when things go wrong ...

question emailed to me by Quora.com

I receive questions several times a day from Quora.com. Perhaps it's because I have answered such questions in the past, and readers have "upvoted" the answers I provided. I pass on most questions — ones for which there either is no answer or ones when a simple google search would suffice. I appreciate this opportunity, because it gives me insight into what the general public is thinking on the subject of travel.

I did answer the question quoted above. It addresses one of life's basic realities: sometimes things go wrong! Your flight is cancelled, and you're stuck somewhere thousands of miles from where you want to be. Your hotel can't find your reservation. There's a disagreement about the rate you booked. The room you get is tiny, nothing like the photo on the website. The toilet doesn't work. The bathtub is dirty. The front desk agent speaks rudely to you. And on, and on...

Things sometimes go very wrong. That's life, life happens, and nothing can prevent the occasional mishap. So the real question becomes ... when things go wrong, whom do you want on your side? If you have a grievance, to whom can you go to solve that problem. And thus my answer to Manojit Saha's question ... how can I complain? My answer...

You just did complain, and in doing so, you have illustrated the downside of using an OTA (online travel agency) to book hotels. Such companies use an automated process to process bookings and have minimal staff for customer service. 

What could you have done instead? Had you booked on the hotel’s own website, you could have phoned the hotel and spoken directly to the manager on duty to address your issue. Or you could have used a flesh-and-blood travel advisor to make the reservation in which case she or he would have been your advocate. 

You get what you pay for and, in this instance, you made the choice to use an OTA not set up for customer care.

Here's another thing about OTA's. They seldom offer the best value.

Here's a comparative analysis of two identical bookings for a Deluxe room at Le Meurice in Paris for 9JUN-12JUN.

Goibibo is advertising a total charge of 4050€ = 1350€ nightly. For this amount, you get a hotel room. Period.


If you want a much better value, book Le Meurice through a Dorchester Collection Diamond Club agency. You'll save hundreds of euros on your hotel stay...

• Guaranteed upgrade at booking from a Superior room (1200€) per night into that Deluxe Room, saving you 150€ per night
• Daily complimentary full breakfast for two.
• 100€ in bonus cash toward incidental expenses (or take it off your bill)
• Full, premium internet (not the low bandwidth you get for free)

And should anything go wrong? You won't have to contact a customer service center in India to solve your problem. I personally know the General Manager of Le Meurice, and if there is an issue, a simple phone call will get the matter investigated and a resolution made.

copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

holiday ideas for Paris

If your holiday plans include Paris, here are some favorite Christmas season ideas shared by the concierges of Le Meurice and the Plaza Athenée Paris, just two of the fabulous palace hotels that tempt visitors to the city of light.

Visit Vaux-le-Vicomte. To quote the words of the chateau's own website, "visitors will be transported to a sugarplum world of confectionary in a château decked with thousands of holiday decorations." The You Tube video above will give you an idea what visitors will experience: crackling fires, thousands of strings of light, decorated trees, rides in a horse-drawn carriage, and mountains of sweet treats. Tickets and shuttle from the train station can be reserved online. The 34 minute train from Paris Gare de l'Est to Verneuil l'Etang runs hourly, and you can reserve a shuttle to/from the Chateau (about a 17 minute drive).

Champs de Mars Christmas Market. Enjoy a skating rink at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, as well as a Christmas village where wooden chalets sell crafts, Christmas decorations, and regional gourmet products.

Both Le Meurice and the Plaza Athenée are part of the Dorchester Collection. When you book through a Diamond Club agency, you'll benefit from:

• guaranteed upgrade at booking (up to the Junior Suite category)
• 100€ credit towards your hotel bill
• full daily breakfasts for two that includes literally anything on the menu except caviar and alcohol
• complimentary Premium internet for unlimited devices

You can't get these amenities online. Get in touch, and we'll help you plan your next trip to Paris while saving you hundreds of dollars.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Paris | right bank or left bank?

a left bank street (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

So you're going to Paris? You've heard about the left bank or the right bank and you're wondering, "Where should I stay?" Here are my thoughts:

Most of the luxury hotels in Paris are found on the right bank, the half of Paris north of the Seine. Some of the world's most famous and luxurious hotels are found in the right bank of Paris, including but not limited to the George V, the Plaza Athenee, Le Meurice, the Ritz, the recently re-opened de Crillon, the Shangri-La, Le Bristol, and the Peninsula.

The right bank's wide boulevards are lined with grand 19th century neo-classical buildings. Its hotel rooms tend to be much larger, and their guests can step out their front doors onto the best shopping streets of the world — the place Vendôme, the Champs Elysées and the Golden Triangle, and the Rue Saint Honoré.

