The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-13
PARTISAN HOTELS.
HOW THEY CONTRAST WITH THE AMERICAN
cARAyANsERIEs-A WORD Or TWO ABOUT THE
BEST OF THEM.


cARAvANsERIEs-A WORD OR TWO ABOUT THE
BEST OF THEM.
PARIS Dec. 80, 1878.
1t is related of a certain French hotel keeper that
he was accustomed to tell the nationaties of his
guests by their breakfasts, and that he was never
puzzled but once when he received order to send
up at nine A. NJ ga pack of cards, bottle OF wills
key and paper of chewing tobacco" After few
minutes reelection he to the conclusion that his
guest was either American or the devil No doubt
the gentleman who gave the order was as much
astonished the landlord when he found that these
simple necessares of life unobtainable and that
he must either breakfast upon coffee and rolls or not
at ALL Perhaps it he who then and there in
vented the aphorsm, "Show a nations hotels
and will tell you its habits" At any rate the
observation will hold true, for though hotels
are hotels all the world over from Dan to
Beersheba. yet the contrast between crack
hotel in New York Chicago and crack hotel in
Paris is in some respects startling. Drop an Amer
hotel into Paris and all the population would
come to stare and laugh at it, They would be struck
with amazement at its marble steps and portico,
populated by loungers engaged in mastcating tooth
picks and staring at passing ladies; at the hotel
'clerk' resplendent i'll well oiled curls and
gorgeous diamond breastpin; at the bar
rounded by men pouring down fiery
spirits upon what Dickens called the ''per-
pendicular system; at the nine O'Clock breakfasts
OF steak and potatoes and buckwheat cakes at the
dinner. composed of innumerable dishes, arrayed all
at once in military order before the guest at the hub
bub and the noise. And on the other hand probably
the Paris house of the class would equal
amusement and establishment in New York. People
accustomed TO the ways of the Fifth Avenue Hotel
the st. Nicholas would laugh at the unmposing
trance and the little paved courtyard of the Paris
hotel at the concierge who stands sentinel at the door,
at the Louis XIV. furniture and gilt clocks
that go; at the old-fashioned candles and
dlesticks; at the open replaces and wood fires; at
the garcons and the white-capped smnes de chambre
and the absence of all noise and hustle which
familiar and dear to them. Both systems
have their good points, but l think the Parisans
have the best of it. They may not boast many
modern conveniences,' but they spared the
painful sensation Of living by machinery.
OF good hotels-that is, hotels of the first rankin
Paris there many The Oldest and most exclusive
is the Hotel Bristol, in the Place vend5me. From
the time that Louis XIV. built this famous square,
which named after his natural son, the Due de
vend6me it has been habtaton of aristrocats fall
ing Oft trife in later days. perhaps in favor of
the Quarter st. German and the Faubourg ST.
Fonore. but very aristocratc yet and very quiet
Hotel Bristol was founded in 1915, and
passed afterward into the hands of dependent Of
the Marquis of Bristol. by whom it named in
honor of that family, and Immediately became ia
vorite with English travellers of the fashion
able class. After the Prince of Wales had finished his
tour IN America his courier. Bachmeyer by name.
to Paris and made proprietor Of the Bristol
Ever since then the Prince ana other members of
the royal family of England have made this house
their home when in Paris. In 1867 the present pro-
pretor, Mr. Gustave Moroch took it in charge after
ten years experience at the Hotel Westminster and
he has made it the most successful hotel in France
Among his regular patrons the Prince and Prin-
of Wales. the Duke of Connaught, the Duke
of Cambridge. Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold
the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh the
Marquis and Marchioness of Lorne. the
Empress of AUSTRIA the King and Queen
Of Belgium, the King and Queen of Portugal the
viceroy Of Egypt and number Of the German
princes. Among New Workers who stay at this
house when in Paris are such well known families az
the Astors, Stewards and Posts. The house accom-
modates about hundred and forty guests and the
prices range from six francs day for single
bedroom up to any price you like for suit Of
apartments.
More pretentious, but less esteemed than the Bris
toll is the Grand Hotel. situated upon the Boulevard
des Capucines, close by the Grand Opera House.
Here the Shah Of Persia stopped during his visit to
the Exposition Rooms can be had at five francs a
day and upward and there is fair table dh6tc every
evening at six o'clock for six francs.
For brand new hotel the Continental is. perhaps
the best known of any in Paris. 1t was built by a
company of capitalists composed principally of hotel
propretors, who bought the site at the corner
of the Rue de Rivoli and the Rue Castigione
tn TuiI Car
furnished and cost its projectors when completed up
ward of 100000 francs. Like the Grand Hotel it
is very large, having than four hundred rooms
At the close of the Exhibition it was sold by its
owners to second company and subsequently
rented to the original proprietors for 100000 francs
per 1t is well filled and doing good busi
There is excellent table dh6te at francs
per head and rooms be had from five francs q
day upward.
Going back again from the hotels of the Grand and
and Continental class to the staid and aristo-
cratic houses Of the Bristol type. There are the
Meurice, infhe Rue de Rivoli, we'll managed and
quiet place with table dhde and accommodation for
about two hundred persons, at prices ranging from
five six francs for top single rooms up to high
figures for apartments SUITE the Liverpool in the
Rue Castigone at which General Grant and wife are
now stopping; the Westminster in the Rue lie la laix
Chatham, in the Rue Neuve st. Augustin; the vcn-
DOME in the Place vendome just ont of the square,
and tho Hotel du Rhin. also in the Place vend6ne,
upon a corner opposite that of the Bristol.
At the head of another class, less expensive. but
very good. is the Hotel de Lille ct dAlbion in the
Rue st Honore. not far from the Place yend6me Re-
port it that the propretors OF this house cleared
5000 900 net profit last year. and their gains during
the Exhibition were proportionately greater
There for $50 people, and the prices range
from four francs day upward with good table dh6te
at five francs. OF this rank are also the
Hotel Londrcs in the Rue Castgione; Hotel Splcn-
ddc at tho Of the Rue dc la Paix and Avenue
de rOpcra, next door 10 the HERALD Office; Hotel
.Malcshcrbus. in the Boulevard Malesherbus and the
Hotel Castigonc in the street Of that name. IL is a
curious fact that all the hotels named in this letter
are situated within circle lees than half mile in
diameter. and that they comprise but fraction of