Cesar Ritz

Swiss hotelier who invented the modern luxury hotel — transforming hotels from mere lodging into total experiences, and whose name became synonymous with luxury.

The luxury hotel concept: Ritz's innovations (private bathrooms for every room, electric lighting, fresh flowers, high-quality cuisine, impeccable service) were genuinely revolutionary — hotels before Ritz were largely functional accommodation. His partnership with chef Auguste Escoffier created the chef-hotel partnership that became the foundation of modern restaurant culture. 'Le roi des hôteliers et l'hôtelier des rois' — 'the king of hoteliers and the hotelier of kings.' His name entered the English language as an adjective ('ritzy').