The left bank is much older and charming, filled with narrow, winding streets lined with small shops. Because left bank hotels are found in centuries-old historic buildings redolent with charm, their guest rooms tend to be quite small and perhaps lack the most modern plumbing and electrical systems... but perhaps this is what you prefer?

Two hotels on the rive gauche stand out — Esprit Saint Germain is a member of Virtuoso, and though its guestrooms are barely larger than the bed, the hotel has a high percentage of returning guests who love the location, its residential ambiance, and the experience of hanging out in the hotel's living room — a ground floor common area with complimentary beverages and snacks. (Virtuoso guests receive complimentary round-trip private airport transfers with a three day stay). The other, Relais Christine, has just undergone an entire renovation, and the new room product is beautifully updated while retaining a sense of place that will remind you that you are in the heart of Paris. Ask me about their special summer offer that includes a daily buffet breakfast and a complimentary cruise on the Seine.

Right bank or left bank? Both answers are correct! It depends entirely on what you want — out-of-this-world luxury or iconic Parisian charm.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

so much better than booking.com ...

booking.com quote for Le Meurice as of 2:50 p.m. PDT, June 25, 2017

Rick Steves posted a Facebook article yesterday in which he offered his alternative to making hotel bookings through online wholesalers like booking.com and expedia.com. Hotels have to pay a 20-25% commission to OTA's (online travel agencies) in return for having their rooms available online. He advises travelers to contact hotels directly and negotiate:

Those who book direct through a hotel’s website (and not through the booking agency site, thus saving the hotel about 20 percent) can be offered a free breakfast or free upgrade. Or, simply don’t book “online.” Just book by direct email or phone, in which case, hotels are free to give you whatever price they like (usually able to split the difference: charging 10 percent less and making 10 percent more).

You don't need this hassle! Over 1250 luxury hotels around the world already offer an even richer set of value-added amenities through Virtuoso, the world's leading consortium of luxury travel advisors, hotels, cruise lines, and tour companies. And we can often do even better than Virtuoso, thanks to our relationship with all the leading hotel companies in the world — Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Dorchester Collection, Rosewood, Belmond, Peninsula, etc.

Free breakfast is already negotiated, as is an upgrade upon availability (sometimes guaranteed at booking), as is an extra amenity valued at $100, as is free WiFi... and we'll even contact the hotel to VIP your stay.

We can do so much better than booking.com for luxury hotel bookings. Say you want to spend the evening of August 4 at Le Meurice, one of my very favorite hotels in the world.

Booking.com offers the "jackpot deal" seen at the top of this article: Double Room — $963 without breakfast, $1028 with breakfast

Here's what's available to me right now as a Dorchester Diamond Club agent: I can book a Classic Room at 760€ = $850. As a Diamond Club booking, my clients receive a guaranteed upgrade at booking to a Superior Room. And there's more! You get ...

• a 100€ hotel credit that can come right off your bill, so you pay 660€ = $739 with breakfast.
• a full breakfast, in any venue including in-room dining, literally anything on the menu except caviar and alcohol. Tax and gratuity are included.
• full premium internet access for unlimited devices.

Assuming you'll want to have breakfast at the Alain Ducasse restaurant at Le Meurice, you save $289, get personal recognition as a Diamond Club guest, get free internet, and order anything off the breakfast menu, service included!

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Paris hotel site inspections

art deco entrance to the Plaza Athenee Paris, (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

It was only six weeks ago when I began my seven night stay in Paris. I have previously written about some of the great experiences we enjoyed — the Marmatton Monet Museum, Giverny, and a walking tour of the Street Art of the 13th and 20th arrondissements.

I also saw a lot of hotels, eleven in total. I've just posted reviews of those hotels on FlyerTalk, complete with a picture of each of the eleven properties. Here's the list of hotels that I visited:

Le Meurice
Le Bristol
Four Seasons George V
Ritz Paris
La Reserve
Plaza Athenee
Peninsula
St. James
Grand Hotel du Palais Royal
Relais Christine
d'Aubusson

Check out the FlyerTalk link for much more information, or feel free to contact me directly to talk about the luxury hotels of Paris. As a Virtuoso travel advisor, I can share with you my first-hand impressions and also provide value-added amenities that will save you hundreds of euros during your stay.

Paris is my favorite city in the world, and it has so many wonderful hotels. In my opinion, the first criterion is always location. As they say in real estate, the three most important things about any property are location, location, and location. Are you going to shop? Are you going to visit museums? Visit Notre Dame? Is your heart set on seeing the Eiffel Tower outside your window? Do you like Parisian glitz and style? What's your budget? Consider your answer to these questions, and I can help you find the perfect place for your dream vacation.

