Originally Posted by
Gruver
I, too, am a newbie. Given some of the responses to this post (and others) I have a question, and assume this is as good a place to make my inquiry as any other.
The forum is Luxury Hotels, and the Forum's home page indicates that its purpose is to discusses chains "such as the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons." Is it your opinion and or practice to limit this forum to these chains? It seems fairly narrow to do so, considering that there are many luxury hotels outside those chains' properties. I've stayed in less than "luxurious" Ritz Carltons and have had great "luxury" experiences at other hotels, either independents or other chains. Sofitel is a case in point -- it has numerous properties on the Conde Naste Gold List. The Sofitel LA is a great property, and I'd rather be there than the Four Seasons Westlake any day.
I thank you in advance for your opinions on appropriate topics for this particular forum.
If you stick around a little, you will see that the discussion is not only focused on those well-known chains you've mentioned. Often people don't know what could be regarded as luxury and just ask suggestions about luxury properties in a given city/location. Bali is the land of luxury accommodation and you'll find many luxury properties that are not part of a chain. I can't comment of Sofitels, but I believe that one of their 5* could be on par or superior to one of the so-called luxury chains. If you are a chain it's harder to keep the standard high everywhere; furthermore. I do believe that luxury is a personal thing and what is luxury for someone might be tacky or else for another (e.g. the Burj Al Arab in DXB).