In a previous review I said that we were going to be spending a few days at the Ritz, Paris, over New Years. My Wife and I had stayed there several years ago but, during the recent renovation, had stayed at Le Bristol and Le Meurice.
We booked two adjoining rooms as we were travelling with our two young children (6 and 8).

Part of our package included transfers via hotel minivan (Mercedes). We got off on from the Eurostar and were immediately greeted by our driver. This was a godsend as there are NO trolleys on the platform so travelling with a couple of kids and four suitcases can be a disaster regardless of what Eurostar class you’ve paid for.
Arrival at the hotel was seamless. Porters whisked away our baggage and we were shown to reception to check in. We were then taken to our rooms.

The rooms were on the first floor overlooking a rear courtyard, so no view. They were not huge, but were what one would expect for their category. There were no dressing rooms but ours (as opposed to the kids’) had a dressing alcove and, overall, there was decent space for clothing. But three of four suitcases had to stay in the rooms themselves.

And, boy, we’re they flawless. The renovation upgraded the electrical system which involved easy-to-use bedside controllers. But one didn’t have to be tech-savvy to turn the lights on and off; the rooms all had the iconic ornate golden twist switches which were integrated into the system and worked perfectly. An appreciated and no doubt expensive touch: all the TVs were hidden behind huge mirrors above the mantle. The only evidence that they were there was the black rectangle. Same thing in the bathroom. TVs on vacation are not my thing; in fact, I pride myself on not turning them on while on our trips. The kids, on the other hand, were fascinated. The decor, as one would expect, was sumptuous. Beds were extremely comfortable and linens were top notch. Seriously, when I say the rooms were flawless, I’m serious. Oh! Lest I forget! The showers!! Phenomenal! But don’t be fooled, the overhead rain shower was highly pressurized. It was the wall spout that was not. Still, the volume of water was lovely and gives Claridges a real run for the money.

We ate dinner the first night at the hotel, and breakfast the second and third morning. Note to the wise: make sure you have a breakfast package. I’m guessing there was an oversight somewhere in the booking (I’ll check my confirmation) but we did NOT have a package. Breakfast was nearly EUR200. I’m pretty insensitive to food prices—I’m on vacation after all—but this made even my wife and me blanch. In its defense, it should be noted, the breakfast was spectacular and setting just out of this world.

As we were there for only three nights, we did not bring out bathing suits. But my wife and I did run down to see the underground pool and spa area and were duly gob-smacked by how well it had been done. No, it doesn’t have the charm of the Bristol’s rooftop trompe l’oeil masterpiece but the pool was much bigger and the various relaxation areas altogether more complete.

One huge standout was the Concierge. In advance of our trips we always request dinner and lunch reservations as the hotels we favor have a remarkable ability to get guests into prime restaurants at short notice. Previous Bristol and Meurice recommendations had started to feel a little stale. I always felt that there were more American clients than Europeans at the spots we were sent to and I was always baffled by a sense that there were other, more authentic bistros and brasseries that I was missing out on. The Ritz recommended three restaurants: two dinners, one lunch. One of the dinners was for an early New Year’s Eve sitting. All three I had never been to and they were all excellent. Perhaps the food was a little different; Bofinger’s specialty was pork knuckle, for example and, while I had it, I would say it’s not your standard French Bistro fare. Le Grand Colbert’s prix-fixe New Year’s Eve menu won’t win any culinary awards either. But both restaurants were truly authentic and I wouldn’t hesitate to return to either. We didn’t hear a word of English at Bofinger and at Le Grand Colbert, while the guests were mixed, it was just a wonderful overall experience.

All was not perfect, however. I kick myself for not have checked but I assumed when we were shown to our rooms that we would have no problems with being disturbed by the hotel’s New Year’s Eve party. After all, we overlooked the back and, in fact, seemed to be in quite a quiet area. Not so. In fact, we had to have had rooms that were among the closest to the party. Hey, I get it, it’s NY Eve! But really, don’t people think when a family with a 6 and an 8 year old are booking rooms over NY Eve that they’re going to want rooms as far away from the party as possible? It didn’t spoil the experience but it’s not fun trying to get to sleep while listening to 70s disco hits at 00:45AM.

Million dollar question—will we return? It’s tough and perhaps a little unfair to compare rooms. While my wife and I love upgrades—duh!—we are not trying to game the system, that’s too fraught with stress and the potential for disappointment when it doesn’t happen, so we always get rooms that we’ll be perfectly happy with sans upgrade. But the fact is the three (four?) times we stayed at Le Bristol over the past few years we were upgraded to suites plus an adjoining room that would make a visiting dignitary to the Elysee Palace right across the street giggle at their good fortune. A couple of years ago my wife and I got to watch the New Year’s fireworks at the Eifel Tower, from our room! And the Bristol's public areas are just as nice; indeed, the Bristol is simply a bigger, more airy hotel altogether (pool/spa area excepted) and this counts for something. But the Ritz’s two bars (Hemingway and Ritz) are otherworldly for charm and the dining area and formal restaurants are marvels of taste. Perhaps, in the end, it comes down to location. Place Vendome is one of the most beautiful spots on the planet and its proximity to the Louvre, the Latin Quarter, the Marais, etc. makes them, I don’t know, more accessible. Unless, of course, you have reason to be at the top end of Rue du F.St.H and close to the high fashion houses of Ave Montaigne. That’s how we see it anyway.

Next review end of Feb: Suvretta House, St. Moritz. Stay tuned :)

We dined in the outside courtyard on a lovely day. Having arrived on the earlier side, the staff was extremely accommodating in allowing us the choice of seats. Once seated, we quickly warmed in the sun and they noticed us fanning ourselves and offered us another table without having to ask. We all enjoyed beautifully prepared salads, wine and dessert. While the menu items are a bit pricey, it was well worth enjoying the lovely courtyard away from the bustling streets of Paris during tourist season.