Paris luxury hotels (consolidated thread)
Oct 13, 2018, 10:47 am
#706
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Posts: 1,257
That's good to hear. I'll be trying the Crillon for the first time this Spring and am looking forward to it.
Oct 13, 2018, 12:33 pm
#708
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Stayed in La Reserve October '16, went back for dinner at their 2 star Le Gabriel in August '18, whilst staying in Hotel de Crillon. To moi, La Reserve is a place designed for repeat guests; that is, it's focus is on customer service, but I didn't feel in 2016 that they could deliver on that well enough on a short stay to make it worthwhile or justify the price premium over the coompetition. Their suites are superb, but so are Crillon's, and Crillon has more facilities, a better location and better product. I wouldn't be disappointed to stay at either, but I'd pick Crillon.
Oct 15, 2018, 10:47 am
#709
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
I would not hesitate to return to either of them - both quite different, of course. One boutique and the other Grande Dame.
Oct 15, 2018, 11:44 am
#710
Suspended
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Location: Southern California, USA
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Posts: 8,764
Way ahead? I confess to being extremely hesitatant to believe that level of hyperbole. Also, way ahead and not quite there even sound a bit oxymoronic to me.
It’s also hard for me to imagine choosing a Paris hotel based on only slight differences of perceived food quality...when it’s Paris with some of the world’s greatest food and dining options so readily available nearby! This is like choosing a San Francisco hotel based on slight differences in food quality for the same reason. In Paris and most cities, I can understand choosing a hotel based on size, ambience, location, and service, and perhaps even for having a full service restaurant or not. But not small differences in perceived food quality.
Last edited by bhrubin; Oct 16, 2018 at 8:00 am
Oct 15, 2018, 1:40 pm
#711
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,599
I usually find your comments to be almost sacrosanct. I most certainly agree with your latter bolded statement. But I’m not sure I see agree with your former statement regarding food.
Way ahead? I confess to being extremely hesitatant to believe that level of hyperbole. Also, way ahead and not quite there even sound a bit oxymoronic to me.
It’s also hard for me to imagine choosing a Paris hotel based on only slight differences of perceived food quality...when it’s Paris with some of the world’s greatest food and dining options so readily available nearby! This is like choosing a San Francisco hotel based on slight differences in food quality for the same reason. In Paris and most cities, I can understand choosing a hotel based on size, ambience, location, and service, and perhaps even for having a full service restaurant or not. But not small differences in perceived food quality.
There are more people than you think who are staying at George V specifically for the restaurants and even extend their stay to 4-5 nights to be able to experience all of them, without ever leaving the hotel. In Paris!
Oct 16, 2018, 5:20 am
#712
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Food and beverage at an hotel matters a great deal to me, as I like to dine in when staying instead of always going out. While most good hotels have acceptable food, there is more than a slight difference in quality when someone like Éric Fréchon is in the kitchen. Indeed, the food is one of the many reasons why I stay almost exclusively at le Bristol.
Oct 16, 2018, 6:11 am
#713
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Food and beverage at an hotel matters a great deal to me, as I like to dine in when staying instead of always going out. While most good hotels have acceptable food, there is more than a slight difference in quality when someone like Éric Fréchon is in the kitchen. Indeed, the food is one of the many reasons why I stay almost exclusively at le Bristol.
@scented, La Reserve's food also greatly disappointed me, particular the breakfast. I cannot say if it's got better, but dinner at Le Gabriel was good.
Oct 16, 2018, 6:48 am
#714
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Same. I just cannot be bothered to leave the hotel and find somewhere decent to eat every night. If the hotel has good food, I'm happy to eat exclusively there during my trips. Only exception is London, due to such a familiarity of nearby restaurants, but even then I still regularly eat at The Connaught when staying.
@scented, La Reserve's food also greatly disappointed me, particular the breakfast. I cannot say if it's got better, but dinner at Le Gabriel was good.
@scented, La Reserve's food also greatly disappointed me, particular the breakfast. I cannot say if it's got better, but dinner at Le Gabriel was good.
I prefer to go out a few nights per week while traveling, and eat in the rest of the time. Just like I would do at home. And the best hotels make you feel at home when you dine in, so the atmosphere is more comfortable than having to go out. They’re especially good at remembering guests’ preferences, favorite tables, etc... and are especially accommodating of last minute reservations or schedule changes.
Oct 16, 2018, 7:54 am
#715
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
I usually find your comments to be almost sacrosanct. I most certainly agree with your latter bolded statement. But I’m not sure I see agree with your former statement regarding food.
Way ahead? I confess to being extremely hesitatant to believe that level of hyperbole. Also, way ahead and not quite there even sound a bit oxymoronic to me.
It’s also hard for me to imagine choosing a Paris hotel based on only slight differences of perceived food quality...when it’s Paris with some of the world’s greatest food and dining options so readily available nearby! This is like choosing a San Francisco hotel based on slight differences in food quality for the same reason. In Paris and most cities, I can understand choosing a hotel based on size, ambience, location, and service, and perhaps even for having a full service restaurant or not. But not small differences in perceived food quality.
On my previous stay at la Réserve I was disappointed with the food in Le Gabriel, but liked the all-day-dining and breakfast. This time, I thought the level of cooking in Le Gabriel was outstanding - it really surprised me - hence the hyperbole.
I would not hesitate to return to the Crillon - it really depends upon what you are looking for. They know that the food needs work, as currently the quality is a little patchy. This is hardly surprising, given how new the hotel is.
Oct 16, 2018, 8:07 am
#716
formerly declinespecificinformatiom
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,140
I’ve never enjoyed breakfasts at any hotel in Paris to date. Bad coffee across the board. That’s part of the reason I’d probably not stay again in the major hotels discussed in this forum again.
A good oof breakfast means a lot to me, and a good coffee all the more so. If I have to get that at a local cafe then I’d rather stay near said cafes.
A good oof breakfast means a lot to me, and a good coffee all the more so. If I have to get that at a local cafe then I’d rather stay near said cafes.
Oct 16, 2018, 8:16 am
#717
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I’ve never enjoyed breakfasts at any hotel in Paris to date. Bad coffee across the board. That’s part of the reason I’d probably not stay again in the major hotels discussed in this forum again.
A good oof breakfast means a lot to me, and a good coffee all the more so. If I have to get that at a local cafe then I’d rather stay near said cafes.
A good oof breakfast means a lot to me, and a good coffee all the more so. If I have to get that at a local cafe then I’d rather stay near said cafes.
Oct 16, 2018, 8:53 am
#718
formerly declinespecificinformatiom
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,140
You must have some pretty high standards when it comes to coffee. I rarely even have breakfast, but when I do, I find breakfast at these hotels to be pretty damn nice. Admittedly breakfast isn’t my thing in general, and while I do love and appreciate good coffee, I also guzzle Starbucks nonfat lattes on a daily basis.