Luxury Hotels/Resorts Highly Regarded ... but you were unwowed
Apr 10, 2017, 1:40 pm
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
Luxury Hotels/Resorts Highly Regarded ... but you were unwowed
It's inevitable that even the highest regarded venues will have their critics. Weigh in here on venues others rave about and which dominate Best lists ... but you weren't impressed. As is often the case, the wow factor may correlate with cost and hype.
[If this topic exists elsethread, please fold in.]
POST RANCH INN, Big Sur, California
Calistoga Ranch, Napa, California
Resort at Pedregal, Cabo, Mexico
-- On a related note, Luxury hotel often panned, especially here, that I adored: The Savoy in London. Granted, we enjoyed a deluxe river-view room.
[If this topic exists elsethread, please fold in.]
POST RANCH INN, Big Sur, California
Calistoga Ranch, Napa, California
Resort at Pedregal, Cabo, Mexico
-- On a related note, Luxury hotel often panned, especially here, that I adored: The Savoy in London. Granted, we enjoyed a deluxe river-view room.
Last edited by KatW; Apr 10, 2017 at 6:28 pm
Apr 10, 2017, 2:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,600
Apr 10, 2017, 2:13 pm
#6
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
Amanjiwo - as adored as this hotel is in this forum, I might be the first one to say we had a subpar stay. And I haven't confessed it before because others whom I highly respect consider it one of the top Aman properties.
- Their driver showed up an hour late at our prior hotel, Losari Coffee Plantation. We were packed, moved out, and had nothing to do. Our pick up time was in writing and we were never given an explanation why it changed with no notice to us.
- We had a pool pavilion where due to the walls surrounding it had no view whatsoever.
- I had a horrible case of bronchitis and was still expected to hike up the stairs on arrival to go thru their welcome ceremony. Subsequently we found there was an elevator which I could have ridden.
- It had a built in platform for the bed that was perhaps an additional foot on either side. I've seen this design elsewhere (Nam Hai, for instance) and am not fond of it. It makes it tricky to get in and out of bed during the night.
- We came back from dinner and found housekeeping in our room cleaning. No apology was made and they kept cleaning. I had read so much about the cleaning staff being invisible that this shocked me.
- We were promised a recipe for their delicious ginger beverage. It was never delivered.
There was no service recovery.
- Their driver showed up an hour late at our prior hotel, Losari Coffee Plantation. We were packed, moved out, and had nothing to do. Our pick up time was in writing and we were never given an explanation why it changed with no notice to us.
- We had a pool pavilion where due to the walls surrounding it had no view whatsoever.
- I had a horrible case of bronchitis and was still expected to hike up the stairs on arrival to go thru their welcome ceremony. Subsequently we found there was an elevator which I could have ridden.
- It had a built in platform for the bed that was perhaps an additional foot on either side. I've seen this design elsewhere (Nam Hai, for instance) and am not fond of it. It makes it tricky to get in and out of bed during the night.
- We came back from dinner and found housekeeping in our room cleaning. No apology was made and they kept cleaning. I had read so much about the cleaning staff being invisible that this shocked me.
- We were promised a recipe for their delicious ginger beverage. It was never delivered.
There was no service recovery.
Apr 10, 2017, 2:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
Hmmm. Interesting question. This should start quite the flame war ...
- Hotel Bel Air (after renovation). They killed everything that made that place special.
- FS BW has never gotten good reviews here. I didn't like it at all. More a dull robotic tourist circus than a luxury hotel.
- Savoy. A low-end Fairmount with an inexplicable dress code. Some rooms have views.
- Le Meurice. Just an uncomfortable hotel.
- Plaza NYC. Simply awful. Eloise has long since become an adult and moved on.
- Amangiri. Spectacular architecture and physical beauty. Poor food ... Poor service ... 85F room during summer with no chance of repair. Rooms are fishbowls.
- FS Hualalai during Thanksgiving. They have clearly decided that Cisco the week after is more important.
- Chateau Marmont. Spectacular food and beverage. But nothing can prepare you for the quality of the rooms. This place needed a complete renovation 50+ years ago.
- Hotel Bel Air (after renovation). They killed everything that made that place special.
- FS BW has never gotten good reviews here. I didn't like it at all. More a dull robotic tourist circus than a luxury hotel.
