The Astoria

From the early 19th century onwards, this site was occupied by the Hôtel Sornin, ideally located between Vichy's historic town centre and the nascent Vichy thermal spa establishment, bordering the park.
In 1888, following its acquisition of the neighbouring hotel, the establishment was expanded and renamed the Grand Hôtel Bonnet et de la Restauration.

Some twenty years later, the complex was demolished to make way for the Hôtel Astoria. At this time, the new building, designed by Moulins-based architect René Moreau and inaugurated in 1910, was managed by Léon Soalhat, owner of the neighbouring Hôtel International.

The hotel stood on a plot the shape of which imposed a "ship's prow" profile, a principle that would also be adopted in 1932 for the Hôtel des Célestins, in view of the Rue du Maréchal Foch opposite. The hotel boasts an unusual interior layout with a Société Générale branch office on the ground floor, while the hotel's communal areas, such as the lobby, lounge, and dining room, are relegated to the mezzanine.

During World War II, the Hôtel Astoria housed the Tunisian Office and the General Secretariat of the LVF (Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism). It closed its doors to be converted into a residence in 1988.