The picture at the top of this column is one of my favorites from Paris. It was taken outside the front door of the Plaza Athenee Paris. I was standing under the hotel's art deco entrance, aiming my camera up the front façade of the building. The "Plaza Red" awnings above each window helped create this memorable image.

copyright (c) 2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

my best of Paris awards

St. James Paris, boutique hotel in the 16th arr (c) 2016 by David Ourisman

A city of superlatives, Paris has something for every visitor — whether you're a traveler who desires the highest standards of luxury or whether you'd be happy with a simple pied-à-terre as a base for your explorations of all that the City of Light has to offer. We have experienced so much on this trip, I wanted to express my recommendations and sincere thanks.

getting around Paris

Passe Navigo Découverte. Paris has the most fabulous metro system, and you can go everywhere for just 21.25€ for a week (Monday - Sunday) with a Passe Navigo Découverte. A great value in efficient, reliable public transportation. 

Citymapper. So incredibly useful for finding your way anywhere in the city with directions for walking or taking the metro. Totally free except for any cell phone data charges.

thank you to our gracious hosts

Le Meurice hosted our first two nights in Paris. The smallest of the palace hotels of Paris, Le Meurice is ideally situated right on the Tuileries for walking anywhere in the heart of Paris. Our Premier Suite had a panoramic view from the Louvre (to the left), the d'Orsay (straight ahead), and the Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais (to the right). 

Le Bristol hosted our middle two nights. Located just off the Champs Elysees and in the midst of many high-end fashion shopping opportunities, we enjoyed the warm service, great food, and the two house cats! 

Four Seasons George V was home for our final three evenings. In the Golden Triangle, Le George offers classic French décor with the luxury predictability you would expect from Four Seasons... and wait until you see the new Suite product that I previewed.

a couple of incredible meals

Plaza Athenee reopened two years ago after a renovation and expansion, and this art deco classic on avenue Montaigne is back better than ever. I enjoyed lunch at Le Relais with George-Alexis, Sales Manager ... and if you're a chocoholic, you must order the Chocolate-Caramel Finger for dessert.

Peninsula Paris is a stunningly elegant, contemporary hotel — simple gorgeous rooms — and we were lucky enough to enjoy dinner at its rooftop restaurant, L'Oiseau Blanc. Not only did our view include the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur all lit up for us, but the three course dinner was delicious in every way.

New Discoveries award

I always look forward to discovering new treasures, I can recommend two properties I'd never before visited. La Reserve is a small hotel right around the corner from Le Bristol, and if you prefer to stay somewhere small and hidden away, you'll love this boutique property. St. James Paris (pictured above) is the city's only chateau hotel, a boutique, 49 room treasure in a 16th arrondissement mansion near the Bois du Boulogne. Rooms are decorated in a quirky yet elegant style.

Guided tours

Thanks to Antoinette Azzurro for her walking tour highlighting the Occupation and Liberation of Paris during World War II ... and thanks to W Travel France for organizing a tour of the street art of the 13th and 20th arrondissements. Great tours introduce you to a city in a way you couldn't experience on your own.

copyright  (c)  2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

the happiest couple in Paris

the happiest couple in Paris (in front of Notre Dame)  (c) David J Ourisman, 2016, all rights reserved

First report from Paris — We have spent our first two nights at Le Meurice, the hotel with simply the best location in all of Paris for seeing the highlights of the city. Our Prestige Suite on the fourth floor overlooks the Tuilleries, the large formal park in the center of Paris with the Louvre at one end and the Place de la Concorde at the other. From our room, we can see the Musee d'Orsay directly across the park as well as the gold domed roof of Les Invalides (Napoleon's tomb) and the Grand Palais.

Yesterday began with a visit to the Marmatton Monet museum in the 16th, truly a worthwhile stop for lovers of French Impressionism. Boasting the world's largest collection of Monet's works stunningly displayed on a wonderful scale, anyone who has visited the massive Musee d'Orsay will appreciate the jewel-like Marmatton. We also did a walking tour of sites associated with the Occupation and Liberation of Paris during World War II. The tour was led by our favorite Parisian tour guide, Antoinette Azzurro, who has developed a number of theme-based walks.

I have done a site inspection of the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal and today will be visiting the just-opened-after-renovation Ritz Paris as well as a new Virtuoso hotel, La Reserve.

Paris is about people watching, whether sitting at a small table at a café watching the world pass by, seeing young families playing together in the park, or seeing the happiest couple in Paris (pictured above) as they walked together in front of the Cathedral du Notre Dame.

copyright  (c)  2016 by David Ourisman LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

car-free first Sundays on the Champs Elysées

Imagine a rainy April afternoon on the Champs Elysées, umbrella-toting pedestrians walking down the sidewalks, looking into the shop windows, gazing up the incline to the Arc du Triomphe. What would this scene look like with the streets free of automobile traffic, with the entire wide avenue open to shoppers and tourists.

