camperdown9

Hi

I love the George V its one of my favourite hotels.

Is it good value for money, well no but few 5 star hotels are anywhere and Paris is very expensive for accommodation.

Would I stay their again? Yes but not often. Its a bit like Raffles in Singapore, the Plaza in New York or the Savoy in London. They are kind of destinations in their own right. They are smart slightly old fashioned hotels that have been around for years and will likely be around for years to come. They are great to visit for a night or two with a loved one, but any longer and the magic starts to wear off. Plus I don't really understand why anyone would want to stay at a hotel like this on business. There are cheaper, more modern 5 star hotels that have better facilities.

Just my view

Alex

CGRA

I agree with you.
Not a big fan of the GV but it's still better than the Plaza or Raffles where the service is no more than Hilton style. (you may all bite me but I won't change my mind

Wonder why GV is making so much noise.

Don't trust much TA but Bristol is #1 hotel and their restaurant is #1 as well.
I don't believe that's happened in any other major cities to be #1 for hotel and restaurant.

aa213bb

While interesting in a trivial sort of way, I take that more as a sign of how strongly (or, rather, weakly) I should weight TA when making decisions.

CGRA

Yes true, I mainly use TA for the photos
Some hotels (even luxury) encourage guests to review them on TA

DaveChapin

I just read the TA review referred to above about the FSGV. Two stars seemed inappropriate to me based on what I read in there and saw in the reviewer's photos (fabulously shot btw). Maybe the gushing about the place over the years by so many put it on pedestal too high to ever meet expectations. But I find this was an odd litany of complaints. Some valid if experienced, some puzzling to me.

So here's a review of a review for the benefit of folks that just heard from the OP that the experience was "a disappointment", "grossly over-rated", and a "let down". A place where a stay is tantamount to "throwing your money away". What were the ingredients that fed those conclusions? I paid close attention for my own next trip to Paris. Is this hotel worthy of one's time or not? There are an awful lot of positive reviews of this property. Those positives make the scathing ones that much more of a stand out and worthy of detailed analysis.


Pre-Arrival

Concierge didn't reply for more than 10 days about a question. Completely valid complaint. So far I have not experienced this. Staff has promptly answered all of my questions over email and phone. Completely professional and friendly.


Arrival

The hotel gives a free upgrade at checkin but there is complaint about missing pre-checkin. Wouldn't that be a net positive? Like in a huge way?


Accommodation

The complaints:
- Upgraded suite is 70m2 and that feels too small. I hope to have this problem some day.
- Shower lacks "rainforest" feature. This is a feature I for one abhor and never use.
- The tub is considered small which (and I quote) "probably will only fit one person". Ha!
- No walk-in closet. All right, I looked at the photos and from what I can put together, the layout of this room was: Living room, Bedroom, Anteroom, Bathroom. The closet was in the anteroom. Now this is a room that holds cabinetry behind which clothes may be hung. If it didn't have an entrance to the bathroom on one side, most people would call that a walk-in closet or a dressing room. Is it fair to ding the place because it has two entrances?
- Little luggage space. Completely valid complaint.
- Bed is comfortable but "not one of the best ever slept in". Pedestal effect?
- Room has ceiling that is considered low. Can't imagine I would complain about such a thing on the higher floors of palace hotel built in the early 20th century.
- In-Room electronics are "cheap". Completely valid complaint. They didn't look spectacular in the pictures that's for sure.
- Missing Do Not Disturb button. A nice to have. Do not think I would have had an issue w/ it given how easy it is to let staff know you don't want to be disturbed in other ways. But duly noted.
- Welcome gift was two little cakes and no plate or cutlery. This one was really odd. For one, the pictures w/ the review *appear to show a plate*. Secondly the cakes appear to be of the size that you pick up with your hand like a chocolate covered strawberry. What would one need a knife and fork for?
- Didn't receive welcome letter from GM.

FWIW, there are ton of pictures of this suite on the reviewer's flickr page. And boy does it look lovely to me for a room whose "only redeeming quality is its terrace".


Spa

- Swimming pool was small. From pictures I've seen, it looked pretty nice; but maybe it is photographic distortion.
- Only one jacuzzi pool. How many are needed?
- Only one small sauna room and always full. Completely valid complaint.

Anyway, will give the benefit of the doubt on these. Some of the observations might help explain why they are renovating these facilities big time (as I first read on FT and later confirmed in an exchange I had with the hotel). They may have fallen behind local rivals in this area -- especially the newer properties from SL, Pen, etc.


Service

- Did not find that staff worked miracles during stay as expected. Too "overtly welcoming".
- Although dinner service was fine, breakfast order for omelette not respected. Completely valid complaint.
- Toiletries and in-room Nespresso packages not replenished on check-in. Asked and they were refreshed. Completely valid complaint.


Rest of Hotel

The hotel common areas, location, restaurant, lounges, bar, flowers, charm are praised. But then dismissed because you can enjoy them w/o staying there. So, the review of any hotel's hard product boils down only to pretty much the room and the size of the pool and sauna? The fact that these common areas are passed thru and enjoyed every day of your stay and completely conveniently w/o a taxi ride gives them no bearing on the quality of the hotel?


Conclusion

I think if I had had that room on an upgrade, I likely would have given the place at least 4 stars and maybe 4 and half. I usually have one suitcase so unlikely I would be wanting for lots of luggage space. And I am more moved by design & architecture than by a room's radios and TVs; that is, I don't go to a place like Paris to blast the room sound system or catch up on TV shows. The pics of the bathroom looked great to me and the suite looked spacious and luxurious and tasteful. Messing up a single breakfast order would be noted but not fatal unless repeated more than once on a stay -- especially given that the F&B was otherwise superb. But the miss with the concierge, spa experience, and in-room consumables demands certainly something short of a perfect review. But I wouldn't have gone to "most disappointing stay ever". Given the property's history and legacy of warm reviews, and the somewhat bizarreness of this rare (but prominent) negative one, I am willing to give the property a try.

