Every year, tourists flock to the Palace of Versailles, the opulent former estate of the French monarchy just outside Paris, and stroll the luxurious home and gardens. Now, for those tourists with some extra cash, a handful of visitors will get the chance to experience the royal treatment overnight in a new luxury hotel being planned on the palace grounds.
In an effort to raise revenue, management for the palace is inviting bids from private companies to open a hotel inside three former 17th century mansions that are currently unoccupied. Some rooms may even include views of the Orangerie, a garden built by noted French Baroque architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1684 and 1686, that holds orange, lemon and pomegranate trees, some of which are over 200 years old.
The estimated cost of renovations for the hotel stand between $4.44 million and $7.77 million, according to Reuters. The winning bidder will be given a 60-year license to operate the hotel, and a percentage of its profits must go toward the Palace.
