Dating back two centuries, this grande dame of European hotels was commissioned in 1758 by Louis XV on one of the most sought-after parcels in the heart of the French capital. Which is perhaps why the Nazis, upon invading Paris, occupied it on the very first day of their advance. During the latter part of the war, the hotel returned to Allied control and housed French and British commanders, much as it did during World War I. In the intervening years, everyone from Richard Nixon and George Bush to King Juan Carlos and Elizabeth Taylor took up residence in the hotel’s 90 rooms and 57 suites, many of which are exquisitely furnished in Louis XV décor with Aubusson carpets, Murano and Baccarat chandeliers and Wedgewood medallions. It was recently renovated to the tune of $25 million.