Things are indeed changing at FS. I recall a story I was told last year that had Isadore visiting one of his properties and complaining about the amount/freshness of flowers in public areas. The manager responded that revenues were down 20 percent. Isadore's reply: "Are you aiming for 30 percent?" And that was about half a year ago.

I'm also noticing more permanent art pieces or small fresh flower displays (multiple vases with one or two stems in them so little skill in arranging needed) replacing large fresh flower arrangements at premium properties. Another cut seems to be replacing cloth hand towels in public areas of hotels with woven paper towels. There are definitely staffing cuts during overnight periods. Where calls within or from outside the properties would normally be answered quickly, I'm finding it might take 10 rings for the phone to be answered at midnight.

Do these luxury hotels generate a positive cash-flow? Are owners just over-leverage on these properties?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...arn-money.html

D'oh! Forgot about that thread.

Frankly, I understand owners looking to cut back. But when it comes to customer facing actitives or closing restaurants, bars, etc., small things add up and eventual it is no longer 5 star.

Having completed a recent stay at the RC Georgetown, where they closed the only restaurant in the hotel in the mornings in favour of a stripped down lobby service and had minimal staff (but still paid top dollar for a suite), I think I would agree with Sharp - I am reluctant to pay for stripped down 5 star.

There comes a point, and having the only restaurant closed in the morning for breakfast IMO would be a good example IMO, where you have to ask if they are misleading their customers as to the facilities on offer.

If one were stopping on a cheap 3* package stay at the Costa Del Wherever and found advertised facilities closed many in the UK would be beating a path to their local trading standards department.

I notice from the RC Georgetown website they are advertising that their restaurant is open for breakfast.

Ironically, the antiquated UK star rating system (which allows scruffy dives to get 5-stars because they tick all the boxes) does protect you from this, since cutting 24-hour room service would automatically ban you from 5-stars, as would plenty of other things.

In all fairness to the UK system, in many countries there is usually nothing to stop a hotel calling itself a 5 star hotel (or even 6 star hotel) purely on the whim of the marketing department

these are the only "official" im aware of >
there do seem to be a lot more AA 5* than i recall...

by food 'stars' >

- 2 5* - berkeley, le manoir aux quat saisons
- 7 4* - whatley manor, merrion, chester grosvenor, connaught, pennyhill park hotel, MO london, gleneagles
- 12 3* - glenapp castle, inverlochy castle hotel, isle of eriska, chewton glen, k club, old course hotel, longueville manor hotel, browns, royal garden hotel, claridges, halkin, lucknam park hotel
- 10 2* - goring, seaham hall hotel, prestonfield, turnberry resort, dorchester, lanesborough, stafford london kempinski, landmark london, jumeirah carlton, ritz london
- 5 1* - milestone, FS canary wharf, FS hampshire, athaenum, one aldwych
- 4 0* - no 41, vineyard at stockcross, cliveden country house, capital

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qualmark is now 5 exclusive and 4 pending

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http://www.theaa.com/travel/accommod...s_grading.html
http://www.qualmark.co.nz/exclusive.php
http://www.qualmark.co.nz/about_us.php

I sure hope FS does not go the club route. I like that most FS hotels do not have clubs and treat all guests with equal level of service. This is why when on business i stay at FS vs vacation where I would stay at the RC as the Club is almost and extention of ones room

Marriott is following this model with their soon-to-open JW Marriott Marquis - the same building will contain a so-called "private hotel", the Beaux Arts, which will have 44 rooms and suites equipped with cherry-wood floors, Bang & Olufson televisions and sound systems, etc. A Daniel Boulud restaurant and an Illy coffee bar will also be offered.