help me understand luxury hotels

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love luxury hotels but do feel like hotel prices lately are not consistent with their quality. I could totally understand paying 180 for the Hampton inn vs 350 for a JWMarriott or something but now the JW is like 800 and the really unique non-chain high end hotel is 1300. It’s hard for me to find any room no matter how fabulous to be worth 800 plus a night.

It's the new trend as the wealth gap grows bigger. The price between a moderate Hampton Inn vs. a luxury high end JWMarriott will only grow.

JW Marriott isn’t really luxury or high end. Perhaps compared to the Hampton Inn but pales in comparison to true high end luxury properties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love luxury hotels but do feel like hotel prices lately are not consistent with their quality. I could totally understand paying 180 for the Hampton inn vs 350 for a JWMarriott or something but now the JW is like 800 and the really unique non-chain high end hotel is 1300. It’s hard for me to find any room no matter how fabulous to be worth 800 plus a night.

It's the new trend as the wealth gap grows bigger. The price between a moderate Hampton Inn vs. a luxury high end JWMarriott will only grow.

JW Marriott isn’t really luxury or high end. Perhaps compared to the Hampton Inn but pales in comparison to true high end luxury properties.

You need to get over yourself. You just aren't that fancy honey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love luxury hotels but do feel like hotel prices lately are not consistent with their quality. I could totally understand paying 180 for the Hampton inn vs 350 for a JWMarriott or something but now the JW is like 800 and the really unique non-chain high end hotel is 1300. It’s hard for me to find any room no matter how fabulous to be worth 800 plus a night.

It's the new trend as the wealth gap grows bigger. The price between a moderate Hampton Inn vs. a luxury high end JWMarriott will only grow.

JW Marriott isn’t really luxury or high end. Perhaps compared to the Hampton Inn but pales in comparison to true high end luxury properties.

You need to get over yourself. You just aren't that fancy honey.

Ha, you have no idea what real luxury is. Of course JW Marriotts are very nice, but there's a whole other (many actually!) level of hotels above it.

[Anonymous]

JW is actually classified as a luxury hotel by STR, the company that compares comp hotels.

(Formerly smith travel research)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cant answer this in the abstract but re: the OP's question of Ritz Amelia:

Is the spa really closed? Covid is over and it's Florida so I doubt it. At this spa, you just have to get one service (eg pedi) to get all day access. The facilities are fantastic. They bring you free wine and chex mix.

Service is insanely top notch. I filled out some forms about what I like after a hot day outside, etc before I got there. And they did it! Chilled Chardonnay in my room. Milk and cookies with a pirate theme for the kids. I never asked for a thing, they just did this based on my survey questions.

The restaurant has great seafood.

The beach is lowkey.

Like all Ritz,. Smores.

that sounds lovely.

[Anonymous]

First off, luxury hotels now cost $2-4k per night. The entire experience is different. Rooms and bathrooms are better. Food and service better. I personally love the spa and beautiful pool. I don’t know what hotel has not reopened their spa in 2023. I have not stayed in a ritz in a while.

You stay in a luxury hotel when you can afford it and want a more comfortable vacation. We have a seven figure income so we have upgraded our vacations. When we were earning low to mid six figures, we stayed at Westin type hotels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

I’m not that poster but one thing I can tell you for sure about my luxury hotel desires is that I don’t want to talk to any other guests, ever. It’s not like picking a singles bar. The whole point is to cocoon yourself. If you’re going to see and be seen I think you want a hip downtown hotel with a fun bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

Well I am not staying there to impress you or anyone else. I stay there because I like the property and being able to walk across the street to shop. We owned a condo there, and still get taken care by the staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

Well I am not staying there to impress you or anyone else. I stay there because I like the property and being able to walk across the street to shop. We owned a condo there, and still get taken care by the staff.

Some can’t keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

Well I am not staying there to impress you or anyone else. I stay there because I like the property and being able to walk across the street to shop. We owned a condo there, and still get taken care by the staff.

Some can’t keep up.

Well I can't afford any of these hotels or anything close, but your desire to one-up an anonymous internet poster is...weird and disturbing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

This is true, but FS Surfside is so expensive now that it’s for the ultra wealthy. A room that’s not even ocean view is $3-4k a night. Getting an ocean view suite for a week would run you $100k.

st Regis bal Barbour is ocean front for $1,500 a night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate to sound like a snob, but one reason I opt for luxury hotels is because I’m less likely to be irritated by the types of people who gravitate toward cheaper ones… young people crashing into a room and partying all night; unsupervised children running amok in the hallways or hotel restaurant; etc.

