Paris's Plaza Athenee closes for renovation

The Plaza Athenee hotel near the Champs-Elysees in Paris, one of the top hotels in the French capital, said it is to close for seven months starting from October for large-scale renovations. The 100-year-old five-star establishment joins two other luxury hotels in Paris, the Ritz and the Crillon, that have temporary closed for major repairs amid stiff competition from new Asian-run hotels. The Plaza Athenee, part of the UK-registered Dorchester Collection group, said the works would focus on expanding into four neighbouring buildings it recently acquired and that it would re-open with 14 new rooms and suites, as well as new conference facilities.