Recently I was on a boots on the ground research day as I checked out the current status of four Palace-designated hotels. Here are my initial thoughts on three of the group.
My research of the Paris Palace hotels is an effort in its seventh year. Debbie and I travel to Paris twice each year, and each visit adds to my reference base with emphasis on restaurant updates, as well as on personal contacts. I trade intel with management at the various Palaces, which enables me to construct a complete scorecard that is vastly beyond the scope of what any average traveler could hope to match.
On the breaking news front, in the next couple of months I will be highlighting the grand reopening of the historically significant Hotel Lutetia (Left Bank, 6th a.). Currently there are zero Palace-designated hotels on the Left Bank of Paris. At this writing it is not clear whether Lutetia will seek out a Palace designation on its reopening. But for my money, regardless of whether it’s a Palace or not, it will most likely deserve to be included. I will be featuring Hotel Lutetia in my upcoming Paris Palace hotels series.
Two boots-on-the-ground visits this trip resulted in my placing both the Park Hyatt and the Mandarin on my “No Go” list. I’m no fan of either the location or the lobby of either one. A quick visit to each will enable you see for yourself why I’m no fan. Sorry to throw cold water on any Palace, but neither the Park Hyatt nor the Mandarin is worthy of a Palace designation.
On to good news: I love the newly opened Crillon. The hotel’s marvelous brassiere rates a solid A, as do the luxurious renovations to the magnificent bar. Crillon’s location on 10 Place de la Concorde might seem a little too “public” at first, but you’ll quickly grasp the significance of the deeply understated, secure and welcoming entry. I’ll be featuring the Crillon as part of my ongoing series. In the interim, the Crillon is on Dick Young’s most desirable and acceptable Paris Palace hotels list.
Read Paris, The Palace Hotels: Part I here.
