Plans for hotel in Chateau de Versailles unveiled

The luxury hotel chain at the heart of the French LOV Group, has been given permission to open a hotel close to the Orangerie in the Chateau of Versailles.

Parc du Château de Versailles FLICKR

The hotel, which is expected to open in 2018, will consist of three disused buildings that have been empty since 2008, and which were built during the 18th century.

Entry to the hotel will be from the exterior of the chateau, but the hotel will have a view over the gardens surrounding the Orangerie.

The competition to take over the buildings and create a hotel closed last September, with 20 applications made from French groups, and groups outside of France.

The hotel will be situated at the far end of the Midi wing furthest from the main chateau, the Grand Contrôle, the Petit Contrôle and the Pavillon.

It is estimated that structural work will cost between €4 million and €7 million, as well as a further €4 million to renovate the interiors.

The luxury hotel that finally emerges will have 20 rooms, a restaurant specialising in French haute cuisine, with the inside inspired by 18th century interiors.

The buildings were originally designed and by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, a French architect whose work is generally considered to be the apex of French Baroque architecture and responsible for the design and extension of all the rebuilding at Versailles for Louis XIV.

Among other things, the buildings housed the central tax service between 1723 and the Revolution, and over the centuries provided accommodation to Turgot, Calonne, Lomenie de Brienne, and Necker.