You won't need to imagine much longer. Coming soon are car-free "first Sundays" on the Champs Elysées. The avenue will be transformed into the most glorious pedestrian mall in the world. Free of the noise and exhaust of cars, visitors to Paris will be able to stroll freely down the entire length of the street, from the Arc de Triomphe in the west to the Place de la Concorde in the east.

It all begins April 3, 2016 and every first Sunday thereafter. Here's hoping the experiment works!


Where should you stay if you want to walk the Champs Elysées? The three closest Virtuoso hotels are Fouquet's Barriere, the Lancaster, and La Reserve (designated by the three red dots from left to right on the map below).

There are many more great hotel choices within a few blocks of the Champs Elysées — Four Seasons George V, Prince de Galles, Plaza Athenée, and Le Royal Monceau. But don't book your Paris hotel online; check out the great Virtuoso amenities you can get from a Virtuoso travel consultant — typically for the same price you're seeing online. Free breakfasts, hotel credits, room upgrades (some guaranteed at booking), etc. The perks differ by property, but check them all out at Virtuoso.com.

P.S. — We get even better-than-Virtuoso perks at Four Seasons George V, Le Meurice, Plaza Athenee, Peninsula Paris, and Mandarin Oriental Paris.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Dorchester Collection | 3rd night free all winter

art deco facade of the Plaza Athenee, Paris

Third night free is almost good as it gets, and when you get to enjoy it at one of the nine Dorchester Collection hotels, that's an unbeatable combination of luxury and value.

But it gets even better! You'll enjoy Diamond Club amenities along staying one night free in one of the world best hotels ... if you make your reservation with a Diamond Club travel advisor.

Book a guest room, and you'll enjoy these perks:

• a guaranteed one-category upgrade, up to Jr. Suite
• a one-time 100 hotel credit in local currency ($, £, €, or CHF)
• full breakfast daily for two in any venue — anything on the menu except caviar and alcohol
• premium internet for unlimited devices

Book a Suite, and you'll enjoy even more:

• an upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• a daily 100 hotel credit in local currency ($, £, €, or CHF) except for the free night
• full breakfast daily for two in any venue — anything on the menu except caviar and alcohol
• premium internet for unlimited devices

Don't miss out on this exceptional offer. The booking window begins November 1, 2015 and is open until February 29, 2016 for stays from 14DEC-3APR. Blackout dates may apply.

Check out these hotels for your next vacation or trip:
The Dorchester, London 
45 Park Lane, London 
Coworth Park, Ascot 
Le Meurice, Paris 
Plaza Athenee, Paris 
Le Richemond, Geneva 
Principe di Savoia, Milan 
Hotel Eden, Rome - closed for renovations 
Beverly Hills Hotel 
Hotel Bel-Air

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

want an excuse to go to Paris?

How many scenes in this video do you recognize? Watch this 5 minute hyperlapse video of scenes of Paris, and you'll definitely want to go back. It's no secret that Paris is my favorite city in the world, a place I've been over a dozen times.

Paris is home to some of the world's greatest museums, and I've barely scratched the surface of the Louvre. If you're a fan of French Impressionism, the Musee d'Orsay is a must — but don't forget the Jeu de Paume (which used to house the greatest collection), the Orangerie, the Marmottan, and the Petit Palais. Visit the Cluny, a great museum of the Middle Ages. Paris has museums to Picasso, Rodin, modern art (Pompidou), anthropology (Quai Branly), as well as a lesser-known gem set in a 19th century mansion (Jacqumart-André).

Want to dine in a different three star Michelin restaurant every night? Enjoy a simple meal at a bistro? Pig out on macaroons? Or sit at a sidewalk table outside a café for a few hours, watching the world stroll by? That's more than enough reason for your next visit.

Spend your nights in a legendary hotel with the incredibly valuable amenities that only a Virtuoso travel consultant can provide (starting with free breakfast for two every day of your stay at every hotel on the list... and guaranteed upgrades at some). Explore the link to discover all the perks you're passing up if you book yourself online. Here are some of my favorite Parisian hotels:

Four Seasons George V — in the Golden Triangle, Le George is at the top of many lists of the world's best hotels. 

Ritz Paris — the legendary hotel on the Place Vendôme that is just completing a total renovation that preserves the original character of the rooms but brings everything up to date. 

Le Meurice — enjoying the perfect location for walking around Paris. 

Le Bristol — set on the finest shopping street in Paris. 

