Hilton HHonors - No food/drink out of the lounge - Why?

It's been a policy at every Hilton i've stayed at world over that you are not supopsed/allowed to take food or beverage out of the lounge back to your room. However, I can't for the life of me think of why? I'd much rather pour myself a drink and get a plate of veggies to take back to my room and kick off my shoes at the end of a long day than sit in the lounge.

Some properties are lax at enforcing the policy, but the European Hiltons seem to be the most strict. I've had to resort to hiding two bottles of Schwepps Lemonade inside of a rolled up newspaper to smuggle them out of the lounge.

The funny thing is, most UK properties stock gigantic 1.5 liter glass bottles of Strathmore water in the lounges - does anyone sit there long enough to drink that? They also have smaller glass bottles as well, but why stock the enormous ones if you have to drink it all in one sitting?

Maybe they want you to use the minibar?

The funny thing is, most UK properties stock gigantic 1.5 liter glass bottles of Strathmore water in the lounges - does anyone sit there long enough to drink that? They also have smaller glass bottles as well, but why stock the enormous ones if you have to drink it all in one sitting?I can understand how the policy causes you some inconvenience with regard to your preference for heading back to the room to relax. As far as the large bottles of water, perhaps they are for sharing? Not everyone travels alone, you know. ;)

The funny thing is, most UK properties stock gigantic 1.5 liter glass bottles of Strathmore water in the lounges - does anyone sit there long enough to drink that? They also have smaller glass bottles as well, but why stock the enormous ones if you have to drink it all in one sitting?

I've always thought that the large bottles weren't meant to be "personal", there is usually one open and I just pour myself a glass and leave the remainder for the next person.

All kinds of reasons for the policy of not allowing food and drink to be removed, I guess. Some probably to prevent bad behavior, like people taking massive quantities of things out and hoarding them, or having a little party in the room with others who don't have lounge access. ("No problem Bill, let me go up and get us all another 5 beers" lol) to local alcohol laws that don't permit drinks to be taken from the premises.

I honestly don't have a big problem with it. If I want food in my room I either order room service or shop locally and have some provisions on hand.

Yes, the large bottles are meant to be opened and poured into a glass and then left for the next person.

I wonder if there is some type of "off premise" alcohol licensing issue which makes them keep in the lounge?

I'd imagine it is also there to keep people eating appetizers like appetizers. Though most guests never cease to surprise me, i.e. the couple I saw last week at the NY Hilton lounge with 8 plates of appetizers between the two of them.

That may have been us. I usually end up only paying for lunch when I'm staying at a property that has an EL (and even that sometimes consists of sandwiches made with breakfast buffet ingredients).

UTA

I've literally seen people loading up boxes of food. I would guess the quantity was adequate to feed a family of four for a whole day.

I can't for the life of me think of why? I can't for the life of me see why someone with access to the lounge couldn't figure out why they have this policy. The food and beverage is meant for the enjoyment of the executive level and other invited guests at specific times of the day, I appreciate what they offer and enjoy it at the specified times. Maybe you wouldn't abuse this if they allowed you to take food and drink out, but it's hardly difficult to see that many others would abuse this if they allowed it.

That may have been us. I usually end up only paying for lunch when I'm staying at a property that has an EL (and even that sometimes consists of sandwiches made with breakfast buffet ingredients).

You are joking, right?

Are you actually saying you don't eat dinner in a restaurant if there is an executive lounge, due to the food in the lounge?

Other than the concierge lounge @ Palazzo Las Vegas, and maybe the 'old' 7* lounges in Vegas/Atlantic City and a few of the the casino VIP lounges, I can't imagine a spread at many Hilton lounges that would consistently be an adequate replacement for dinner in a restaurant.

I can't for the life of me see why someone with access to the lounge couldn't figure out why they have this policy. The food and beverage is meant for the enjoyment of the executive level and other invited guests at specific times of the day, I appreciate what they offer and enjoy it at the specified times. Maybe you wouldn't abuse this if they allowed you to take food and drink out, but it's hardly difficult to see that many others would abuse this if they allowed it.

Yep, sounds reasonable to me. ^

I can't for the life of me see why someone with access to the lounge couldn't figure out why they have this policy. The food and beverage is meant for the enjoyment of the executive level and other invited guests at specific times of the day, I appreciate what they offer and enjoy it at the specified times. Maybe you wouldn't abuse this if they allowed you to take food and drink out, but it's hardly difficult to see that many others would abuse this if they allowed it.