- Savoy. A low-end Fairmount with an inexplicable dress code. Some rooms have views.
- Le Meurice. Just an uncomfortable hotel.
- Plaza NYC. Simply awful. Eloise has long since become an adult and moved on.
- Amangiri. Spectacular architecture and physical beauty. Poor food ... Poor service ... 85F room during summer with no chance of repair. Rooms are fishbowls.
- FS Hualalai during Thanksgiving. They have clearly decided that Cisco the week after is more important.
- Chateau Marmont. Spectacular food and beverage. But nothing can prepare you for the quality of the rooms. This place needed a complete renovation 50+ years ago.
Apr 10, 2017, 2:52 pm
#10
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,222
- Hotel Bel Air (after renovation). They killed everything that made that place special.
- FS Hualalai during Thanksgiving. They have clearly decided that Cisco the week after is more important.
Last edited by KatW; Apr 10, 2017 at 5:51 pm
Apr 10, 2017, 3:28 pm
#11
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
Apr 10, 2017, 4:47 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
The Greenwich
- missed my wife's birthday (noted by my agent)
- missed my request for a separate shower/tub
- unable or unwilling to provide in room coffee
- duxiana beds not terribly comfy
the pool is simply stunning though.
EDIT: Amanyara and amangiri met my low expectations.
Fdw
- missed my wife's birthday (noted by my agent)
- missed my request for a separate shower/tub
- unable or unwilling to provide in room coffee
- duxiana beds not terribly comfy
the pool is simply stunning though.
EDIT: Amanyara and amangiri met my low expectations.
Fdw
Apr 10, 2017, 6:15 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: No program whatsoever
Posts: 284
Amanjiwo - as adored as this hotel is in this forum, I might be the first one to say we had a subpar stay. And I haven't confessed it before because others whom I highly respect consider it one of the top Aman properties.
- Their driver showed up an hour late at our prior hotel, Losari Coffee Plantation. We were packed, moved out, and had nothing to do. Our pick up time was in writing and we were never given an explanation why it changed with no notice to us.
- We had a pool pavilion where due to the walls surrounding it had no view whatsoever.
- I had a horrible case of bronchitis and was still expected to hike up the stairs on arrival to go thru their welcome ceremony. Subsequently we found there was an elevator which I could have ridden.
- It had a built in platform for the bed that was perhaps an additional foot on either side. I've seen this design elsewhere (Nam Hai, for instance) and am not fond of it. It makes it tricky to get in and out of bed during the night.
- We came back from dinner and found housekeeping in our room cleaning. No apology was made and they kept cleaning. I had read so much about the cleaning staff being invisible that this shocked me.
- We were promised a recipe for their delicious ginger beverage. It was never delivered.
There was no service recovery.
- Their driver showed up an hour late at our prior hotel, Losari Coffee Plantation. We were packed, moved out, and had nothing to do. Our pick up time was in writing and we were never given an explanation why it changed with no notice to us.
- We had a pool pavilion where due to the walls surrounding it had no view whatsoever.
- I had a horrible case of bronchitis and was still expected to hike up the stairs on arrival to go thru their welcome ceremony. Subsequently we found there was an elevator which I could have ridden.
- It had a built in platform for the bed that was perhaps an additional foot on either side. I've seen this design elsewhere (Nam Hai, for instance) and am not fond of it. It makes it tricky to get in and out of bed during the night.
- We came back from dinner and found housekeeping in our room cleaning. No apology was made and they kept cleaning. I had read so much about the cleaning staff being invisible that this shocked me.
- We were promised a recipe for their delicious ginger beverage. It was never delivered.
There was no service recovery.
To be clear, I enjoyed my stay and there were no major issues - it just wasn't the memorable experience I was expecting in light of the praise on this board.
Apr 10, 2017, 10:04 pm
#15
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
Trisara (service and food)
Amanbagh (service and food)
Amandari (outdated)
To be clear, each of the above have some fantastic plus points, but my expectations for each were higher based on the forum feedback.
If we're going beyond highly rated on this forum, then Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay
Amanbagh (service and food)
Amandari (outdated)
To be clear, each of the above have some fantastic plus points, but my expectations for each were higher based on the forum feedback.
If we're going beyond highly rated on this forum, then Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay