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Favorite Le Meridien property, worldwide

Old Dec 17, 2018, 1:56 pm
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Favorite Le Meridien property, worldwide

Old Oct 28, 2017, 8:40 pm
  #1  
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Favorite Le Meridien property, worldwide

Definitely not the Le Meridien Etoile, which is probably one of the oldest Le Meridien. Even when Le Meridien still belonged to Air France, the management realized that it was not a model to be reproduced.

Le Meridien Bora Bora is definitely the best location, but the hotel looks dated in comparison to the other hotels around, even though it had been refurbished a few years ago.

Le Meridien Tahiti is even more dated and the location definitely does not look as good as the one on Bora Bora.

Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran is located on a very small land, next to an IC which stands on a very large one. A building had to be squeezed on the small lot and it shows. Ownership issue that prevents GM and staff to stay at the hotel.

I did not like that Le Mridien Jakarta.
Le Meridien Phuket has a nice location but the building is far from being spectacular. The clientele is probably not the best that you can hope for.

Le Meridien Chiang Rai has a nice set up. The large suite, where we got upgraded during our last stay, is very well designed.

Le Meridien Bangkok used to be better when the management was more stable. The staff is not what it used to be.

Le Meridien Chiang Mai is a modern and convenient hotel where regular guests are very well treated. The pastries and croissants are top quality at the hotel.

Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi's building is nice but, unless you are part of a convention in the next door building, there is not much use for this hotel.

Le Meridien Jaipur is not spectacular, but nice enough and the Presidential suite where we were staying (another nice upgrade) is large enough to get lost.

Le Mridien Angkor is far from being the best hotel near Angkor Wat.

I have not been to the Le Parker Mridien New York for a long time but keep a fairly good souvenir of my stays.

Before preparing this list, I did not realize that I had been to some many Le Meridien hotels, and there are also the ones that I have been to, but are no longer Le Meridien. Le Meridien Khao Lak and the Plaza Athenee were two of them where I spent a fair amount of nights - I enjoyed both.

Le Meridien Koh Samui: we went there a few times, also liked the lantern ritual and the taste level of the place, but like the LM Jimbaran in Bali, the hotel was built on a too small land.
The other issue was the beach and the absence of it, most of the time.

The other hotel that I had forgotten was the Le Meridien Nice. Nothing exceptional that I can remember. Certainly not my favorite.

I would say that Le Meridien Chiang Mai is the one I enjoy the most, essentially because of the way the staff and management treat us.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeri...language=en_US
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Last edited by UASPG; Oct 31, 2017 at 11:04 am Reason: Added 2 properties that I had forgotten on my original post
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Old Oct 28, 2017, 10:11 pm
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Chiang Rai only has one suite so your chances of getting it are very slim to none although the std deluxe rooms are already 57SM and more then adequate.

Chiang Mai is ancient. Where you got your modern impression is beyond me.

Angkor may not be one but of the best but is certainly one of the closest, if not the closest, 5-star props to the temples

Originally Posted by UASPG
Definitely not the Le Meridien Etoile, which is probably one of the oldest Le Meridien. Even when Le Meridien still belonged to Air France, the management realized that it was not a model to be reproduced.

Le Meridien Bora Bora is probably the best location, but the hotel looks dated in comparison to the other hotels around, even though it was refurbished a few years ago.

Le Meridien Tahiti is even more dated and the location definitely does not look as good as the one on Bora Bora.

Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran is located on a very small land, next to an IC which stands on a very large one. A building had to be squeezed on the small lot and it shows. Ownership issue that prevents GM and staff to stay at the hotel.

I did not like that Le Mridien Jakarta.
Le Meridien Phuket has a nice location but the building is far from being spectacular. The clientele is probably not the best that you can hope for.

Le Meridien Chiang Rai has a nice set up. The large suite, where we got upgraded during our last stay, is very well designed.

Le Meridien Bangkok used to be better when the management was more stable. The staff is not what it used to be.

Le Meridien Chiang Mai is a modern and convenient hotel where regular guests are very well treated. The pastries and croissants are top quality at the hotel.

Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi's building is nice but, unless you are part of a convention in the next door building, there is not much use for this hotel.

Le Meridien Jaipur is not spectacular, but nice enough and the Presidential suite where we were staying (another nice upgrade) is large enough to get lost.

Le Mridien Angkor is far from being the best hotel near Angkor Wat.

I have not been to the Le Parker Mridien New York for a long time but keep a fairly good souvenir of my stays.

Before preparing this list, I did not realize that I had been to some many Le Meridien hotels, and they are also the ones that I have been to, but are no longer Le Meridien. Le Meridien Khao Lak and the Plaza Athenee were two of them where I spent a fair amount of nights - I enjoyed both.

I would say that Le Meridien Chiang Mai is the one I enjoy the most, essentially because of the way the staff and management treat us.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeri...language=en_US
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 12:06 am
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Le Meridien is by far my favorite brand and I agree with most of your comments.

Chiang Mai was the first LM we stayed at and is the property we have stayed at most so holds a special place for me. It has deteriorated the last couple of years due to a high volume of tour groups though.

Probably my favorite now is LM Kuala Lumpur since the club lounge is second to none for food.

Others that I love that you didn't mention are LM Kota Kinabalu (view from lounge is amazing) and LM Saigon (got upgraded to a fantastic suite with a great view).

Two I would love to visit but will have to save up for are those in Paro and Thimpu in Bhutan.
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 12:23 am
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LM Bora Bora. Probably because I was there for 4 free nights on SPG promo in 2009 (stay 7 nights at any LM, get 4 nights free at any LM). I was newly minted Platinum (which I strived for just for this trip, 25 stays, 27 nights I think) and was upgraded to OTWB, second from the end. Weather was crappy most of the time, but that was such an amazing trip/upgrade, it sealed my love affair with SPG. Before that I was Marriott/Hilton loyal but never felt the love like I did from SPG on that trip. ^

Look at me now. 100+ nights/yr. Lifetime Plat!

Last edited by margarita girl; Oct 29, 2017 at 2:54 am Reason: Wrong year
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 12:37 am
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LM Bangkok used to be a real favourite as well, but since I no longer live in East Asia I've been less often. Only disappointment about that hotel was the relatively small pool.

I've probably stayed at about 20 LM properties worldwide, and both LM Philadelphia and LM Minneapolis Chambers rank up there. Cool, yet comfortable vibe, solid staff, good breakfasts and quiet rooms. I love the outdoor courtyard area in Minneapolis (in the summer). Great place.
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 3:50 am
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Originally Posted by makin'miles
LM Bangkok used to be a real favourite as well, but since I no longer live in East Asia I've been less often. Only disappointment about that hotel was the relatively small pool.

I've probably stayed at about 20 LM properties worldwide, and both LM Philadelphia and LM Minneapolis Chambers rank up there. Cool, yet comfortable vibe, solid staff, good breakfasts and quiet rooms. I love the outdoor courtyard area in Minneapolis (in the summer). Great place.
I agree with Minneapolis, especially for their luxury suites with the great bathrooms. Most of the regular rooms are small. During some winters, they have an ice bar in the courtyard as well as the blazing fire pits. Plus, it has an attached art gallery.

LM Barcelona is also nice.

In Asia, I've had good experiences at two LRMs: Shanghai and Bangkok (Plaza Athenee, which is not LC).
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 4:34 am
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LM has quite a few unspectacular properties, and I can't say that I'm a fan of the brand. The LMs in HK, Jimbaran, Kota Kinabalu, Chiang Rai, Singapore, BKK-Airport, Stuttgart, Paris, and Santa Monica are on my "avoid" list.

The brand does shine in the KLs, though: Khao Lak was nice. And Kuala Lumpur is spectacular value -- BRGs in the $60s, and one of the best club lounge/breakfast benefits in the system.
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 7:04 am
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Shout out to the LM Tampa. Haven't been there nearly as many times as the Philly location, but I just think it's very cool they took an old courthouse and turned it into a hotel (similar to how they took the old Y in Philly and made it an LM).
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 7:45 am
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Now THIS is a thread thats up my alley. Im sure some of you have picked up that Le Mridien is by far and away my absolute favorite brand in the entire SPG/Marriott portfolio since mid-century modern design, coffee and art are all things I live for, so its been wonderful watching the brand grow and develop/polish its identity over the past few years. That being said, heres my opinion on some properties Ive experienced over the past two years:

