Rom Sac

I also had an excellent stay here on cash and points. The customer service by email was impressive, they provided lots of useful information afterwards.

blase

How did you get to specify that you wanted the junior suite for extra points??

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

The Junior Suite at the Westin Trianon Palace is available as a "Specialty Select" award, I believe. It's two steps up from a standard (12K/night, offseason) Cat 5 Award, but isn't technically categorized as a Suite Award (which would be 24K/night). Great deal, IMO for a 675 sq. ft. Junior Suite in the Palace Wing that goes for about $800+/night.

blase

Oh, so it's part of the new suite option w/points that Starwood's offering now. I didn't know that Paris was one of the options. Would you happen to have a link?

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

No. It's nothing new. There are sub-categories within standard reward categories. Though a Cat 5 is usually 12,000/night in the offseason for a standard room, a specialty room is 13,500/night (IIRC), and specialty select is 14,500/night. Similar subcategories exist for other categories (as I know I have booked a specialty select at the Le Meridien Limassol a few years back for 12,500/night, back when it was a Cat 4). I would imagine that if a hotel chooses to load rooms into such subcategories, which rooms they choose to load into those subcategories would be up to the hotels in question.

SanDiego1K

I understand that there are two restaurants run by Gordon Ramsay:

• La Veranda
• Gordon Ramsay au Trianon

Do either or both of them have prix fixe menus for lunch? If so, how much are they? I could not find them listed on their respective websites.

How is the food experience?

Has anyone eaten at L'Angelique in Versailles? If so, what did you think of it?

Also, we will be moving to the hotel the final night of our trip from central Paris. Which would be more economical:

1) Take train to Versailles from central Paris, then taxi to hotel. Take taxi to CDG following morning.

2) Rent car in central Paris, drive to Versaille, then drive to CDG the following morning.

My husband is a very competent city driver and we have a GPS system, so the issue of driving out of Paris doesn't concern me. I'm simply wondering how the cost of one alternative compares to the other.

Rom Sac

La Veranda and Gordon Ramsay are right next to each other (we only ate at La Veranda, which is the more casual restaurant). La Veranda was very good, though the menu doesn't have as many choices as you usually see at nice restaurants. The wine list was impressive, and they were very helpful (suggested an excellent Sancerre that was not too pricey). You can also eat outside at La Veranda, which is an excellent choice in nice weather. Their desserts look great, though we've never had room to try them.

Our best meal was at the Bistrot du Boucher, which turns out to be a small chain, but which we really liked. It's fairly casual but very popular among the locals, and for good reasons. Classic bistrot fare, done very well. There are many restaurants on this same square, so if it's crowded or for some reason doesn't appeal to you there are lots of other options.

I haven't driven to the hotel, but you should be aware that the trains take about 40 minutes to Gare St Michel. The train costs almost nothing (I think it was a few euros). The train station in Versailles is perhaps half a mile from the hotel, and a pleasant walk if the weather is good. I think the taxi from the hotel to CDG was something like 70 euros (not much more than going to the center of Paris, since you don't have to fight the traffic). However, like most high-end hotels by default if you order a taxi you will get something more like a private car, without a meter - be sure to ask about the rate. On the plus side, they seem to always take credit cards.

It's a great hotel, and a very pleasant town to explore.

lalala

SD1K---

The Gordon Ramsey restos were closed the day we were there,so we opted for the regular restaurant which was also very good.

TH had the following suggestion for you.

Take the RER to Versailles and pick up a car at the train station. The rental car place is in the forecourt and very good service. The hotel has a lot of parking in front of it, at least it did when we arrived there later in the day.

I love this hotel. I cannot say enough good things about it.

Enjoy the Potager du Roi and Marie's sheep.

lala

Starwood Lurker II

Gordon Ramsey as in the chef in the reality show?

Wow..

[email protected]

francophile

Voici la carte et les menus pour le restaurant Gordon Ramsay au Trianon:
http://www.gordonramsay.com/grautrianon/menus/


et pour le restaurant La Veranda:
http://www.gordonramsay.com/laveranda/menus/

Bon Appétit!

Forstbetrieb

Has anyone booked and stayed on the special half board rate / offer:

Indulge yourself with our great half-board offers which include:

* accommodation in one refreshing room
* continental breakfast
* 3 course set lunch or dinner, excluding beverages

Lunch or dinner will be served at “La Veranda” our brasserie overlooking the outer gardens of the Palace of Versailles.

Is it worth it?

Oxon Flyer

oh yes indeed

lauti

Just read on SPG.com that the Westin Trianon is leaving the SPG program as of January 15, 2009. Bummer as we were trying to do a C&P there next November!

Anyone know what it's turning into?

Forstbetrieb

If it goes on so fast, there will be no more spg hotel in france next year...

SanDiego1K

And my stay is later in January. **sigh**

I had looked at special conditions, but hadn't seen this. It is at the very end of quite a long list of special conditions.