The Outbounder: Issue 2

The Industrial Revolution spurred the construction of hotels across Europe. Holiday resorts began to flourish along the French and Italian Riviera. The Grand Tour of Europe was a concept that emerged in the second half of the eighteenth century. Heirs of rich British families and aristocracy were sent on this post-Oxbridge tour in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilisation. This tour often lasted for up to a few years and required lodging, transport and entertainment facilities. Resorts came up on the Riviera in France, (at Monte Carlo, Nice and Cannes) followed by the Italian Riviera.

The world’s first tour operator was Thomas Cook, a British cabinet maker and part-time publisher, who organized an excursion of eleven miles from Leicester to Loughborough by rail transport in 1841. He later started a travel agency that offered package tours throughout Europe to tourists, by coordinating with the railways and steamship companies.

Europe’s Grandest: Le Meurice, France dates back to 1815

Starting nightly rate: $977

The Guest List: Queen Victoria, King of Spain Alphonso XIII, King of Montenegro, Prince de Galles, King George VI, French President Doumergue, Sultan of Zanzibar, Maharaja of Jaïpur Grand Duchess of Russia

Paris’ original palace hotel, Le Meurice is located on one of the most sophisticated shopping streets with the Louvre and Champs-Elysées steps from the front door. It welcomed the high society of the time, who appreciated the quality of service, the refinement of the rooms and lounges.

This Baroque-styled property welcomed renowned artists and characters over the decades. Salvador Dali was such a fan, he stayed there annually for 30 consecutive years, each time for a stretch of one to two months. Today, diners can eat at Restaurant Le Dali, which serves French and Mediterranean fare and includes décor inspired by the surrealist legend.

The hotel offered everything to make life easier for the traveller; apartments of various sizes, areas set aside where travellers could sit and talk, English-speaking staff, and currency exchange, among other amenities. The hotel advertised, “For an English traveller, no hotel in Paris offers more benefits than Le Meurice.”