And then it will be *my* chance to post a review and have it surgically analyzed by a complete stranger.

Five Star Traveller

A bit late to this, but I'm a bit surprised by the comment about the beds. I've always found the Four Seasons beds to be extremely comfortable and the best out of the major luxury brands.

offerendum

Do we really need reviews of reviews? Also I honor other members opinions, even if I can´t agree from pictures. It´s simply rude to comment this way....

BENLEE

That stay was back in 2013. High expectation was the norm at that time due to the accolades and fans singing this property's praises in this forum. It's interesting you try to dissect my review so I will give my side of the rebuttal and clarification.

Just to say, it very well could be my experience was a one off. Even the best of the best properties failed us at time. After all hotels are run by humans hence not always perfect. I just give my conclusion from my stay experience.



My experience was different. It took them 10 days to reply my question on a simple transfer. My travel agent who is also a regular here can testify to that. Even the property admitted it.


If you have stayed at enough 5-star properties, a limo transfer is usually always follow by an in-room check-in and not check-in at the reception. That's what I was pointing out.


I am sorry if this sound snobbish but I have used to stay at much larger suites. I hope you will have this "problem" some day.


I am curious why you will "abhor" bathing with a rainshower? So you prefer bathrooms without rainshower and maybe under a tap? I supposed vast majority of travelers prefer rainshower which is why they are almost omnipresent feature in even 3 to 4 star hotels nowadays.


I find you are going out of the way to defend the property. Yes, when I say walk-in closet, I am referring to an actual room with space for luggage and wardrobe.

The bed is not fantastic to me. I have slept at better beds, even in other Four Seasons. But then sleeping habits is subjective. No? It's up to you to agree or not.

Ceiling - Higher ceiling is always preferred as it conveys more space. Low ceiling adds to a claustrophobic feeling. I think many in this forum will agree.

Welcome gift - Is it wrong that I prefer to eat with my cutlery and not bare hands? Or this implied actually a lack of attention to detail not matching a hotel of this class? Is it a phenomenal logistically complicated task to leave some cultery? By the way, this welcome amenity was extremely stingy. Most hotels when paying at such rates will be at least a nice fruit plate, bottle of wine or champagne or something like that.


I am glad you enjoy the pictures. To help you gain a better perspective, perhaps you should also see the picture of other hotels I have stayed, a lot of them much nicer ( again my own personal opinion ) than the FSGV.


I am glad that you agree. ^



Yes, Yes and Yes. Why do I need to stay there when all the best part of the hotels ( ie the common areas and restaurants ) are opened to public?



Valid point, but every staying guest priorities are different. When paying top rates ( at that time ), I expect everything to be high-class, and yes, including the sound system. Sorry if my high expectation bugs you, but I in my view, the worship of this property bothers on being ridiculous judging from my stay. And again, I want to repeat I only stayed one night and it might very well be a one off. It could very well be that if I go back again, they will do everything perfect for me. However, that doesn't makes my review any less invalid and your attempts to discredit it is not appreciated.

If you will like to continue debating this further, I suggest you write a PM to me before the mod steps in. Thank you for taking so much time dissecting my review and your points are well noted.

Kagehitokiri

experiences, preferences, opinions differ. differences keep things interesting.

discussion is always good. but presentation, method, wording, and context are important. context includes post count and prior posts, however one decides to interpret.

re FS paris >

re rooms - built 1928, reopened 1999 after 2 year renovation closure, and may not have had the same level of investment (on rooms) as some other grande dame hotels which have had fairly substantial renovations even without closing. re prices, more generally, it seems there is less focus here on the costs that impact rates.

a jan 2016 press release (about FS paris $350m debt/loan) said FS paris was currently spending $50m including on "its stately suites" but did not mention rooms

and of course preferences and opinions differ on (all) renovations, regardless of how much is spent.

dont recall if this was linked >
fourseasons-georgev.com/

BENLEE

Well said Kage. Indeed when comes to the gist of it, hotel stays just like many things in life, is subjected to individual taste and preferences, and hence inherently subjective. A good hotel will indeed make most guests happy and fulfilled at the minimum all the basics and more for the price it charges and of course the higher the rates, the more stringent yardstick and standard will apply.

scented

I'm glad about every review and feel that no review should be taken apart, ever.

MacMyDay

I agree. It is not pleasant in the slightest and adds nothing to the conversation. It can often very hard to articulate something, so if somebody decides to start pulling it apart due to how something is worded, it's only going to turn into a petty squabble. In fact, it already has.

I appreciate your reviews, Ben (especially as your level of fussiness matches my own!). If everyone had the same views, what would be the point of these forums?

xracer

As someone who has had this done to his reviews here, I can tell you that this type of thing that has caused me to cease writing reviews or trip reports for flyertalk. Just not worth the time that I would have to spend doing it anymore, given some of the rude responses I've received in the past (both in the trip reports themselves and via PM).

chinmoylad

Reviews should open up points of discussion or questions/more information about certain parts - no review should be subject to a barrage of questioning and abuse over the guest's stay/preferences/likes, as reviews themselves are subject to this.

Reviews shouldn't form a barometer (they often do on FT of course), but a guide - and one we hope is much better than somewhere like TripAdvisor (which it is on FT).

BENLEE

Thanks guys. Appreciated. ^