This hotel, which has 130 guestrooms, opened its doors on 24 May 1906 under the management of César Ritz, a Swiss waiter turned entrepreneur. The establishment was an immediate hit. Regular patrons have included monarchs (Edward VII, the duke and duchess of Windsor and the Queen Mother), billionaires (Aga Khan, Onassis), film stars (Rita Hayworth) and other famous people (Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill).