[3] The Hotel de Paris sits in a commanding cliff top position in the centre of Cromer at the head of the town's Victorian pier.

These were the King's Head, the New Inn, the Red Lion and a hotel run by a Mrs Sanderson.

A publication of 1800 observed "The want of a large and well conducted inn is to be regretted by those who pay a visit to Cromer".

[5] Previous to that date there was a large house on the site which had been owned by Lord Suffield[5] and had been built in 1820.

The house and property were purchased by Pierre le Françoise[5] who used the site to build the first hotel.

Pierre le Françoise had been brought to England as a child by his father, Baron del Barr, and mother.

[5] Le Françoise established his hotel to attract the visitors who were coming to Cromer in ever increasing numbers.

Pierre le Françoise had died in 1841 and is buried in the churchyard of Cromer parish church.

His widow had continued to run the hotel with the help of a manageress called Mrs Garthon.

It comments that although the food was excellent... "the bell ropes considered as ornament are not altogether satisfactory and as articles of utility are most inefficient".

In 1891 Alex Jarvis decided to have a new hotel built on the site, and employed architect George John Skipper[7][8] to design it.