 César Ritz 's health had declined after his 1902 collapse at the Carlton , but he was feeling well enough to assume an active role in the plans for the hotel 's opening dinner on 24 May 1906 . Unlike the opening of the Paris Ritz , which had catered to society , most of those invited to the Ritz , London opening were members of the national and international press . Major British newspapers such as the Daily Mail , the Daily Mirror and The Daily Telegraph were invited to the dinner along with newspapers which included the Berliner Tageblatt , The Sydney Morning Herald and The New York Times . Ritz 's guest list also included the engineer and architects of the structure along with key staff members of the new hotel and their wives . 