Shangri-La Paris — the closest hotel to the Eiffel Tower with half of its rooms directly facing this iconic landmark. 

Peninsula Paris — a brant new hotel in a magnificently restored building that once hosted the Paris Peace Talks. 

De Crillon — right on the Place de la Concorde and about to reopen as a Rosewood after a total renovation.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

April in Paris | 5 reasons to visit Paris now

Place Vendome, from the Tuilleries, photo by David Ourisman (c) 2015 all rights reserved

Update — April 11th ... the Euro is now $1.06. Time for European travel!

Is Paris on your mind? With the euro on sale (1€ = $1.09), grab the moment and plan that last-minute trip to my favorite city in the world. Here are five reasons to visit Paris now.

1. Strong dollar. Remember when the euro cost $1.40? With the euro costing only $1.09 today, this is a 22% discount on everything you buy in Europe — hotel rooms, meals, museum tickets, even that impulse purchase at Chanel.

2. April is shoulder season in Paris. This means less crowds and lower prices than during the the busier summer months.

3. Warm enough. Although April in Paris isn't balmy, spring in Europe has warmed up over the years. I took the  above on April 2, 2014 — and it was a beautiful day.

4. Beautiful hotels... In the picture above is my personal favorite hotel in Paris, Le Meurice (the building on the right). If you have more of a four star budget, the Westin Paris is pictured in the building to the left. I can get you value-added amenities at both hotels — including free breakfast, free internet, hotel credits, and even a guaranteed upgrade at Le Meurice.

5. ... and more beautiful hotels. A couple minute's walk from this same intersection are even more world-class hotels, including the Mandarin Oriental Paris, Park Hyatt Vendome, and the soon-to-reopen Ritz Paris. And, yes, I can get you amenities at each of these hotels. Here's my google map to our entire collection.

If Paris is on your mind, there's no better time to go than now!

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

falling euro? time for European luxury travel!

With the Euro currently equal to $1.15, and the pound likewise devalued against the U. S. dollar,  this a great opportunity for luxury travel to Europe. The Euro has been close to $1.40 in recent months, meaning that you're getting a 17% discount on your European vacation if you travel today.

Here's how to save even more at the top luxury hotels of Europe. Our Preferred Partner hotel relationships translate into deals for you that are better than anything you're likely to find on an internet website.

Want proof? Here's a sample deal at Le Meurice, my personal favorite hotel in Paris with the perfect location right in the heart of the city. I chose a 3 night stay, 25APR-28APR, to take advantage of an amazing $1007 round-trip business class airfare from EWR to London (which you would follow with a short flight onto Paris).

Guaranteed upgrade! I can get you a guaranteed upgrade into a Deluxe Room (pictured above) for 860€ per night, inclusive of free full breakfast each day for two guests (including breakfast by room service), free premium internet for unlimited devices, and a 100€ hotel credit that comes right off your final bill. With the credit, your effective rate is 827€ per night = $949, including taxes and surcharges.

What about internet rates? Expedia is currently selling the same Deluxe room for $1,069.40 per night including taxes and surcharges ... and this is room only — no breakfast, no free internet, no hotel credit.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

what Parisians do in Paris

What do Parisians do in Paris? There are alternatives to standing in line at the Eiffel Tower, seeing a postage-stamp sized Mona Lisa in the middle of a large gallery with hundreds of tourists crowded in front of her, or having Starbucks coffee in the 6th arrondissement. Much better alternatives!

That's the idea behind this Google Map of 34 places in Paris that Parisians visit on their own. Only one of the 34 spots on this map (the Musée d'Orsay) is an attraction that would be on most tourists to-do lists. This map is a great for your next trip to Paris.

And when you're in Paris, I recommend you stay in one of the city's traditional "palace hotels" — the George V, Le Meurice, the Plaza Athenee, Le Bristol, the Ritz, and Hotel de Crillon (the last two hotels under renovation), or one of the new additions, the Mandarin Oriental, Royal Monceau, Shangri-La, and Park Hyatt Vendome. Need advice about where to stay? I've seen all nine, so please reach out to me. As a Virtuoso travel consultant, I can provide valuable amenities including complimentary daily breakfast for two at each of these hotels, upgrades, and additional perks.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Plaza Athenee Paris | reopening today

Plaza Athenee Paris reopened this morning, August 1, at 7 a.m. Paris time. The property had been closed for many months for a renovation project incorporating a recently acquired building into the existing hotel. The Art Deco hotel is located on avenue Montaigne, and all front-facing rooms offer guests a view of the Eiffel Tower (if you look off to the right).

