Hôtel Lutetia, Palace hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, France.
The Hôtel Lutetia stands at 45 boulevard Raspail, on the corner of rue de Sèvres, opposite Le Bon Marché. Its pale stone facade rises seven storeys, with a curved corner topped by a rounded roof element bearing the illuminated word "LUTETIA". Rows of rectangular windows with dark metal railings and dormer windows punctuate the roofline; at street level, tall arched openings sit below a projecting stone ledge. The building was designed by Louis-Charles Boileau and Henri Tauzin.
Built in the early 1900s to serve guests of the nearby Le Bon Marché department store, the hotel became a symbol of Left Bank elegance. The German military occupied it during World War II, and after Paris's liberation in 1944, it functioned as a repatriation center for displaced persons.
The name comes from Lutetia, the pre-Roman town on the site of Paris; the city's motto, Fluctuat nec mergitur, and its coat of arms appear in several parts of the hotel. Sculpted grape clusters on the facade recall the vineyards once grown at Lutetia. Until the early 2000s, former deportees met monthly for lunch in the brasserie.
The hotel sits in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood with easy access to public transportation. Multiple on-site dining options and spa facilities make it convenient for guests seeking amenities.
It is the only palace hotel on Paris's Left Bank and was originally built to attract wealthy clients of the neighboring department store. This link between high-end hospitality and retail commerce makes it an unusual example of luxury designed around commercial interests.
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