The greatest hits:

Le Mridien Shanghai, Minhang: Although the construction quality is a bit shoddy if you look closely enough, the design of this property is off-the-chain spectacular. Location was fine for a different, quieter part of Shanghai, the staff were great [barring the general language barrier issues one experiences everywhere in China] and the property itself is a complete standout. Makes me want to redecorate my entire house.
Le Royal Mridien Shanghai: While a renovation wont go amiss [planned for 2018; Hu Bar & Lounge across the 64th-66th floors already renovated so go look there for an indicator of things to come], the service was spotless, the Platinum treatment was on-point, the location in the center of Shanghai, the food was great and the overall feel was top-notch.
Le Mridien Istanbul Etiler: Gorgeous property, fabulous upgrades, secluded from the madness of central Istanbul, excellent food, great service.
Le Royal Mridien Abu Dhabi: Really, really good post-renovation with wonderful staff, great food and a sea-facing location off the Abu Dhabi corniche. Pool and health facilities, however, need work.
Le Royal Mridien Dubai Beach Resort & Spa: A Dubai icon for good reason, this place has gotten monumentally better since they renovated one of the towers and recently wrapped work up on the main building [Club Tower to be renovated in 2018]. The final product is stunning and steps the brand as a whole up, service was always a strong point, lavish food offerings and tons of on-property facilities to keep you occupied.
Le Mridien Dhaka: Yes, its close to the airport but Dhaka is borderline anarchy so there are worse places to be. The design of the public spaces/rooms/pool deck are lovely [if you can overlook that some of the rooms face dead internal courtyards], the food was excellent and the staff are always eager to please [i.e. being attentive but not overbearing, constantly bringing us items at the lounge that werent on offer/from other restaurants].
Le Mridien Chambers Minneapolis: Gorgeous little hotel with personalized service, beautiful original artwork littered throughout the hotel and rooms, excellent suites, the bar was great and the location in the middle of MSP made every second of this stay truly superb.

The good:

Le Mridien New Delhi: Excellent location, great food and truly superb staff across the board, but major points are lost since the hotel is begging for a renovation - the room and club lounge dcor in particular are very dated and has taken quite a beating in some places.
Le Mridien Kochi: Similar to New Delhi, the food and staff are great and the location on one of Kochis backwaters adds to the secluded appeal of the property, but Im not sure why the room renovation process is taking so bl__dy long. The lobby has been completed and looks great, and the few renovated rooms are also nicely done but this isnt a 10000-room property so theres no reason why the works arent property-wide/done yet.
Le Mridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre: It may be in front of the airport, but Ive always appreciated the spacious grounds and quiet ambience of this hotel. It was the first Le Mridien in Dubai and one of the oldest in the global portfolio - something that shows in the low-lying main building with its wood-paneled rooms and beige everything. Theyve just completed renovations in the main lobby and it looks fantastic, plus theyve started renovations in the main building which will see all rooms completed by this time next year. Other than that, the Royal Club where Plats usually get upgraded is fabulous and that staff are generally great although Ive had more service hiccups this recent stay than others.
Le Mridien Visconti Rome: Location couldnt be better for walking across the city, lobby/room renovation is beautiful and the staff [minus one snarky reception agent] were great but the fact that trying to get the air conditioning in the rooms to work is such a hassle detracts from the guest comfort aspect. The breakfast room in the basement was also not renovated and looks glaringly dated and inconsistent with the rest of the hotel.
Le Mridien Vienna: Stellar location, some standout staff [hello Stefan] and the availability of a pool made staying here awesome, but the room was designed in the old Art+Tech design scheme from the early 2000s so it was past its prime [renovations ongoing, due for completion in April 2018]. The food was good but this being Vienna, so many better options are located just beyond the hotel doors.
Le Mridien Angkor: The closest hotel in Siem Reap to the spectacular-beyond-words temples of Angkor Wat. Excellent pool, lovely architecture and good staff [language barriers apply here], but the rooms could use a redo.
Le Mridien Suvarnabhumi Golf Resort & Spa: Loved the spacious grounds here and the generous suite upgrade despite limited inventory, the food was great and this being Thailand, the staff were almost always over-the-top with how genuinely hospitable they were. The Platinum happy hour, however, was a little stingy and others might not appreciate being sequestered on a golf/residential compound when in Bangkok.