A reopening special dubbed "Be The First" is being offered for stays in August at Plaza Athenee Paris, subject to availability. A quick check of the GDS indicates that these rates are discounted 20€ per night. Guests receive American breakfast for two, two Black Rose Royal cocktails at the bar, a chocolate souvenir, and a "ribbon cutting" picture of your room.

An even better value is to book through any Diamond Club travel consultant. You'll pay the regular rate (i.e., no 20€ discount) … but in return you receive the following Diamond Club amenities:


A guaranteed one-category upgrade. Diamond Club guests are upgraded at booking. You want to stay in a Deluxe Room? Just book a Superior! Guaranteed upgrades up to the Junior Suite category.

100€ hotel credit. Yes, one hundred euros, not dollars, and it can even come off your hotel bill. Book a room, and you get a one-time 100€ credit. Book a full Suite, and you score a daily 100€ credit.

Full Breakfast Daily. You can take it in any venue. Want breakfast in bed? Order room service. Want to order off the menu? Anything except caviar and champagne is included, including tax and gratuity.

Free premium internet. Their highest speed internet, for unlimited devices, all for free.


Diamond Club amenities also apply to the other Dorchester Collection hotel in Paris, Le Meurice, as well as to Diamond Club bookings at every Dorchester hotel in the world. (Note that the hotel credit is in local currency. Staying in London? You get a cool 100£ in credits.)

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

3rd night free at Dorchester Collection

Third night free at some of my favorite hotels, with free breakfast and more — this is one of the best values that I've seen in a long time. The participating hotels are:

The Dorchester, London
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
45 Park Lane, London
Le Meurice, Paris
Coworth Park, Ascot
Le Richemond, Geneva
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles
Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
Hotel Eden, Rome

All Diamond Club amenities apply (with the exception of the 100 unit credit for suites on free nights):

• Full Breakfast for two daily
• Guaranteed upgrade at booking up to Jr. Suite
• hotel credit 100 units of local currency for rooms (can be applied to room rate)
• daily hotel credit of 100 units of local currency for suites (but not on the free night)
• complimentary premium internet for unlimited devices

Valid dates: January 1 - March 31 (Dec. 1 - March 31 for UK hotels). Blackout dates apply.

Valid for stays in any room or suite at any Dorchester Collection hotel (exception — at Le Meurice, 3rd free applies only to Deluxe Room, Deluxe Suite, Executive Suite, or Prestige Suite bookings.)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Le Royal Monceau | Saturday Royal Brunch

Probably the most exquisite brunch I've never had, Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris offers a Saturday Royal Brunch most every weekend of the year. Set in the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant "La Cuisine," the brunch lasts from 12:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. The price 74€ per person.

Here is what one Trip Advisor reviewer had to say about the experience:

The food was diversified (salads, delicatessen, oysters, shrimps, sushis, beef, veal, vegetables, fish, pasta to the order..., large choice of cheese and desserts) and of a high quality standard (pastries and viennoiseries are supplied by Pierre Hermé). Everyone at our table was happy and enjoyed the food.

Want to enjoy the brunch for free? I won a certificate for two (2) Saturday Royal Brunches at Travel Week in Las Vegas. Yes, it was a game of chance - I got lucky with the dice! I have the option of enjoying the brunch myself or gifting it to a client.

So here's the deal. Book a three-night minimum stay through me, inclusive of the Saturday lunch hour, at any of the four palace hotels of Paris listed below. Whoever makes the largest qualifying booking (in terms of total value of the stay) will win the Royal Brunch for two. In the interest of fairness, as they offered the prize, I'll give a 50% bonus to the total value of a booking at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris. The contest booking period ends at 3 p.m. PDT on Friday, September 20.

Eligible palace hotels for this contest:

Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris

Four Seasons George V

Le Meurice

Le Bristol

Everyone wins when you book through a Virtuoso, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, or Dorchester Diamond Club agency. For the same price you can find online, you get complimentary value-added perks that you can't find online including:

• free breakfast for two every day of your stay
• upgrades if available (guaranteed in some cases)
• spa; food and beverage; or hotel credits

P.S. — There are fifteen Virtuoso hotels in Paris, and while I didn't list them all for this contest, I'd be happy to create a contest around a special perk any of them would like to offer!

Le Royal Monceau (click here to search on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Alain Ducasse coming to Le Meurice

the restaurant at Le Meurice

Alain Ducasse, famed Michelin-honored French chef, has long been the head chef at the Plaza Athenee, one of two Dorchester Collection hotels in the city of Paris. It has just been announced that Ducasse will also take over the kitchens at Paris's other Dorchester Collection hotel, Le Meurice.

