skill. Reconstruction of the building and interior design cost a round sum exceeding XNUMX million euros.
So the new Airelles Chateau de Versailles, or as some guidebooks call it, Le Grand Controle, has 14 rooms, Alain Ducasse's signature restaurant, a wellness center and an indoor pool. And yet, royal interiors, haute cuisine and spa treatments are not the main advantages of the new hotel. The main thing is that hotel guests get the opportunity to explore Versailles during off-hours without the noisy tourists, and also have access to locations that are usually closed. And the possibility of private tours of the greenhouse and French gardens.
Exclusive impressions are the main feature of the hotel. Given the rich context, €1300 per night doesn't seem like too much of a price.