Originally Posted by
Satie
I just thought it could be interesting to give my impressions on this hotels in the way many people do on this section of Flyertalk. When I'm planning a trip to a new luxury property, one of the first thing I do is looking for previous posts about the hotel on this forum. Sorry if this particular post was not as comprehensible and appropriate as I would've liked it to be
I admit the comparison with an Ibis bathroom may be a bit exagerated, but this is not what I have in mind when I think of a bathroom in a suite of a luxury hotel:
I´m French so I know a bit about the tipping rules of this country
And in most luxury hotels in France, you mostly tip the bell hop.
I never said that the OP (which I also respect a lot) would made his choice based on my comments or yours.
"Barriere 5* properties attract mainly a French premium class of clients."
Like you and most posters here, I've been to quite a few remarkable hotels in France and in many countries to be able to give a legit (though personal) opinion. I've also been to most Barriere French properties except Fouquet's Paris. Their hotel crowds is indeed mostly French (and not as premium as it was 10-15 years ago), but they are also very MICE oriented which is not an issue at all but not always compatible with the idea of luxury that most people share on this forum section. But as I've you said we do not share the same opinion.
On this point, we share the same opinion
Bonsoir !
1) Your report is much appreciated and hope to read more from you. Service issues are important to know for the hotel management. About the mentioned room materials I am undecided how this forum section should evaluate it according professional criteria. Personally for this hotel and location I have no problem with it. Guest and families come directly from the beach with wet and sandy clothes. Managers may have decided from the durability point of view, easy cleaning etc, to take the materials you mentioned. It is not George V, and is IMHO not intended to be, except we want to pay such rates.
2) Well. That bathroom looks too small and maybe even not 5*, if I should decide upon the picture. If most look like this, the renovation probably had no influence on floor plans and room size/layout. I remember having seen a different layout during my mentioned visit, but it was a large suite. The Le Royal bathrooms are also different.
3) Very glad to read you are French as French people have a sense for true luxury
. France is my favorite holiday destination. If you give tips to the Bell hop does he share with the others. It is your country, and just for me to learn (I am German
). I give to the teams separately.
4) Your expertise is absolutely appreciated here I am sure and by me. What I see is that Barriere is investing in its hotels, recent renovations at Dinard, Baule, etc. I like what they do as French family, preserve the memory of Diane Barriere, I like the hotels as far as I know them in Normandy, Bretagne, Cannes, Paris, the guests I saw, the way doing service, the casinos (for fun and relaxation), the Deauville concept with the many facilities, beach, Le Ciro‘s, available all to the clients. Even if during my first stay at Royal Barriere in Aug 2013 during the fantastic breakfast in the fully occupied and impressively decorated room with unbelievable engaged staff I had difficulties to make clear what kind of coffee they should bring, and they gave up desperately after three times with milk, milk powder and Americain, and guided me finally to the coffee machine to let me make my „allongé“ myself
. As I seemed to be the only German during that time in the hotel and everyone else was drinking his coffee with milk or as filter-coffee I understood that as a cultural and language communication problem and not as a service or luxury deficit
Tres bonne soiree!