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Mediocre crowds at luxury hotels

Mediocre crowds at luxury hotels

Old Apr 18, 2015, 6:59 pm
  #46  
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I'm laughing at the snobs/pretentious

This discussion entertained me. Lixury hotels have all manner of guests of all styles, all levels of preferred dress, and all manners of expectations. The fact that one might be able to afford the room rate has little to do with the average customer...and that is increasingly true as more and more people from different places and customs visit luxury hotels.

I agree with a previous poster that any luxury hotel guest should be respectful to fellow guests and hotel staff, but that's just as true in budget hotels IMO.

For those who love dress codes at restaurants, I'm sorry to tell you that the world is changing--and I'm thankful for that. I've always wondered about how a less or better dressed group of diners at another table has any bearing on my experience at my table. To me, it's just pretension. It is Old World, and the old World still exists, of course. But far more restaurants and luxury hotels are evolving into the New World where jackets and ties are no longer the norm nor in any way needed for everyone who can afford such places. In the Old World, keeping up appearances was part of the class experience and a way to manage class distinction; in the New World, those distinctions are frowned upon, thankfully.

There will always be differences of opinion, of course...but I'm delighted that more and more diversity exists of all kinds in the luxury hotel and restaurant sector. The entire idea of "mediocre" guests makes me laugh...at those who would use such terms.

My Danish friend told me when I asked about the dress code for Noma that "if you pay the bill in Denmark, you can wear a bikini." I loved it. I still wore a jacket, since it was quite cold, but I didn't need it once seated. But it was the meal and service that concerned me--not the dress of other diners.

We now rarely wear a jacket for fine dining--going so far as to make the request of jacket requiring establishments. Most readily comply. Some don't. That's their right. But I now generally avoid jacket reqt restaurants unless it's a restaurant I'm dying to try. If I can get away without a jacket at Guy Savoy in Paris, I should be able to get away with it in most places. The Ledbury in London is my favorite in that city for exactly that reason. And Meadowood's "dark denim preference" for those who wish to wear jeans is one part of the many reasons I far prefer it to the French Laundry. I wore a jacket at Daniel two years ago, and I was warm and uncomfortable. I didn't wear a jacket at Alinea and the chef applauded my outfit--despite their reqt.

Sometimes, people are sheep and/or do what is generally regarded as "appropriate" to better fit in and feel more comfortable. Fair enough! But I'm not sheep. I push boundaries and I have my own style and comfort levels, and I am more than happy doing that. I have to put up with the other view occasionally, and the other view has to occasionally put up with me.
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Old Apr 18, 2015, 9:10 pm
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We were at the Oriental Bangkok about 10 years ago waiting for a group of our daughters college age friends meeting us for lunch. They were dressed nicely no jeans and the girls were in sundresses and sandals. As they tried to enter the lobby they were stopped by the doormen. We got up and met the doorman to let him know they were our guests. The attitude and treatment changed im mediately. One of the boys had a broken sandal and the waiter at lunch had a pair of pool shoes delivered to the table. You can not judge a book by its cover, and hotels certainly have a challenge in trYing to determine who belongs.
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Old Apr 18, 2015, 9:21 pm
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We try and take it all in stride

It's generally the hillbillies at the Four Seasons stuffing items from the breakfast buffet in the pockets that give you the best stories to go home with.

And the kind of people that complain about how others behave on vacation are usually the last people you want to spend time at a resort with.
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Old Apr 18, 2015, 9:24 pm
  #49  
 
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
And Meadowood's "dark denim preference" for those who wish to wear jeans is one part of the many reasons I far prefer it to the French Laundry.
I have to agree with this on many grounds. Meadowood is certainly more modern in all ways and a strong preference for me. And to point out that I'm not a stickler on all things dining, I have worn jeans to Saison as well. I get more hung up on behavior than dress.

As far as my comment about selfies, I just returned from Europe and the intense proliferation of street vendors selling "selfie sticks" along with the people using them - it's not just restaurants where it annoys me. Someone stuck one past a group of us who were waiting to view art in the Uffizi. Pushed the selfie stick in front of us with a GoPro on it, waved it back and forth to "take in" the scene, then walked away. When it comes to this, I'll quote Demetri Martin. "I like to go to concerts because I love to see my favorite band through the phone of the a*hole whos standing in front of me."
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Old Apr 18, 2015, 11:42 pm
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
My Danish friend told me when I asked about the dress code for Noma that "if you pay the bill in Denmark, you can wear a bikini."
LOVE IT haha.

