London Luxury Hotel
Oct 25, 2016, 1:10 pm
#496
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
Oct 25, 2016, 5:05 pm
#497
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,517
Oct 26, 2016, 9:18 am
#498
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
I always avoid the global branding of restaurants when one chef lends his or her name to a restaurant in Dubai or Cape Town or wherever. It's the same as McDonalds - people are happy with the familiar and (think) they know what they are getting. Ducasse has certainly exploited the trend along with Robuchon, Ramsay and a few others. It's just a rather niche money machine and it saddens me that the Connaught will now have two such restaurants.
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
Oct 26, 2016, 9:34 am
#499
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: AC SE MM, too many others
Posts: 1,407
I always avoid the global branding of restaurants when one chef lends his or her name to a restaurant in Dubai or Cape Town or wherever. It's the same as McDonalds - people are happy with the familiar and (think) they know what they are getting. Ducasse has certainly exploited the trend along with Robuchon, Ramsay and a few others. It's just a rather niche money machine and it saddens me that the Connaught will now have two such restaurants.
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
Oct 26, 2016, 9:40 am
#500
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 245
I was a big fan of Espelette, and preferred it to Helene Darroze. I might be in the minority!
Oct 26, 2016, 10:26 am
#501
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
...and in the meantime over at another Maybourne Hotel Group property...
Apple Designers to Create Claridge’s Christmas Tree
http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/h...mas-tree-17767
Cheers & Safe Travels. ^
Apple Designers to Create Claridge’s Christmas Tree
London’s iconic hotel, Claridge’s, has announced that the hotel’s annual Christmas tree will be designed by Apple Designers and Sir Jony Ive, the chief design officer and Marc Newson, designer for special projects. Ive is known for creating the look and feel of the Apple products, including the iMac, PowerBook, MacBook, iPhone, iPad and more. Newson has created a range of products from furniture to yachts and is based in London.
Cheers & Safe Travels. ^
Oct 26, 2016, 11:15 am
#502
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Include me in that minority. I'm far from a fan of Helen Darroze's restaurant; in fact, I'd rank it just after Alain Ducasse for most overpriced and overrated Michelin star restaurant in London.
Oct 27, 2016, 11:31 am
#504
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
I see quite a bit of chatter re The Berkeley...is it really a luxury hotel?
Oct 27, 2016, 4:46 pm
#505
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
Oct 27, 2016, 9:15 pm
#507
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,742
Oct 27, 2016, 11:50 pm
#508
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
I went to Celeste earlier this year for dinner and really enjoyed it. Will also be there on Saturday for lunch, so can see if they've kept the standard.
Couldn't agree more with you on Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester - very good service, but the food is immensely underwhelming. As the fool I am, I decided to go twice just to make sure the first time wasn't some aberration. It wasn't. Unless the bible gets a new section added, written personally by god, that recommends Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, I'm not going back.
Lucky for you our currency is in free fall. We stopped using GBP and now trade using old war stories and bread as currency.
Couldn't agree more with you on Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester - very good service, but the food is immensely underwhelming. As the fool I am, I decided to go twice just to make sure the first time wasn't some aberration. It wasn't. Unless the bible gets a new section added, written personally by god, that recommends Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, I'm not going back.
Lucky for you our currency is in free fall. We stopped using GBP and now trade using old war stories and bread as currency.
I'll stay at The Lanesborough next Saturday and will (at least) have breakfast at Celeste, maybe also lunch. I saw that the chef worked at Epicure before, which is certainly a good sign as this remains one of my favourite restaurants in Paris.
Interesting comment about Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. I stayed at the hotel twice in the last 4 months and judging from your experience one could almost think that the Ducasse kitchen must also be in charge for the Afternoon Tea at The Promenade as well as for room service, as the food at both was a major disappointment.
It's true that the GBP devaluation makes London an interesting destination these days, I never thought it possible that London would be cheaper (or rather less expensive) than Paris, which is now clearly the case.
Oct 28, 2016, 8:31 pm
#509
formerly htang333
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Wi-Fi
Programs: Virtuoso, Top Ranked: Four Seasons (Top 25 Advisor), AMAN (Top 50), Rosewood, Hyatt Prive, etc.
Posts: 1,455
I always avoid the global branding of restaurants when one chef lends his or her name to a restaurant in Dubai or Cape Town or wherever. It's the same as McDonalds - people are happy with the familiar and (think) they know what they are getting. Ducasse has certainly exploited the trend along with Robuchon, Ramsay and a few others. It's just a rather niche money machine and it saddens me that the Connaught will now have two such restaurants.
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
That said, I'm on a Seabourn cruise ship next week which has a Thomas Keller restaurant. Somehow I think he might not be aboard . . . unless he's doing the laundry, ha ha!
Don't see this being mentioned often/ever but I've had clients that really enjoyed thier stay at The Egerton House Hotel, just 28 rooms...and the Virtuoso amenities are a bit cool as well:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Full English breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests
Exclusive pair of member tickets to all current Exhibitions at The Victoria & Albert Museum with full access to the members lounge
Free Wifi throughout the Hotel
Afternoon Tea for 2 on one day during your stay
Martini making lesson with the King of Martinis, Antonio, plus 2 dry martinis and a Certificate of Excellence signed by Antonio Pizzuto, Head Bar Man of the Egerton House
One Way airport transfer for Suite bookings of 3 or more nights stay (cannotbe used in conjuction with any other promotions)
Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
Last edited by RichardInSF; Oct 28, 2016 at 11:23 pm Reason: Consecutive posts by the same member
Oct 29, 2016, 3:07 pm
#510
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737