Aventine

Sounds like they'll never finish ontime. Some tour that must have been lol.

MikeFromTokyo

I am much more excited about Hotel de Crillon. The Ritz does not wow me considering the other options like FS GV, le Bristol, and even Plaza Athenee in some ways. I would love to be proven wrong, but I tend to doubt that will happen.

Aventine

I never had a chance to visit the old Ritz so I'm curious about the hotel itself and the restoration. There's just the history behind it that tempts the student in me.

MacMyDay

I was invited to visit The Beamount in London a few months before it opened. They had 1 room ready, also all covered in plastic, no spa, no public areas and people everywhere working on everything. I thought exactly the same and figured it would never open on time, but it did indeed and we were invited to the opening night and it was all finished and near perfect.

wripro

I stayed at the Ritz several times in the eighties and nineties before defecting to other hotels. Even back then I thought the gold swan faucets were a bit much and assumed they'd replace them in the redo but apparently not.

scented

Just heard the hotel will have the first Chanel spa worldwide. Yikes. What is it about Paris that every hotel spa is a disaster? Bristol has La Prairie, Raffles has Clarins, Peninsula is the worst with ESPA - terrible reviews. Don't get me started on Park Hyatt (La Mer). Now Ritz with Chanel. Only George V seems to be great, a glowing exception. Given the choice between London and Paris, give me London any day - so many great spas, not just branding and an affinity with skincare or fashion brands. Really thought Ritz might come up with something great. Wondering what the chemical-free option in their Chanel spa is? Camelia extract? One thing's for sure: The Chanel Spa will be more Champagne and Beluga caviar canapés, rather than ginger tea and fruit.

offerendum

Personally I woudn´t spend time at the SPA in Paris - much more interesting things to do

Aventine

I think they're going for prestige more than anything else. Pen also uses Biologique Recherche besides ESPA.

farbster

Can I give this a hundred thumbs up!?!

MikeFromTokyo

I need massages and spa treatments to relax after hours of walking around and especially after long haul flights. Relaxation is never wasted time if enables one to enjoy the whole trip more.

vuittonsofstyle

Oh, you totally echo one of my endless rants about spas in Paris and France in general. Don't forget that the French are the second largest users of pesticides after the US, so perhaps we should not be surprised that the Ritz has gone for petroleum-enriched Chanel.

Actually, Le Bristol does have a chemical-free option - The Organic Pharmacy. I always ask for it when I have a treatment there. The therapists are extremely good, too. I suspect they have a chem-free option because their GM, Didier le Calvez brought in Sodashi to FS George V when he opened the hotel.

These days, if a spa only offers rubbish like Chanel, La Prairie et al, I take my own massage oil.

vuittonsofstyle

Biologique Recherche may sound as though it's natural, but it's just as bad, if not worse, than ESPA when it comes to ingredients.

uclabruin82

I agree 100%. My wife and I basically walk for ~5-6 hours per day in Paris and generally go when it is cold (Thanksgiving / Xmas). Being able to come back to a nice spa is great. Granted, I do not get treatments, but I will only stay at hotels where we can use the jacuzzi and she can get a treatment if she likes.

Pierre&Cédric

It seems the highest floor is on fire. It happened at 6am this morning. I fear the opening may be delayed...!

offerendum

Oh, oh! Not the best news....