The ones that, er, need improvement:

Le Mridien Abu Dhabi: Open since 1978 and feels it in more spots than it should. The rooms were renovated in 2005/6 but havent been touched since [bar room 305 and a deluxe suite, which are furnished in true, contemporary Le Mridien style], the low ceilings are bit claustrophobic and the facilities in general are a bit run-down. Staff are good and theyve made some upgrades [i.e. the new brand-standard Latest Recipe restaurant] but the rest of the work needs to happen ASAP.
Le Mridien Fairway, Dubai: It may be within spitting distance of DXB, but theres no reason for this tiny little hotel to not be completely renovated into a boutique Le Mridien rather than solider on as a forgotten airport relic. The pink marble lobby, heavy wooden furniture and musty feel all have to go.
Le Mridien Jakarta: Lovely staff and excellent club lounge aside, this property is way past its sell-by date in the public spaces/rooms/general dcor department. Those spaces are pretty beaten up, plumbing can be an issue and - its beyond the hotels control - the crumbling, rusty remains of the failed BDNI Center detract from the ambience of the pool deck and surrounding area. The renovated rooms are great [although why they removed the tub for an enlarged shower in a spacious bathroom with wasted space is beyond me] and the property-wide renovation project was supposed to be done by late 2015 but here we are at the end of 2017 and theres no sign of it ending.

There are a few properties on my bucket list including:
- Le Mridien Bora Bora
- Le Mridien Tampa [I love love love adaptive reuse]
- Le Mridien Philadelphia [same reason as above; will wait for room renovation completion early next year]
- Le Mridien Thimphu
- Le Mridien Paro Riverfront

but hopefully more renovations are conducted around the world to bring properties more in line with the brand. Seeing how strong Le Mridien is today is exciting and I truly hope that the brand expands under Marriotts stewardship to well beyond where it currently stands.

khabah
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 8:23 am
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Another pleasant hotel that is no longer under Le Meridien flag was Le Meridien San Diego at Coronado. Old memories ...
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 8:27 am
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Definitely not LM Seoul. Made a mistake going to their opening and wasn't impressed by anything there. You name it, and, it was either poor service, quality or not ready. It was a redo of the old Ritz Carlton Seoul and the limits of the old building still show eg. small windows and short ceilings.

The current flagship SPG property in Korea.
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 8:28 am
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Made some posting errors... see below!

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Last edited by khabah; Oct 29, 2017 at 8:33 am
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 8:31 am
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...but it's now a Marriott, so you can relive those memories in a different guise! [It's not the same, I know... but wouldn't it be great if they just painted a few walls grey, added some pattern and rebranded it to a Le Mridien? The renovation brought it quite close to the brand's current design direction, not unlike the Sheraton Delfina to Le Mridien Delfina conversion in Santa Monica.]

Originally Posted by Aventine
Definitely not LM Seoul. Made a mistake going to their opening and wasn't impressed by anything there. You name it, and, it was either poor service, quality or not ready. The current flagship SPG property in Korea.
You weren't alone - the first reviews on TripAdvisor and other forums pointed out a lot of egregious errors out the gate but recent reviews indicate that things are way better now. Maybe worth another try? I'm definitely giving it a shot on a planned trip to Seoul before next summer.

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Old Oct 29, 2017, 2:25 pm
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I see someone was inspired by my best W thread . https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...favorites.html

My favorite Le Mridien worldwide is by far the Le Mridien Bangkok. Mindblowingly great Platinum treatment!

Other asian LMs were alright… LM Saigon / Le Royal Mridien Shanghai.

I've stayed at some uninspiring Le Mridien (toile Paris, Monaco)
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Old Oct 29, 2017, 4:02 pm
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Originally Posted by helvetic
I see someone was inspired by my best W thread . https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...favorites.html
It's worse than that: I saw the thread on the St Regis hotels, which was probably started as a clone of your thread. @:-)
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