CGRA

Bernard Arnault on radio few weeks said that it's still on

DSI

We will be in Paris this July for 5 days after a budget busting trip (4 weeks in UAE, Seychelles and Masai Mara Safari), so I'm wondering if any of the luxury hotels are offering some special deals since I'll have blown out the yearly travel budget and then some?

All the prices on TripAdvisor are around $1000 a night and so I'm thinking about cashing in all my SPG points for the Prince de Galles to cut back on expenses, despite the fact that I probably won't get a platinum upgrade. So here are a couple of questions:

1) Does anywhere have large rooms, like 500 square feet for the base? Our five year old will be with us and sharing a king bed with him doesn't exactly Parisian romance.

2) Would Prince de Galles qualify as luxury even?

3) What hotels have a pull out or even offer a free rollaway bed?

MikeFromTokyo

There are plenty of deals for third or fourth night free bookable through Virtuoso etc. TAs.

Have you enquired about a paid upsell at Prince de Galles to a larger room?

Dorchester collection and le bristol give confirmed upgrades up to Jr. Suite. Shangri-la used to do this, so confirmed upgrade could possibly be negotiated.

I would hesitate to use points at Prince de Galles unless I were very tight on cash. It's a high redemption rate, and spg points are very valuable if converted to airline miles.

KatW

The Prestige Rooms at Le Bristol are enormous (540 sq.ft.) and super comfortable, would be fine for family of three. These rooms are around EE1200, two steps up from base level.

I booked a superior junior suite for EE1650 and received at booking guaranteed deluxe junior suite which lists at EE2000. For a July stay of eight days. Virtuoso perks including breakfast.

MikeFromTokyo

In my experience rates have been somewhat less than what you describe here, 2000 Euros is extremely high for any type of Junior suite.

Keep in mind that Virtuoso always offers confirmed upgrades, so to get a Prestige room, one only needs to pay the rate for a Deluxe room.

KatW

Correct, book one category under with Virtuoso. But it's July so can be difficult to get lower-level accommodations which may account for the prices I quoted. The deluxe junior suite at Le Bristol is a generous 805 sq.ft. And I'm tickled pink to have it, booked at the beginning of October.

KatW

And, of course, rates are endlessly mutable depending upon agent booking, frequency of patronage, historical dollars spent and whether Mars is ascendant.

RichardInSF

Virtuoso upgrades are confirmed at time of booking? Is this a special deal of some sort, I've not experienced it?

MikeFromTokyo

Some hotels confirm Virtuoso upgrades at booking, usually up to junior suite level. Suite level upgrades are subject to availability at check in.

Le Bristol does this all the time, so it is not a special offer. It is also a standard benefit for all Dorchester collection properties (except 45 Park Lane) if booking through Diamond club.

KatW

Certainly true of Le Bristol but the booking must be made early because they run out of inventory; only 188 rooms.

MikeFromTokyo

Of which many are suites! What a fantastic hotel, I wish I were there now...

Pierre&Cédric

I will never understand why the Bristol is so highly praised here. The hard product is not satisfactory, much below other high end hotels. The pool is a huge disappointment, it was dirty when we were there and service was non existent. Ok the reception staff is kind, but we had so much better experiences at FSGV, Shangri-La or even Park Hyatt! It's quite strange sometimes when you have the feeling that the hotel you stayed in is not the one described by others. May be it was not a good time or may be we are not the targeted clients.

Kagehitokiri

KatW

That's how I feel about Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur which seems to me tacky, nouveau riche, amateur and poorly serviced. Others, however, rave extravagantly.

Aventine

I'm the opposite. Had a better non-stay experience at Le Bristol than as a guest at our hotel, George V and our former hotel in Vendome. I will reserve judgment on the rooms until we're guests there but F&B, spa, staff and the public facilities were truly great.