I can understand the alcohol for reasons listed above. But "Ma and Pa Redneck" dont generally have access to the lounge, so who would really be 'hoarding'?

I can understand the alcohol for reasons listed above. But "Ma and Pa Redneck" dont generally have access to the lounge, so who would really be 'hoarding'?

The quotes below, are from THIS THREAD! :p:p:p

Though most guests never cease to surprise me, i.e. the couple I saw last week at the NY Hilton lounge with 8 plates of appetizers between the two of them.

.....and even that sometimes consists of sandwiches made with breakfast buffet ingredients).

It's kinda like restarant with an all you can eat buffet- where generally you are not allowed doggy bags.

I was in one such place in Beijing last year where they had signs up that if you took (too much) food and so didn't eat it (ie left it on your plate) you would be levied an additional surcharge. :eek:

I've made meals out of the lounge (and taken some for later). Heck, a few years ago on a 10-day trip to London and Paris with a family of three, I probably saved $1000 on meals. Boo-yah.

I've made meals from lounge food on several occasions, but always in the lounge and only a reasonably loaded plate at a time. I can understand not wanting food to leave the lounge to prevent erosion of restaurant and room-service revenue, on top of alcohol and liquor-license considerations.

The funny thing is, most UK properties stock gigantic 1.5 liter glass bottles of Strathmore water in the lounges - does anyone sit there long enough to drink that? While I agree with ColumbiaPete that the bottle is intended to be used on a per glass basis, I have to say the answer to your question is YES! ;) I have definitely finished a 1.5 liter while visiting a lounge (it doesn't take very long if I'm thirsty).

I also agree with Beckles and think the reason for the policy is obvious from a revenue and perk protection perspective.

Was told in Melbourne it was due to the crockery/cutlery count ? Have been postively encouraged in Sydney to take the desert and a cocktail from the lounge in the evening :D No problem elsewhere either..London,San Fran (when they had EL :D ) and KL too to name a few !

Room Service waiters have trays and carts and some skill at moving food. I would suspect that more than one loaded plate has been dropped in a hallway creating a big mess for staff to clean up. This breaks down with drinks as many bars allow drinks to be carried to the room.

This policy is pretty much cut and dry with anyone who has to control costs within a business.

Food cost would be much greater if the hotel allowed people to use the EL as their own pantry for their room. Number one, I think it is completely tacky to pile up a huge plate of food and venture off with it, but such activity also deters from the atmosphere that so many of you desire in such lounges.

Removing food from the lounge will lead to a number of factors. Waste would be higher as one would take more than they would really end up eating and then they would toss it out. As others have said, this could end up in the hallway as a disgusting mess.

I would presume the alcohol law situation is minimal as most hotels have licenses that allow consumption of alcohol anywhere within their property.

I fear that abuse of such policies leads to a cut back of services as well as a dimished product / benefit overall.

I can understand the alcohol for reasons listed above. But "Ma and Pa Redneck" dont generally have access to the lounge, so who would really be 'hoarding'?

It is not only Ma and Pa Redneck. I experienced it yesterday in the Berlin Hilton lounge that two handfuls of guests loaded their plates from the buffet as if they were (a) starving or (b) preparing for very hard times, ate a bite and asked the waiter to take the plate away. And most members of the group were wearing suits. At the end of the day they wanted to depart from the lounge with some bottles of beer and started a discussion with the staff about the rules.....

I really don't have a problem with someone walking into an EL and getting a drink and taking it back to the room (since they could have easily consumed that drink there, plus some lounges are small and don't have much seating space). HOWEVER, living it up at an EL and then getting more stuff to take out of the lounge is rude and tacky. One should not assume that there is an endless supply of food in the back for the evening. And it is also tacky to overload the plate with food and hardly eat any of it. I saw this in the BA Hilton EL a couple of weeks ago (although that was breakfast time, not evening social).

You are joking, right?

Are you actually saying you don't eat dinner in a restaurant if there is an executive lounge, due to the food in the lounge?

Other than the concierge lounge @ Palazzo Las Vegas, and maybe the 'old' 7* lounges in Vegas/Atlantic City and a few of the the casino VIP lounges, I can't imagine a spread at many Hilton lounges that would consistently be an adequate replacement for dinner in a restaurant.

The Cavalieri Imperial Lounge has a wonderful spread. It is easy to have a very nice dinner there. The Hilton ADT has a nice lounge too, not as good as the Cav, but still really good.