Le Meurice has the best location in Paris for tourists who want to walk everywhere in the center of Paris. Step out the front door, cross the street, and you're in the Jardin des Tuileries. Cross the gardens to visit the Musee d'Orsay with its world-class collection of Impressionist paintings. Turn left, and you'll shortly be at the Louvre. Turn right, and in several minutes you'll be at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysees. A true luxury hotel, I especially enjoy the classic yet updated style of the guestrooms; they are exactly my style.

Being a Dorchester Collection Diamond Club agent, I am able to offer an exclusive set of amenities at both Le Meurice and the Plaza Athenee. These are guaranteed to save you money and make your stay more comfortable.

when booking guestrooms

• Guaranteed room upgrades, up to the Junior Suite category
• Full American breakfast for two daily
• 100€ hotel credit that can be applied to the room rate
• (or exchange the 100€ credit for a one-way airport transfer through Dec. 31)
• Complimentary premium internet for unlimited devices

when booking suites

• Full American breakfast for two daily
• Daily 100€ hotel credits that can be applied to the room rate
• (or exchange two 100€ credits to get round-trip airport transfers through Dec. 31)
• Complimentary premium internet for unlimited devices

Don't even think about using an OTA like Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity, or Orbitz. I can get you a better value at any Dorchester Collection hotel every day of the year.


Le Meurice (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Diamond Club | Dorchester Collection

I'm presently staying at the Hotel Bel-Air near Beverly Hills for the unveiling of Dorchester Collection's new Preferred Partner program, to be called Diamond Club. Brownell is one of a very few luxury travel agencies invited into this exclusive club, and this translates into substantial value for any of our guests staying at one of nine Dorchester Collection hotels around the world. The following information was provided at an official briefing at lunch today at the Beverly Hills Hotel):

• Guaranteed upgrade at booking to the next room category with maximum guaranteed upgrade into a Jr. Suite
• Full breakfast for two daily, including in-room dining. Tax and gratuity are included.
• $100, 100€, or 100£ one-time credit for room bookings, applicable to final bill
• $100, 100€, or 100£ daily credit for suite bookings, applicable to final bill
• Daily unlimited internet for unlimited number of devices
• No walk policy for Diamond Club bookings

Airport transfers — a special amenity offer through 31DEC, 2013

• the 100 unit credit for a room or suite booking can be exchanged for a one-way airport transfer
• with 2+ nights in a suite, exchange 200 units of currency for round-trip airport transfers

Please note the following: 

(1) Because 45 Park Lane is so small (just 45 rooms), is being treated as an all-suite property. No guaranteed upgrades, but you will receive a daily 100£ credit toward your final bill in all room categories.

(2) Diamond Club are in place of Virtuoso or FHR bookings but provide richer benefits, when booked under the Diamond Club rate code (only available to Diamond Club agencies) - which is equal to the Best Available Rate (but not promotional rates).

(3) The guaranteed upgrade at booking is a great amenity. Book a Deluxe at The Dorchester in London and be upgraded to an Executive Deluxe - a fabulous, WOW room category. Book an Executive at Le Meurice in Paris and be upgraded to a Tuileries view Executive.

(4) No other preferred partner program provides a hotel credit in the local currency, and 100€ or 100£ are worth more than $100 when staying in England, France, or Italy. Even in Switzerland, 100 CHF is currently worth about $108.

(5) Daily 100 credit for suites means that upselling to a Suite may be your best value at a Dorchester Collection hotel.

These are the nine member hotels at which you can receive the Diamond Club Dorchester Collection amenities:

England: The Dorchester, 45 Park Lane, Coworth Park

Paris: Le Meurice, Plaza Athenee

Milan: Principe di Savioa

Geneva: Le Richemond

Los Angeles: Hotel Bel-Air, Beverly Hills Hotel

Diamond Club Dorchester Collection (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

how do you shop for hotels?

standing by the rue de rivoli, looking west towards Le Meurice

If you had the choice, how much would you prefer to pay for one night in a Superior Room at Le Meurice in Paris?

     A. 690€
     B. 678.77€
     C. 621€

These are the actual rates that came up this morning for a comparison search that I ran this morning using Travelocity and Orbitz vs. the rate available to a Virtuoso travel consultant. The date of stay was November 15 for one night.

Contrary to popular opinion, the online travel agencies cost you more and give you less.

B. Orbitz — $879.82 = 678.77€. This is a pre-paid rate for room only. Orbitz will charge your card $879.82 at the time of booking.

A. Travelocity — 690€. This booking is 11.23€ more but requires only a credit card guarantee. It's also for room only.

C. Virtuoso — 621€, also requiring only a credit card guarantee.


Your Virtuoso travel consultant can not only get you a better price, you get better value for your money.  My clients receive the following when I reserve their room at Le Meurice.

