THE BUILDING WHICH TODAY HOUSES THE HOTEL LANCASTER WAS
ORIGNALLY BUILT IN 1889 AS A TOWN HOUSE IN THE STYLE OF
THE ANCIENNE REGIME FOR MONSIEUR SANTIAGO DRAKE DEL
CASTILLO A SPANIARD NOBLEMAN WHO HAD AQUIRED THE LAND TEN
YEARS EARLIER FROM THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF HENNIN.
THE HOUSE REMAINED IN THE CASTILLO FAMILY UNTIL 1925 WHEN
IT WAS SOLD TO A SWISS GENTLEMAN MONSIEUR EMILE WOLF. THE
PROPERTY AT THIS STAGE COMPRISED OF FOUR FLATS ONE ON EACH
FLOOR BUT MONSIEUR WOLF DECIDED TO COMMENCE THE PROCESS OF
ENLARGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION WHICH WAS TO CREATE THE
HOTEL LANCASTER. AS PART OF THE WORKS FOUR MORE LOORS WERE
ADDED TO THE BUILDING BETWEEN 1925 AND 1928. HOWEVER WOLD
WAS AT PAINS TO ENSURE THAT THE OLD MET WITH THE NEW TO
FORM A SEAMLESS WHOLE - A PHILOSOPHY WHICH HAS BEEN
MAINTAINED IN THE RECENT HOTEL REFURBISHMENT.
DURING THE PERIOD OF CONVERSION COMPLETED IN 1930 WOLF AND
HIS HOUSEKEEPER THE DAUGHTER OF AN ANTIQUE DEEALER SCOURED
THE AUCTION HOUSES OF PARIS FOR FURNITURE ANTIQUE CLOCKS
PAINTINGS CHADELIERS LAMPS TAPESTRIES CRYSTAL AND
PORCELAIN TO FURNISH THE HOTEL. THE FURNITURE THAT THEY
ASSEMBLED REMAINS AT THE HOTEL AND NOW FORMS THE CORE OF
AN EXTENSIVE AND CONTINUOUSL EEVOLVING COLLECTION.
THE WEALTH OF LOUIS XV AND LOUIS XVI FURNITURE ADDS AN
INTIMATABLE PARISIAN CHIC TO THE ROOMS THOUGH IT HAS BEEN
SAID MANY OF THE PIECES ARE HIGH QUALITY 19TH CENTURY
COPIES NOW COLLECTED IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE
IS FOUND WITH THE LOUIS XVI STYLE BUREAU A CYLINDRE WHICH
IS DECORATED WITH MARQUETRY MUSIC TROPHES IN PALISSANDER
OLVE AND LEMON WOOD. ALTHOUGH ENGLISH IN ORIGIN THE DESK
WAS MADE TO APPEAL TO THE VICTORIAN INTEREST IN
PRE-REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE.
THE CHIMING OF NUMEROUS ANTIQUE CLOCKS FLOATS THROUGH THE
LANCASTER. PARTICULARILY APPEALING EXAMPLES CONTAINED
WITHIN THE HOTELS COLLECTION ARE ORMOLU-MOUNTED BRIGHT
GREEN ROCOCO CLOCK. ANOTHER EQUALLY AESTHETIC TIMEPIECE
DATES FROM THE YEARS WHEN NAPOLEON WAS CONSUL - ITS MOTIFS
OF PLAM LEAVES LOTUS FLOWERS GILT-BRONZE SPHINXES WERE
INSPIRED BY NAPOLEONS EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGNS WHICH UNLEASHED A
FLURRY OF PHAROIC DECORATION. A ROCOCO BOULLE CLOCK BY
IFENNE SITS ON A BRACKET IN THE GRAND SALONG OPPOSITE A
19TH CENTURY CANAL SCENE BY FELIC ZIEM.
A COURTYARD FORMS THE CENTRE OF THE LANCASTER.
THE RESULT IS A HOTEL STEEPED IN HISTORY WHERE EACH ROOM
TAKES ON INDIVIDUAL IDENITY. THIS LUXURIOUS ELEGANCE AND
COMFORT, ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND IMPECCABLE STANDARD OF
SERVICE HAS LED THE HOTEL TO BECOME A PARTICULAR FAVOURITE
WITH ROYALTY, SOCIETY AND LEADING FIGURES FROM GOVERNMENT
AND THE ARTS. THE LANCASTERS PAST CLIENTELE HAS RANGED
FROM NOEL COWARD TO KING UMBERTO OF ITALY TO MARLENE
DIETRICH GRETA GARBO SIR ALEC GUINESS AND JOHN HUSTON.
IT IS A RARITY TO FIND A HOTEL TODAY THAT PROVIDES THE
LATEST MODERN CONVENIENCES AND COMFORT FOR ITS CLIENTELE
BUT KEEPS A STRONG RESPECT FOR TRADITION AND MAINTENANCE
OF ITS ANTIQUITIES. WITH AN EXTENSIVE RESTORATION JUST
COMPLETED OF ALL PIECES DURING WHICH ADVISE WAS SOUGHT
FROM 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY SPECIALISTS THE LANCASTER
ASSURED ITS HISTORICAL TREASURES WILL BE PROTECTED.