The Cavalieri Imperial Lounge has a wonderful spread. It is easy to have a very nice dinner there. The Hilton ADT has a nice lounge too, not as good as the Cav, but still really good.

Hard to believe if your only lounge experience is in the U.S. In European and Asian Hiltons, we've gone out for lunch, then enjoyed the appetizers and wine at the dinner hour as an alternative to dinner.

We're not being cheapskates (well, maybe a little ;) ) but it can be an extremely pleasant atmosphere. ^

Those who think it's only Ma and Pa Kettle who would abuse lounge priviliges should probably think again. Consider: if we're honest about it, we'll concede that one of the major themes of this board. . .of Randy's entire empire for that matter. . .is gaming the system in one way or another. A big percentage of the people here are game players, whether it's mile running, bed running, nailing erroneous fares and rates, playing the credit card companies like violins to maximize bennies. . .you name it, and sombody here is figuring an angle. Randy's literally made a career out of it.

Anything wrong with that? Hell no, as long as it's being done within the rules and with a fundamental ethical understanding of right and wrong. If it's your hobby to fly places you don't care to go in order to rack up miles, that's none of my business. Just because I only fly to get someplace I want or need to go doesn't make me right and you wrong.

But I would submit that some gamers, after establishing a pattern of "winning," do tend to develop a misplaced sense of entitlement. Sometimes they have a tendency to want to push the envelope inappropriately. Me, I think the hotels have a perfect right to prevent food and drink from being taken out of the lounges for all the reasons that have been stated in this thread.

After all, how many times have we seen questions here like, "I'm diamond and I'm booking four rooms. Will all eight of us have access to the lounge?" If it turns out that those in the additional rooms don't (which I believe is the policy), it's not too big a leap for the entitlement mentaility to kick in, and soon result in plate after plate of food being transported to all the other rooms.

No, no. It's not just the Clampetts who would do this. It's also a fair percentage of our fellow FT'ers who are just figuring another angle, a new twist to the "game."

Flame me if you like. My point isn't to scold anybody in particular. It's just to point out that I'm sure this kind of behavior isn't limited to the great unwashed.

You are joking, right?

Are you actually saying you don't eat dinner in a restaurant if there is an executive lounge, due to the food in the lounge?

Other than the concierge lounge @ Palazzo Las Vegas, and maybe the 'old' 7* lounges in Vegas/Atlantic City and a few of the the casino VIP lounges, I can't imagine a spread at many Hilton lounges that would consistently be an adequate replacement for dinner in a restaurant.Hilton Arc d'Triomph in Paris we stayed at for four nights last year, I think we only ate one or two meals away from the hotel, they had spreads for breakfast, dinner, and lunch that were plenty of food for a meal. I wasn't going to drop hundreds for a Michelin rated restaurant, and why bother over-paying at most other places in Paris.

I can understand the alcohol for reasons listed above. But "Ma and Pa Redneck" dont generally have access to the lounge, so who would really be 'hoarding'?Now this is the comment that deserves a "you're kidding". Quite frankly I think anyone who uses the ole' Ma and Pa Kettle/Redneck comment is conceited, but beyond that, seriously, have you ever been in a lounge and seen some of the A-holes in there?

Hilton Arc d'Triomph in Paris we stayed at for four nights last year, I think we only ate one or two meals away from the hotel, they had spreads for breakfast, dinner, and lunch that were plenty of food for a meal. I wasn't going to drop hundreds for a Michelin rated restaurant, and why bother over-paying at most other places in Paris.

This is the comment that deserves a "you're kidding". Quite frankly, you went to Paris and had all but two of you meals in the lounge? You did not spend you time in these wonerful little restaurants, bistros, cafés....? This did not give you too much of a Parisien atmosphere, did it? :confused: You could have easily stayed at home in Kansas watching a Paris video on TV and get your food delivered from the local take away.....

This is the comment that deserves a "you're kidding". Quite frankly, you went to Paris and had all but two of you meals in the lounge? You did not spend you time in these wonerful little restaurants, bistros, cafés....? This did not give you too much of a Parisien atmosphere, did it? :confused: You could have easily stayed at home in Kansas watching a Paris video on TV and get your food delivered from the local take away.....

You're kidding right ?