• Daily American breakfast for two in the restaurant or via room service
• A bottle of French wine and home made petit fours in room on arrive
• Upgrade to Deluxe Room, if available

Moreover, like most luxury travel consultants, I will personally contact management at Le Meurice to VIP your stay. More often than not, my clients get upgraded to a Deluxe Room!

(And don't take my word for it... here's the actual Sabre listing. Double-click to see it full size.)

Over 975 luxury hotels around the world are part of the Virtuoso network, offering free breakfast for two every morning, room upgrades when available, and additional amenities that differ by hotel - usually at the hotel's best available flexible rate (and sometimes even lower). If you've been booking luxury hotels with online travel agencies, you've probably left a lot of value value on the table!


Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .

Paris luxury hotels | four reviews

the pyramid in front of the Louvre in Paris

During my recent trip to Paris, I spent three nights in Paris. I stayed at Le Meurice and visited three new Paris luxury hotels I had not previously seen. Here's what I saw and thought:

Le Meurice

This is my personal favorite in Paris. While neither the most expensive nor the most elegant of Paris's palace hotels, I love Le Meurice for two reasons.

(1) Location, location, location. Le Meurice has the most perfect location. Walk out the front door, cross the street into the Tuilleries, and you can walk everywhere!

(2) The hotel feels very Parisian to me. Rooms are large and comfortable with a traditional feel.

Le Meurice has reasonable rates, especially compared to some of the other luxury hotels of Paris, and Virtuoso guests receive a 10% discount, Full American breakfast for two daily, and a room upgrade if available.

Mandarin Oriental Paris

A brand new hotel that just opened in June 2011, the Mandarin Oriental is located just off the Place Vendome, one block from the Tuileries. The Mandarin Oriental is a terrific choice if you want a new contemporary hotel that enjoys a great location.

Guests enter an elegant and sophisticated lobby that overlooks a beautiful courtyard garden. Planted with over 200 varieties of trees and plants, the courtyard sets the tone for the entire hotel that is designed to be an urban retreat in the middle of a busy city.

We were able to see a Deluxe Room and a Superior Suite. Rooms will appeal to guests who appreciate warm, contemporary interiors. Rosewood is used extensively in the doors, headboards, and built-ins. There are no painted surfaces in the room; walls are finished with fabric surfaces. Bathrooms are finished in polished white marble, and all rooms have dual vanities, deep soaking tub, step in rain shower, and separate WC. However, the design of the bath area in the Deluxe area was a bit unusual. The two sinks were on one side of the tiled entry into the bedroom, while the tub, shower, and WC were on the other side. Although called a Deluxe Room, it felt like a Superior room in terms of space provided.

Raffles - Le Royal Monceau

Located near the Arc du Triomphe, Le Royal Monceau was built in 1928 at the height of the Roaring 20's. Along with the Ritz, it was a favorite of the expatriate community in Paris. The hotel has been recently renovated with a bold, contemporary interior design by Philippe Stark that I would describe as more LA than LA. Visitors looking for something quirky, artistic, and avant garde will love Le Royal Monceau. But if you favor traditional Parisian styling, or prefer more classic contemporary styling, you'll want to look elsewhere.

Guestrooms have a bit of a cluttered design. Starke is not a minimalist; his intention is to provide lots of details to intrigue the eye. Each room has at least one large widescreen TV within a mirror leaning against the wall. Bathrooms have lots of mirrors, so you'll see yourself in multiple reflections. Each bathroom has a large, deep soaking tub, two large vanities (large, square, and just an inch deep), step-in rain shower, and a separate WC. My favorite rooms were in the back of the house, very quiet and overlooking the large garden. Among other features, Le Royal Monceau offers the largest hotel swimming pool in Paris and a movie theatre.

Esprit St Germain

Looking for a boutique hotel on the Left Bank? Eglise St Germain is located near the Eglise St Sulpice and offers an attractive location from which to explore the 6th arrondissement with its shops, boutiques, and markets. The major feature of the hotel are the two homey, comfortable living rooms on the ground floor. Guests make extensive use of these common areas which feature a complimentary open bar, soft drinks, and coffee and tea throughout the day.

Guest rooms are quite small. This is typical of Left Bank hotels as they are situated in older buildings with smaller rooms. Most luxury guests will want to book either a Premier Room or a Suite. The Premier room is essentially the size of the hotel's Deluxe rooms with a larger closet and bathroom. The top floor Premier room has a terrace looking over the rooftops toward Eglise St Sulpice, while the others have more floor space. Suites are small Jr. Suites, a small sitting area separated from the small bedroom.

If having a lot of space is a priority, this hotel will not work for you. But Esprit St Germain has a lot of repeat guests who enjoy the residential feeling of the hotel.


Paris luxury hotels (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2012 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .