It attracts those less concerned with price than finessing a balance between an overexposed public life and privacy. Above all, a palace must meet stringent security requirements and pass a complex inspection process, part of which is conducted incognito. “Any palace hotel will have a minimum of five to 10 dedicated security staff,” Mr. LeBoeuf continued. The Hôtel de Pourtalès, like so many other grand public and private buildings in Paris, was originally built as a hôtel particulier, a private mansion. By the time the Hôtel de Pourtalès was listed as a national monument in 2002, it had been an office building for 85 years.

Source: New York Times October 07, 2016 18:22 UTC