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Unique Historic Suites at the Grand Hotel Europe |
St Petersburg, June 2009 — The leading hotel in St Petersburg has announced that ten unique historic suites are opened in the northern wing of the hotel’s Historic Floor. Each suite has its own name, and the individual interior design of every one will correspond to its name
The detailed reconstruction and renovation of the suites was carried out under the supervision of the French designer Michel Jouannet, who is renowned for his restoration work on the historic interiors of the celebrated Cipriani hotel in Venice, and the Copacabana Palace in Rio-de-Janeiro.
A strong influence of French culture has always been present in the architecture and interiors of St Petersburg. The importance of this tradition has been asserted once again by the work of Monsieur Jouannet, who has combined the elegance of St Petersburg during the era of the Emperor Alexander I with contemporary standards of comfort. He has softened the stern character of Classicism with the use of soft and comfortable furnishings and silk fabrics. |
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The historic suites have retained all of their antique elements of décor thanks to the painstaking restoration work carried out in the hotel. All of the suites are spacious, with an area of 55 to 97 square metres, and 4.3 meter-high ceilings. All the suites have a vestibule, a living room, bedroom and large bathroom. Their windows look out onto the most picturesque spot in the historic centre of St Petersburg – Arts Square, with its monument to the great poet Alexander Pushkin and the building of the Noble Assembly, currently home to the Philharmonic.
Every one of the ten historic suites has its own name, which reflects the rich history of both the hotel and St Petersburg, and a corresponding original design concept. Modern levels of comfort are guaranteed by furniture that has been made to order, but the spirit of old St Petersburg is preserved through the use of antique furniture and furnishings, which adorn the hotel extensively. The bathrooms are finished in various kinds of Italian marble.
No. 127: The Lidval Suite is named in honour of Fyodor Ivanovich Lidval, one of the greatest architects working in St Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century, and an outstanding master of the Art Nouveau style. Lidval helped to redesign the hotel’s interiors from 1908 to 1914. His most significant work in the hotel includes redesigning the Lobby Bar and the Krysha Ballroom in the Art Nouveau style, and redecorating the hotel’s main staircase and the first floor hall (now the Lidval room on the hotel’s Historic Floor). The suites adjacent to this room have borne the name of Lidval since 1991.
The Lidval Suite consists of a large living room with a winter garden on a small, glass-covered veranda, a bedroom and spacious, antique-styled bathroom. The historic interior and spirit of the age of Lidval is preserved in the room. The stucco adorning the walls of the living room is carefully restored, and the interior of the bathroom is decorated in Imperador Light marble and contrasting lacquered wood. The rooms are furnished with antique furniture from the hotel’s collection.
No. 105: The Pavarotti Suite is the room in which the celebrated Italian tenor stayed during his final tours in 2004. This suite has always been a favourite with musicians due to the antique grand piano that stands in the living room, allowing guests to practice without even leaving their room.
The interior of the suite is being stylised in the spirit of the finest opera houses in the world – the Opera Garnier in Paris and La Scala in Italy. The colour scheme dominated by hues of gold and red. The bathroom is finished in contrasting types of black and pink marble – Granit Black Absolute and Rosso Verona.
No. 119: The Stravinsky Suite is named after the great composer Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky, for whom the Evropeiskaya Hotel, as the Grand Hotel Europe was then known, was the first port of call when he returned to Russia 48 years after emigrating. His music is associated with spring and general awakening, and so the interior dominated by joyful hues of spring-like green. The bathroom is decorated in green marble (Verde de Guatemala) and fabled Carrara marble.
No. 107: The Dostoevsky Suite is named after Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, who was a frequent guest of the hotel. Archives have preserved a quote by Dostoevsky on the unprecedented scale of the hotel’s construction: “The architecture of this modern, huge hotel is efficiency itself, Americanism, hundreds of rooms, a vast industrial undertaking.”
To capture the mood of this great Russian writer, the designer has chosen tones that are fresh, yet deep and ‘serious’. The walls are decorated with wallpaper featuring a 19th-century style pattern, and the living room contains a large desk for literary work. The bathroom is decorated in contrasting types of marble, Emperador Dark and Light.
No. 112: The Faberge Suite is named in honour of the renowned Russian jeweller, Carl Faberge. The interior designed in the finest traditions of his age and work, embodying his works of art. The colour scheme dominated by pink, lilac and golden tones, and the suite is furnished with light, almost white coloured furniture encrusted with precious stones and patina.
Suite No. 123: The Rossi Suite is named after the architect Carlo Rossi, who is closely linked to the hotel, since he designed both the hotel’s façade and the architectural ensemble of the adjacent Arts Square and Mikhailovskaya Ulitsa, on which the hotel is located. The Rossi Suite is decorated in classic “Rossi” white and yellow – the colours that grace so many of the celebrated architect’s masterpieces around St Petersburg. The bathroom is decorated in Gialli Atlantide and Crema Marfil marble.
No. 121: The Romanov Suite is named in honour of the Imperial Russian dynasty, members of which regularly frequented the hotel. The last tsar, Emperor Nicholas II, held diplomatic receptions in the hotel. This suite has a truly palatial atmosphere. It is furnished with antique furniture featuring decorative gold moulding, and the bathroom is decorated with Rosso Levanto and Crema Marfil marble.
No. 109: The Imperial Yacht Suite is named after the Russian royal yacht, the Derzhava, which stunned contemporaries with the unprecedented opulence of its interiors. Shades of marine colours dominates the colour scheme of the suite, while the bathroom is decorated in green and cream marble (Verde de Guatemala and Crema Marfil.)
No. 125: The Amber Suite - is named in honor of the famous Amber room of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo which is often referred to as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’. It is decorated in warm amber tones, in keeping with its name. The bathroom features pink and yellow types of marble, Rosso di Verona and Giallo Atlantide.
No. 113: The Mariinsky Suite is named in honour of the celebrated Mariinsky Theatre. The great choreographer Marius Petipa stayed here, and Anna Pavlova, surrounded by admirers of her dancing, celebrated her success in the hotel’s restaurants. Other illustrious guests connected with the world of music and ballet to have stayed at the hotel include Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Johann Strauss, Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitry Shostakovich. The suite is decorated in light blue tones to match those of the interior of the Mariinsky Theatre.
The suite has a theatrical ambience to it. The bathroom is decorated with Travertino Walmut and Crema Marfil marble. | | |
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