The only hotel where the dress code and the atmosphere were too much for me was the Savoy in London

When were you there that the dress code was so restrictive? I've heard recent complaints from the stuff among us that the dress code is INsufficiently restrictive.

In alphabetical order:

Aman Sveti Stefan
Fortaleza do Guincho (R&C)
Four Seasons Hampshire
Hayman Island
Park Hyatt Seoul
Schloss Fuschl
Taj Lake Palace

It was back in 1999 way before it was a Fairmont hotel so I guess their policy is very different now. Among other things I remember there was someone in the restrooms with towels to dry your hands (you were supposed to stand still while he was drying your hands). Each time we were going out and crossing the lobby wearing blue jeans we were approached by Security. Since then we tried various properties in Mayfair and Knightsbridge. Bvlgari is our favourite, FSPL being an excellent contender.

Two very self-indulgent and snobbish anecdotes:

1: Many years ago I was turned away from the bar at Claridge's Hotel in London. I was dressed correctly. My companion was not. She was wearing trousers and her name was Jeanne Moreau.

2: Certain cruise lines are among the sole survivors of dress codes. I was on a cruise ship about two years ago where the Maitre'D ruthlessly enforced the code, throwing me out of the restaurant for not wearing a tie. I told him that the only hotels in the UK which still enforced a dress code were, to my knowledge, Inverlochy Castle and the Ritz, London. "There's a third," he said, and then named a flea-palace hotel in Scarborough where he used to work. And this ship was full of retired postmen, plumbers, council workers who only went on these ships to wear evening dress. "Well," said one, "Someone has to maintain standards."

However, I must say that I was rather angry at eating at the Michelin starred restaurant in the Lanesborough, London, and wearing a rather 'smart casual' combo and seeing, at the next table, an American couple and he was wearing shorts.He was also drinking Coke.

I love the first one

I used to stay at the Savoy often in the late 90's and I do recall it being rather posh. I loved it. I'm very happy that a few places try to maintain a bit of elegance. There are millions of hotels where you can wear shorts in. Please let us have a few where you cannot.

I used to belong to a London club and used it as my hotel when I stayed in London. I just checked the rules. Sure enough, they still require a jacket for men.

"In all public rooms except the basement, Members and guests are required to wear jackets and long sleeved fully button-fronted collared shirts and follow a smart dress code. ....except June, July, and August."

I found FlyerTalk and was seduced by status/points/hotels. I gave up my membership a few years back.

(And I, too, love the Jeanne Moreau comment.)

Checked in. Got hassled about how I was dressed. Checked out the next day and went to the Lanesborough where I was welcomed. I was in the normal high tech attire, almost exactly like this: Steve Jobs jeans. This normally starts a flame war here, but I will never return to the stuck-up Savoy. Much too highfalutin for me. I'll stick with the hotels that tolerate those of us in the lower classes such as FS or Aman.

Haha, I'm with you. I think the West Coast sense of casual and relaxed dress is the exception in the world of international 5 star hotels--especially in Europe and Asia. London, in particular, is conservative, so I'm not surprised the Savoy didn't react well to your ensemble.

The best part of North American-based chains' luxury offerings is that they tend to be more accepting of more casual dress. Hence St. Regis (even Lanesborough), Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt tend to be inclusive in this regard. I've even had no issues at Peninsula Beverly Hills or Chicago--or even Shanghai and Bangkok as I mentioned previously. Amanresorts, to their credit, treat you like an individual worthy of respect in every way no matter the circumstance-their service level is too high to be haughty to someone dressed more casually, even for an Asian based "chain". This is another reason why Peninsula and Aman stand out to me--superior service in every way.

Foreign luxury properties tend to be more rigid based on their own cultural bias, expecting everyone to adhere to their standard instead of providing true service based on yours. THAT isn't good service. It's prejudice. Again, I stick with my premise that if you can afford to pay the bill, then how you dress shouldn't matter. That's true for me when staying in a luxury hotel just as it's true for dining in a fabulous restaurant.

To each, their own! Those hotels that adhere to more rigid dress codes will attract the sort who appreciate that, which tends to be the kinds of people who I wouldn't necessarily appreciate, anyway. Of course, the irony is that even as I am more casual, I do love to dress up and fit in while in Paris--to a point.

Sorry you do not appreciate me. I appreciate your opinions here. Diversity is a good thing.

I do appreciate you and your opinions! I just don't appreciate your apparent preference of more formal dress codes. I am happy with luxury places where people can dress as they prefer, whether it be casual (yet hopefully presentable, of course) or more formal. My impression is that you enjoy places that have stricter dress codes, which I don't like. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

As do I, though probably for different reasons. I'm happy to see celebrity did not win out over policy - seems very egalitarian.

I'm not sure anyone would accuse Jobs of being a smartly dressed man. A genius, a visionary, an arsehole; certainly.

I agree with this, and appreciate the "relaxed vibe" when in SoCal.

I strongly disagree with much of this.

For one, I've very rarely encountered foreign luxury properties requiring guests submit to their "cultural bias[es]". And while I certainly have not been to every luxury property in the world, I would expect the regular members of this forum have been to a majority, collectively. And still, how many properties get called to the carpet? A small handful. They're the exceptions, rather than the rule.

And whether one can afford something or not is irrelevant; if a business has a policy in place - e.g. a dress code - it's the owners' decision ... just as it's the patron's decision to dine/stay/etc or not.

I was speaking of dress code when referring to regional/cultural bias. Sorry that I wasn't clear. It's tough to get all of our thoughts down clearly sometimes when typing a post!

Whether one can afford something isn't what I said. I said that if someone can afford to stay somewhere or dine somewhere, IMO, then dress code should not make a difference beyond being depraved or other clear violations of appropriate dress anywhere. That being said, you are right--a business has a right to enforce whatever dress code it likes. And we have the right to not appreciate that and take our business elsewhere. You have your definition of good service for luxury hotels, and we have ours. What's wrong with that? We are simply expressing our disdain of the dress codes at some places, and they are simply stating their preference for dress in so doing.

I appreciate you editing out your last comment in that post, by the way.

There are "shorts" and there are "shorts". I have city shorts as well as non-city shorts. Then again - I'm a woman. And can put together something reasonably smart with longer shorts and a nice top and nice shoes. With men - it's a lot harder.

My husband wouldn't be caught dead wearing shorts at any reasonably high end place. And places do distinguish between women and men. First time I ever went to Chinois on Main (bhrubin's neck of the woods) - for lunch - we didn't have a reservation. So I ran into the restaurant (in "city" shorts) - and got us a table. When my husband and a male friend of ours came in - they were wearing shorts too. And shorts were a no-no for men. So what to do - what to do???? The kitchen gave my husband and our friend kitchen pants to wear during the meal <LOL>. I knew then that if I ever had any doubts about my husband's love for me - or our friend's friendship for us - those doubts were totally unfounded (both knew how much I wanted to try that restaurant - and were jocular about their new pants ). FWIW - the restaurant comp'd us a few apps for our "inconvenience".

OTOH - apart from conventions at certain places - there *are* cultural norms in various areas. About covering up and dressing modesty - regardless of the weather. Can't say I've been to a lot of those places. But I have been to some. Like areas in Egypt - Mea Shearim - the Vatican/Dome of the Rock and similar very holy places. Etc. I mean who expects to wear shorts and tank tops when visiting the Vatican? Robyn

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