Not eveyone's particularly interested in food, I regard it as fuel. There's more to Paris than Bistros etc

"stayed at home in Kansas "


the poster does not live in kansas, from the posters id, he or she lives in missouri, there is a very big difference, and it goes back over 150 years.


so what if the poster ate in the hotel lounge all of the time in paris, it is his or her right to do that.... why is it any of your business?

I assume they have the policy for the same reason that Five Guys has signs up everywhere warning you for "safety" reasons not to take any of their free peanuts out of their restaurants. One sign I saw even warned about about children possibly dying if you dared to take a free peanut off the premises.

I can understand the alcohol for reasons listed above. But "Ma and Pa Redneck" dont generally have access to the lounge, so who would really be 'hoarding'?

I've seen plenty of people in Hilton lounges who are a bit challenged to act appropriately. Heck, we even have those folks on the FT boards. By way of example, see the quote directly above.

Those who think it's only Ma and Pa Kettle who would abuse lounge priviliges should probably think again. Consider: if we're honest about it, we'll concede that one of the major themes of this board. . .of Randy's entire empire for that matter. . .is gaming the system in one way or another. A big percentage of the people here are game players, whether it's mile running, bed running, nailing erroneous fares and rates, playing the credit card companies like violins to maximize bennies. . .you name it, and sombody here is figuring an angle. Randy's literally made a career out of it.



Exactamente!!!

Nail, head, etc...

Great post!

This is the comment that deserves a "you're kidding". Quite frankly, you went to Paris and had all but two of you meals in the lounge? You did not spend you (sic) time in these wonerful (sic) little restaurants, bistros, cafés....? This did not give you too much of a Parisien atmosphere, did it? :confused: You could have easily stayed at home in Kansas watching a Paris video on TV and get your food delivered from the local take away..... emphases added

I hope you have someone to proof your briefs? :confused:

Have you never heard of different strokes for different folks?

I work in some of the poorest regions of 3rd world $hit-holes. The few chances I get to be in Paris, one of my favorite places on this rock, I do look at my 50 euro lunch bills and think about eating rice, beans and tortillas 3x/day EVERY day. I think about killing a scrawny "yard bird" (chicken) for the Christmas "feast" -- often only one of 2x/year when there is "meat" with the meal.

I have no problem using the status that I have earned to take my "meals" in the lounge but even then I am guided by a sense of good taste and decorum...

YMMV

emphases added

I hope you have someone to proof your briefs? :confused:

Have you never heard of different strokes for different folks?

I work in some of the poorest regions of 3rd world $hit-holes. The few chances I get to be in Paris, one of my favorite places on this rock, I do look at my 50 euro lunch bills and think about eating rice, beans and tortillas 3x/day EVERY day. I think about killing a scrawny "yard bird" (chicken) for the Christmas "feast" -- often only one of 2x/year when there is "meat" with the meal.

I have no problem using the status that I have earned to take my "meals" in the lounge but even then I am guided by a sense of good taste and decorum...

YMMV

If your German were as good as my English (which is not my native language) you would be invited to complain. And a post on FT is not a brief but something I might type on a blackberry sitting in an airport lounge.

Paris is - and you are invited to see it differently - inter alia about food and it is certainly about cafés and bistros. This is not part of getting "fueled" but it is part of life in Paris. I love to be there, to chat with the locals and to do as the Parisiens do. Sitting in a lounge in US chain hotel can certainly not be a substitute for this. I - and you can see it differently - cannot understand how one can miss the opportunity to have a real life experience. I am aware that some people understand a sightseeing tour as a city experience - I don't.

And please do not try to play the moralist....

You're kidding right ?


Not eveyone's particularly interested in food, I regard it as fuel. There's more to Paris than Bistros etc

Sure - but having breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same place and return to this place to get fueled limits the time you have for "more" due to travel time and time required to eat. We spent a week in Paris in May and used the wonderful ADT lounge three times: Check in, Check out and a coffee on the one rainy day we had. All other food was in restaurants and bistros (certainly not "over-paying at most other places in Paris")

"stayed at home in Kansas "


the poster does not live in kansas, from the posters id, he or she lives in missouri, there is a very big difference, and it goes back over 150 years.


so what if the poster ate in the hotel lounge all of the time in paris, it is his or her right to do that.... why is it any of your business?

Amazing, I am not talking about US geography and I do not claim be be informed about differences between Kansas City and Kansas. Kansas City was in the ID and I understood it as Kansas. This was certainly not meant to be any offence. If it is understood as one, this appears to be a domestic US problem.

