Following a four-year restoration and marking the debut of The Peninsula Hotels into Europe, the newest hotel in The Peninsula Hotels’ portfolio, The Peninsula Paris has just opened.

Following a four-year restoration and marking the debut of The Peninsula Hotels into Europe, the newest hotel in The Peninsula Hotels’ portfolio, The Peninsula Paris has just opened.

The property is a joint venture between Katara Hospitality and The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH).

Katara Hospitality is a global hotel owner, developer and operator, based in Qatar. With over 40 years’ experience in the industry, Katara Hospitality actively pursues strategic expansion plans by investing in high-end hotels in Qatar while growing its collection of properties in key international markets. Katara Hospitality has set a target of owning and/or managing 30 hotels by 2016 and 30 more over the following decade.

Katara Hospitality currently owns properties spread across three continents: Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand. While partnering other hotel operators, Katara Hospitality also owns its own operator brands: The Bürgenstock Selection and Merweb Hotels.

Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, HSH owns, develops and manages prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the US and Europe, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula Bangkok, The Peninsula Manila, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, and The Peninsula Paris.

Other projects under development include The Peninsula London and The Peninsula Yangon.

The Peninsula celebrated its opening with a speech by guest of honour Laurent Fabius, minister of foreign affairs and international development, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and traditional Chinese lion dance honouring The Peninsula Hotels’ Asian heritage. Cutting the ribbon to launch the hotel was guest of honour Fleur Pellerin, secretary of state for foreign trade, the promotion of tourism and French nationals abroad, together with sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani, chairman of Katara Hospitality, Clement Kwok, CEO HSH and Nicolas Béliard, GM of The Peninsula Paris.

Clement Kwok said, “I am excited and proud to announce the latest addition to The Peninsula Hotels’ family, The Peninsula Paris. This will be our tenth Peninsula hotel but only our first hotel in Europe. Together with our partners Katara Hospitality, it has taken four years to design and build this magnificent contemporary hotel, with state-of-the-art facilities, within this beautiful historic building which as a result has been restored to its former glory.”

“We are thrilled to welcome our first guests today. My team and I have watched this project evolve, from a lifeless building to a worksite, and ultimately to the magnificent structure you see before you – we have worked together to give this historic building a new life,” added The Peninsula Paris GM, Nicolas Béliard. “I am especially proud today to be surrounded by my team to announce the official opening of The Peninsula Paris hotel and see it brought to life with the arrival of our first guests.”

With 200 rooms and suites, six restaurants and bars, expansive terraces – including one on the rooftop with a 360° view of Paris and its most beautiful monuments – luxury boutiques, the Peninsula Spa and private reception rooms, The Peninsula Paris.