That is so funny because for me it is the opposite! I like staying somewhere casual so I’m less likely to be irritated by the types of people who think they’re VIP. I’m not saying you are, and I’m not saying most are. But there’s definitely a good chunk of very entitled types (I have a number of family members in this category) and I’d rather avoid that whole vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get people who don’t get liking luxury hotels. If I’m taking precious time off I want a great experience, not a utilitarian one.

A great experience requires you to leave the hotel grounds. Sitting on a hotel's beach and eating in their restaurant is so dumb.

What is dumb about it? You don’t get to dictate how others relax.

We fly to Miami all the time and do two or three nights at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and don’t leave the property, except may to walk across the st to go shopping grab a glass of wine.

I posted on another similar thread about some of the pros of staying at a luxury property. Hands down makes your stay a better experience. A good chunk of what makes things better are the little things you don’t even think about that they pick up on or handle with ease. On example I gave was being in Venice and running into a hotel manager on her day off. She noticed that we had done some shopping. Introduced to the owner of a great small restaurant while she arranged for hotel staff to come grab our shopping bags and take them to our room. Or getting food poising in Paris and hotel staff arranging for medical care and not allowing me to pay extra to clean up the vomit or the extra nights in the room or the private car they arranged to take me to the airport or the for them coordinating with the airline to have an airline host meet me at the curb and stay with me until I boarded.
There are about 50 other instances I could list.

So nice you are still loyal to the St Regis when the smart set has moved on to Four Seasons Surfside. Of course, St Regis BH is more value priced, so there’s that, too.

This is true, but FS Surfside is so expensive now that it’s for the ultra wealthy. A room that’s not even ocean view is $3-4k a night. Getting an ocean view suite for a week would run you $100k.

st Regis bal Barbour is ocean front for $1,500 a night.

I’m not the pp but I also like St Regis Bal Harbour. I have been twice and it is an easy flight. I like being able to be left alone and shop across the street as well. I also like four seasons, rosewood, mandarin oriental, banyan tree and many more. I am not trying to impress others. I like to be comfortable and appreciate good service and nice amenities. I don’t really care if four seasons surf side is better. I have never heard of it. Maybe I will stay there instead of st Regis next time. I think it is odd that you are trying to put down a random internet stranger for liking st Regis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As with EVERYTHING - there's those that are worth it and those that aren't. Some luxury hotels are in fact luxurious. I stay there. I have also stayed in your normal boutique hotel before too and loved the experience.

Typically speaking, staying at Rosewood and Amara hotels are indeed luxurious because not only is the room just beautiful, it is also clean. The hotel itself will be a sight to behold.

If you are truly not impressed with Viceroy's Sugar Beach St. Lucia or Rosewoord Little Dix Bay, I am not sure what to tell you. I've stayed in both and OMG - it's awesome. My definition of luxurious is typically boutique places where you can't get x amount of points for staying cause they don't need to give you them! T

here's also something called value. I don't think people really understand value - for a price difference of $300, you get the same value but for $500-600/difference you may not get the same value. So, while I wouldn't shell out for a $700/night place, I would shell out for $1000/night place. But in general, you are correct - there's not a whole lot of difference between places that are $200 rooms at the same level of hotel brand. Unless you are staying in Motel 8 which may have bedbugs, your typical room is going to be fine. I've stayed in places that are considered "luxury" but really aren't so again, note my first sentence. Not every $1000/night place will be luxury so your blanket sentence is wrong.

Personally, I don't stay at hotels when I can choose Airbnb/VRBO because I have a family.

But you know, these luxurious places are going to be $1300-1600/night and at these prices, there is a difference baby!

I mean, it’s not hard to grasp what luxury resort hotels have to offer. But DC, NYC and Boston all have 4 Seasons that will run you $1300/night. What’s the point of that?

First -- many of the guests there are not paying. Company or client is. Second -- for them it may not be 1300. My company had a deal at a fancy Ritz for half the cost people normally paid. Third, there are a lot of rich people around -- a lot more than you think. 1300 a night is a rounding error. Fourth, it gets you away from normal people which is something that rich people like.