^
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 12:27 am
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Originally Posted by declinespecificinformation
The only thing I get annoyed with is [...] guests who are too uptight or have a snarl on their face.
This. Even worse when hotel staff does it.
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 12:57 am
  #52  
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Once we dined at the FS Seychelles and sat next to a couple where he was wearing sport shorts and a singlet and she had dressed up in a tight glam dress wearing tons of make up. Another evening we dined at the Amanpulo beach club next to a group wearing swimwear and towels wrapped around them (they had been to the beach all day and did not go to their casita to change before dinner). One of the experiences made me smile feeling at home while the other one felt completely wrong. It is not only what people wear....
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 1:39 am
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I don't consider myself uptight - although some might disagree - but I am not of the mindset that simply paying to stay at a high-end hotel or resort entitles one to dress or behave in an inappropriate fashion that disturbs others.

Unless you are in the confines of your own accommodation, and out of sight and earshot of others, there are common sense standards that need to be respected when one is sharing public space with others.

It is really more about behavior and manners than about attire.
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Old Apr 19, 2015, 1:48 am
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Originally Posted by aa213bb
We've been incredibly fortunate to dine at some of the "best" (whatever that actually means) restaurants in the world - Noma, El Cellar, etc etc - and most do not even require jackets.
Of course jackets are optional, and then there are people same you and your lovely partner, Dear aa213bb, who always look great and classy anyway ^. Kind of dream guests to be at the same place with.
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 4:59 pm
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My 8 yr old daughter was shocked to see a young man dressed in his pajamas at a very nice hotel club lounge recently, it was about 5:30pm. She politely inquired of him: "Are you the DJ?" Oh, kids.... They say the darnedest things!
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 5:40 pm
  #56  
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Originally Posted by MikeFromTokyo
I don't consider myself uptight - although some might disagree - but I am not of the mindset that simply paying to stay at a high-end hotel or resort entitles one to dress or behave in an inappropriate fashion that disturbs others.
There is bad behavior everywhere, even in luxury environments. But there is far less bad behavior in luxury establishments, so I'm not sure what the problem is. Common sense standards are as much in the eye of the beholder as truly about common sense. That's why so few are wiling to share specific examples--since doing so will only invite critical comments from others finding them uptight and/or uncouth.

Unless you are in the confines of your own accommodation, and out of sight and earshot of others, there are common sense standards that need to be respected when one is sharing public space with others.

It is really more about behavior and manners than about attire.
"Behavior and manners"--according to whom?

"Out of sight"--suggesting that someone's appearance is somehow problematic for anyone who might see them? That suggests the manner of dress, which you yourself just above dismissed as being as relevant.

"Out of earshot"--suggesting that people need to speak according to some sort of code? Whose code?

Elitism comes in all forms, and to me this discussion simply suggests another form. Some want people to behave as they do, look as they do, and be as they are. Tough.
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 6:14 pm
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
There is bad behavior everywhere
exactly. well said. and there is no argument re 'extremes' like common law assault. the 'line' regarding things like loudness and personal space will vary. IMHO, while brief forum back and forth may seem to imply that the "line" does not vary, i think in a conversation it would be agreed, and discussion would be on where each person's opinion lies.

i also agree with your posts elsewhere that problems can happen anywhere, and good service involves service recovery when problems do happen. i have been wondering if service recovery would make for a good discussion in a new thread. tying back into behavior of other guests (and nonguests) i have heard of service recovery for it, at least including via a private message conversation on this forum.

relatively few here raise dress. im not sure simply raising dress is an issue, in terms of people watching etc. if there are published policies that are not enforced, that is problematic for those following/expecting published policy. dress code is just one example of that. if there is a dress code it needs to be explained and enforced as published. it is ridiculous for staff to treat people differently/poorly based on dress or when enforcing policies including dress codes.

Originally Posted by Aventine
I'll take no crowds.
i personally even like concept of booking a room in a villa/yacht (because of cost of equivalent exclusive-use)

after my first such stay, which i enjoyed, i realized i should make sure to keep backups in mind in the future, because guest mix becomes much more of a factor at such small properties (then again backups are good everywhere)

because there can be less privacy (which many here value) than villa resort (hotel with villas not rooms)

Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 26, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 8:37 pm
  #58  
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The guy that owns Ikea drives an old car and I assume probably stays in reasonably priced hotels. How many other well off people are like him?

So the person who said that cheap prices make for a "mediocre crowd". What a stupid comment.

Having money doesn't make you better than anyone else.
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 9:05 pm
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Last edited by MikeFromTokyo; Apr 21, 2015 at 1:07 am
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Old Apr 21, 2015, 1:11 am
  #60  
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Originally Posted by Annalisa12
The guy that owns Ikea drives an old car and I assume probably stays in reasonably priced hotels. How many other well off people are like him?
I dont care about the car and I dont care about the price of the clothes (more the style). A few weeks ago we had some "nice" ladies at breakfast who wear Juicy Couture Jumpers.... I guess they werent cheap......

But sometimes it is related to the Price. For example I doubt a stay would be much enjoyable if many groups like skittles clubs stay their. Their is a reason some hotels guarantee that they dont take groups..... Of course, their are always excemptions...
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