Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton was constructed in the years leading up to World War I, which was an era defined by its economic prosperity, artistic expression, and political intrigue.

Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton, was founded by avant-garde American businessman John Jacob Astor IV in 1907. He was born in 1864 into the prominent Astor family, who had made their initial fortune as fur traders in the early 1800s. Astor himself was an inventor, real estate builder, investor, and Lieutenant Colonel in the Spanish-American War. He originally commissioned the seven-story building to serve as his Parisian home. Astor had fallen in love with the City of Lights in 1905 and decided to move there with his second wife, Madeleine. It was there that the two planned to make their main home during their extended honeymoon in 1911.

Astor perished on April 15, 1912 in the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic, just seven months after marrying Madeleine. He had deposited his 18-year-old wife—who was five-months pregnant—into the ship’s last lifeboat. She survived and gave birth that August to Astor’s last heir, John Jacob “Jakey” Astor V. Continuing Astor’s legacy of luxury and grandeur, the residence eventually became the Maison Astor Paris. In 2018, the hotel began an extensive refurbishment when it joined Hilton’s Curio Collection. The full renovation included updating the décor and preserving its historic architecture. The Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton, is now among Paris’ most celebrated holiday destinations.