The Compagnie Internationale des Grands Hôtels (CIGH) was founded on 11 April 1894 as a subsidiary of the railway company Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL).
This hotel chain was established to provide the customers of CIWL with high quality accommodation before or after their train journey.
The CIGH operated most of King Ismail's palaces in Egypt before his abdication in 1879.
[2] The CIGH's instant expansion throughout Europe made it the first international hotel chain.
[3] The CIGH had operated successfully for twenty years when World War I heavily affected the hotel business.