It is my opinion that one can stay at home and enjoy a good DVD if one travels to a city, returns to a hotel twice or three times a day for food and enjoys one or the other guided tour. I find it amazing when being on business and having a quick drink in the evening that people being obviously on vacation spend a full evening in a hotel lounge and do not explore the city on their own.

So why is it your business to ask me why I have a certain opinion? :confused: You can share it or not.

So why is it your business to ask me why I have a certain opinion? :confused: You can share it or not.

Ah yes seems you are getting to understand why I have decided to stay away (well... with this solitary exception - so far) from this board.;)

This thread is a prime example of the OMNI-ZATION and the almost tactic encouragement of questionable behaviour rationalized by the increasing common Ftalk mindest = if we can take full advatange of whats available... to hell with the consequenses... the hotel owes us ...after all we spent at least two nights in their properties last year and without us they would go belly-up... so how dare you question our motives/behaviour?

mike

The unattended tiny lounge at the Hilton Embassy Row has plastic cutleries if you decide to eat/drink in your room :)

Paris is - and you are invited to see it differently - inter alia about food and it is certainly about cafés and bistros. This is not part of getting "fueled" but it is part of life in Paris. Many people love Paris for the food, I know that.

I didn't go to Paris for the food. I went for the history. We have pretty good food here in the US, quite frankly I would find it very difficult to appreciate the difference between a 100 euro lunch in Paris and a $50 lunch at a nice restaurant here in Kansas City or any other city in the US. Believe it or not, we have world famous restaurants here in Kansas City that are the best in the world at what they do, I don't need to travel to Paris for that.

It is my opinion that one can stay at home and enjoy a good DVD if one travels to a city, returns to a hotel twice or three times a day for food and enjoys one or the other guided tour.And I disagree with your opinion, one can never fully appreciate the history of cities like Paris, Rome, and London without traveling there and seeing it for themselves in my humble opinion, that is why I enjoy traveling to such cities, not for the food.
I find it amazing when being on business and having a quick drink in the evening that people being obviously on vacation spend a full evening in a hotel lounge and do not explore the city on their own. We spent four days in Paris and quite frankly I consider eating many meals at the lounge to be a time-saver compared to eating at restuarants, bistros, or cafes, it gave us more time to enjoy the city we came to see. We certainly did not spend "all evening" there, especially considering we could grab a light dinner, then head out since it didn't get dark until 10:00 PM or so while we were there (my wife and I can't bring ourselves to eat late dinners like many Europeans, especially since we usually go with just two meals a day while traveling, brunch and dinner).

----------

As for geography, there are many Americans who don't know that when folks refer to "Kansas City" they are most likely referring to Kansas City, Missouri. There is a Kansas City, Kansas which is adjacent, just across the state line, but it is much smaller geography-wise and population-wise. The "Kansas City" most folks outside the area would relate to are the major league baseball team and NFL football team, the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which are in Kansas City, Missouri. That being said, every state and territory has a two letter abbreviation, that is what the "MO" in my location is. I think some folks may consider "Kansas" to have been a back-handed slur much like "Ma and Pa Kettle" because of its association with rural life, Missouri does not have quite the connotations associated with it.

As for geography, there are many Americans who don't know that when folks refer to "Kansas City" they are most likely referring to Kansas City, Missouri. There is a Kansas City, Kansas which is adjacent, just across the state line, but it is much smaller geography-wise and population-wise. The "Kansas City" most folks outside the area would relate to are the major league baseball team and NFL football team, the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which are in Kansas City, Missouri. That being said, every state and territory has a two letter abbreviation, that is what the "MO" in my location is. I think some folks may consider "Kansas" to have been a back-handed slur much like "Ma and Pa Kettle" because of its association with rural life, Missouri does not have quite the connotations associated with it.

Thanks - I always learn something new on FT :)

This is the comment that deserves a "you're kidding". Quite frankly, you went to Paris and had all but two of you meals in the lounge? You did not spend you time in these wonerful little restaurants, bistros, cafés....? This did not give you too much of a Parisien atmosphere, did it? :confused: You could have easily stayed at home in Kansas watching a Paris video on TV and get your food delivered from the local take away.....

I think now, you are just trying to be a bad guy. I wish your "sometimes a nice guy" happens a little more often than not. See, not everyone thinks or enjoys the same thing and it's o.k., really, it is.

You're kidding right ?


