Dispatch from France: The Demolition Party (and Renovation) of the Royal Monceau, Soon to Be a Raffles Hotel

Quelle soirée! The media is still abuzz about the spectacular demolition party of Le Royal Monceau, the legendary Parisian palace hotel just minutes from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees. The historic hotel is getting a big makeover from French designer Philippe Starck, and to prep the pad for Starck's handiwork, special celebrity guests were invited to attend the Demolition Party (smashing everything in sight as DJ spun some tunes). This followed an auction, of course, of all the precious antiques, silver, porcelain and Frette linen, coveted by aficionados of style. Scheduled for a 10-month transformation which began this summer, the hotel will re-open in the Fall of 2009 as Le Royal Monceau- A Raffles Hotel. As Le Nouvel Observateur points out, the luxury hotel market in Paris is booming, regardless of the state of the global economy, as Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental are also slated to open in the next year.