The Hotel Le Meurice opened its doors on rue de Rivoli in 1835. It owes its name to its owner, Charles-Augustin Meurice. His first idea was to open a luxury hotel for British clients. He succeeded beyond his expectations as Queen Victoria chose to stay there in 1855, during an official visit to France. In 1898, during the renovation and expansion of the hotel, the workers on the site took in a stray greyhound. Adopted by the staff, the greyhound became the hotel’s emblem. At the beginning of the 20th century, Le Meurice modernised, installing a bathroom and a telephone in each room and creating a roof terrace.