Photo of Ettington Park, a fantastic manor house hotel close to Warwick castle and Stratford Upon Avon in England. No one does it better that the English for that Upper Crust experience.
Quick Thoughts on Some of the Chains:
Relais and Châteaux - Best of the best. Fantastic properties filled with character. The food is always outstanding. If you go in the off-season the prices are bearable.
Four Seasons - Executive luxury. The good: You always know what you are getting. A deluxe neutral cocoon. The bad: You always know what you are getting. A deluxe neutral cocoon.
You could be in a Four Seasons anywhere in the world and not know what city you are in unless you look out the window. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some city's that you don't want to know you are in.
The Ritz - Ritzy, of course. The Ritz in Madrid is fab. What other hotel was built at the request of a king so that his wedding guests would have someplace luxe to stay? The old world charm oozes out of every room. The service is exquisite.
Thompson Hotels - Best in the City Love this hotel group. Great stylish rooms with quirky baths. You really feel like you are living the 'Sex and the City" life. Where is Samantha?
Kimpton - Funky and well priced I always have fun when I stay at one of these properties. Plus they usually have a free wine hour in the afternoon - how good is that?
Firmdale - Funky and Expensive! The Crosby Street Hotel in NYC is one of my favs. Rooms start at around $500 for a 2nd floor "cozy" room and boy is it worth it if you have the money to spend. The honour bar is fantastic - hubby was in heaven!
Hotel Reviews:
Dec 2010: Just got back from a stay at the Hotel Monaco in SF. It was great. The room was smallish, but very clean, the decor is funky and the bathrooms (with bathtub) are a decent size. We enjoyed the complementary wine reception (they poured Barefoot Vineyards wine) and took advantage of the free chair massages too! It was very relaxing. The hotel location is close to Union Square but it's also pretty close to a sketchy area. If you can get a good rate, it's a nice choice, but I wouldn't pay the rack rate. Parking is a whopping $49 per day so I'd recommend public transport or an off site parking lot.
.........More thoughts to follow. I have some notes somewhere - maybe....