Originally Posted by
LondonElite
The Ritz is pretty clear about its dress policy of jackets/ties. There are some who prefer an atmosphere where people are dressed smartly all the time. I appreciate it's not like that for everyone, but there is something to be said for people being dressed to reflect their surroundings, rather than in jeans and flip/flops. It's not about money.
As for your friend, this was clearly not his cup of tea and he was probably happier elsewhere. I would think that's the better solution both for him and the hotel.
Understood on all of that, but it might not be obvious to someone making their first trip to London. The Ritz is the only luxury hotel in the world that I'm aware of with this kind of dress code; it is definitely not "normal", even in traditional London hotels.