Not eveyone's particularly interested in food, I regard it as fuel. There's more to Paris than Bistros etc

Yep, for example, Moulin rouge, not my cup of tea but many do like that. Paris is known as the ville de lumière, not ville de bistro et restaurants ;)



Paris is - and you are invited to see it differently - inter alia about food and it is certainly about cafés and bistros. This is not part of getting "fueled" but it is part of life in Paris. I love to be there, to chat with the locals and to do as the Parisiens do. Sitting in a lounge in US chain hotel can certainly not be a substitute for this. I - and you can see it differently - cannot understand how one can miss the opportunity to have a real life experience. I am aware that some people understand a sightseeing tour as a city experience - I don't.

Interesting, do you speak French? I found your description of what you like to do in Paris quite difficult to believe. Parisiens are well known to be mean, even among French. They don't chat with people - they just don't, no time, no patience and most certainly no interest with a tourist who may or may not speak French with heavy German accent. I'd be curious where in Paris you managed to find locals to chat with you because that will certainly be the breaking news of the day given that Parisiens are known even to make fun of French from outside of Paris - I can just imagine how they'll enjoy conversing with a German lawyer. :rolleyes:

As for geography, there are many Americans who don't know that when folks refer to "Kansas City" they are most likely referring to Kansas City, Missouri. There is a Kansas City, Kansas which is adjacent, just across the state line, but it is much smaller geography-wise and population-wise. The "Kansas City" most folks outside the area would relate to are the major league baseball team and NFL football team, the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which are in Kansas City, Missouri. That being said, every state and territory has a two letter abbreviation, that is what the "MO" in my location is. I think some folks may consider "Kansas" to have been a back-handed slur much like "Ma and Pa Kettle" because of its association with rural life, Missouri does not have quite the connotations associated with it.

This is actually quite funny. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and now reside in Chicago. For inhabitants of Kansas City, MO to make much of the area's sophistication vs. kansas is a hoot. Midwest is midwest! As for cuisine, Kansas City is well known for its barbecue, popularized by Calvin Trillen of the New Yorker Magazine. As for Missouri, it also is the home of that culture capital, Branson, where every country and western star goes to die before aging audiences.

Interesting, do you speak French? I found your description of what you like to do in Paris quite difficult to believe. Parisiens are well known to be mean, even among French. They don't chat with people - they just don't, no time, no patience and most certainly no interest with a tourist who may or may not speak French with heavy German accent. I'd be curious where in Paris you managed to find locals to chat with you because that will certainly be the breaking news of the day given that Parisiens are known even to make fun of French from outside of Paris - I can just imagine how they'll enjoy conversing with a German lawyer. :rolleyes:

When you speak languages, the world is by far more interesting....

Yes, my partner and I speak French, yes, she, being German, even studied in Paris and it is certainly not any breaking news that the French can be quite charming and even the Parisiens can be very nice.

They do not exercise this capability too frequently when confronted with tourists who do not speak any French, who expect them to understand the tourist's native language even when spoken machine-gun like and with heavy accents deviating from the original standards of the relevant language and when they, worst case, receive jokes about their heavy French accent as a reply.

[Remark: This is not pointing at any specific origin of any specific tourist from any specific country but is it nothing but a personal observation and opininion].

Haven't read the entire thread but the Executive Lounge at the Washington Hilton allows you to take stuff out the lounge and to your room.

I saw a steady stream of people with fruit and coffee in the morning heading to their room after going to the lounge.

I also got sick while in DC and the concierge by the Executive Lounge even helped my gf make me a plate.

Interesting, do you speak French? I found your description of what you like to do in Paris quite difficult to believe. Parisiens are well known to be mean, even among French. They don't chat with people - they just don't, no time, no patience and most certainly no interest with a tourist who may or may not speak French with heavy German accent. I'd be curious where in Paris you managed to find locals to chat with you because that will certainly be the breaking news of the day given that Parisiens are known even to make fun of French from outside of Paris - I can just imagine how they'll enjoy conversing with a German lawyer. :rolleyes:For the record, while I don't find Parisians chatty, I find them perfectly pleasant, willing to be patient with my probably heavily American-accented French, and entirely willing to switch to English when I run out of French, probably since I've given them the respect of trying to speak the language of the place where I am. What I like to do in Paris is much like what Flying Lawyer likes to do.

I'm closing it as there is really no answer to the question and some posters have used it to be incredibly off topic and unfriendly. Not cool.

squeakr
co mod Hilton