Ritz Paris

We were hoping to come in and have lunch at the cafe in the lobby, but the employee who was standing just inside the revolving doors was on us the second we entered, asking why we were there and making sure we knew we weren’t allowed to go any further into the hotel. We had been out walking all day and weren’t wearing head to toe fur coats or carrying Louis Vuitton bags, so he clearly knew we weren’t good enough to be in the building and wanted to make sure to keep out the riffraff. Plenty of other people walked by without his comment, their noses in the air, and that of course was no problem to the doorman because those people clearly belonged. It’s ironic that a space that ought to exist to make people feel welcome instead does the opposite. Stuffy, “exclusive” Parisian hotel culture at its worst.

I attended the Escoffier class in the morning and was escorted to the room personally, a lovely touch. However, another woman's purse and luggage was located within. Prompt apologies were communicated and my luggage was delivered within 15 minutes or so. My fatigue was overwhelming so I declined the offer to unpack. Later, I looked in the Hemingway bar which intimate but doesn't open up for conversation with its limited seats at the bar. You need to bring your friends with you. I moved to the Vendome bar with lovely piano tunes and had a lively conversation with an attorney from Finland and later, a couple from Australia. Ambiance and environment were super.

This was my first stay at the Ritz, but it won’t be my last. Every staff member that I encountered was professional but friendly and made me feel quite welcomed. One of the great perks of a stay at the Ritz is that your room is ready when you arrive, regardless of the time (as long as you let them know your arrival time in advance). Many flights from the US arrive quite early in the morning, so this was a huge plus for me. It is also possible to delay check out until 3 pm on your day of departure. I have already booked a second stay for January 2025

Had lunch in the Ritz on Monday after Arc weekend.. Nice table in garden room.. very good Regnard wine.. we ordered 2 Croque Monsieur and a chicken Caesar Salad.. the service was very good.. polite, friendly and professional... the food was a let down, unfortunately.. it was well presented and in a timely fashion.. but the salad was lacking in taste and flavour.. the Croque was described as average by those who ate it.. cocktails after lunch were lovely... it was a pity about the food.. fabulous place though.. our wine waiter, Axel, was the epitome of French charm at it's best..

As a bookworm, I was in heaven. Each floor was themed after a different literary genre, with quotes adorning the walls and books available to borrow everywhere. The cozy reading nooks scattered throughout were perfect for losing oneself in a story. The staff, well-versed in literature, were always ready with a recommendation. It was a bibliophile's dream come true!