thank you, Ritz Paris

hardworking concierge at the Ritz Paris

Travel plans don't always go smoothly... and when the travel gods throw wrinkles into our journeys, this is when truly great hotels shine. Ritz Paris offered us gracious hospitality and incredible service during such a time (just yesterday).

I had flown to Paris after my Baltic cruise to meet my daughter. She was arriving the next morning to begin a Masters program at Parsons Paris and to move into an apartment for the duration. After a month of jumping through French bureaucratic hoops, she, her boyfriend, and their two dogs enjoyed the flight over on La Compagnie. They made their way, luggage in tow, to her new apartment. On arrival, the door to the building was locked, and the building manager was nowhere to be seen.

What to do in the early morning, on a Sunday, in August, in Paris? You will not be surprised that the only response to our repeated phone calls was voice mail. We left messages. We left more messages. None were not returned. What to do? Where to turn?

Ritz Paris was a true angel in a time of near panic. I approached guest reception. Would my daughter and her two dogs be welcome to hang out in our room? Mais oui, but of course was the immediate response, without a moment of hesitation.

They left a massive amount of luggage with the bell captain, made their way up to our Junior Suite, and camped out for the day. They enjoyed showers and got some much needed sleep.

But how to get her into her own apartment? My phone calls were getting no response, so I turned to Didier, the hardworking concierge pictured above. Explaining the problem, Didier got to work. I don't know how he did it ... but after hours of perseverance, he eventually got the manager of the leasing company on the phone. Ultimately he got through to the building manager. Bottom line: my daughter received her key late last night ... and she'll be able to move in today.

This story of great service doesn't end there. Remember the ton of luggage that was checked at the front door of the Ritz? I got them a room at the Castille, directly behind the Ritz on Rue Cambon. The Ritz bell captain rolled the trolly of luggage through a subbasement of the Ritz to the back of the hotel and across the street to the front door of the Castille.

No one could expect better service, and I am deeply grateful. I showed it to my wonderful hosts at Ritz Paris as best I could (will need to get some more euro notes this morning). So a story with a happy ending!

copyright (c) 2019 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.

what makes a luxury hotel?

we stepped in mud on a hike two hours before departure... and Amankora is cleaning them for us

What makes a luxury hotel? This is the subject of an active forum on FlyerTalk with over 23,800 views. The one word answer to that question: service. And we have experienced nothing but incredible service from Amankora.

So far today... 

(1) We went for our complimentary breakfast at 7 a.m. The dining room was fully staffed, with both a cold buffet set up and a hot menu with varied choices.

(2) When we got back to our room after breakfast, the bed had been made and the bathroom cleaned with fresh towels, etc.

(3) We went to the front desk at 8:15 a.m. for a final hike. Two Aman guides accompanied Claire and me, all included in the Amankora Journey.

(4) In the course of that hike, we had to traverse a muddy path alongside a scenic rice paddy. The result of that hike on our shoes is pictured above. When we got back to Amankora Paro, we left our shoes at the front desk, and they will be cleaned to returned to us before our departure. All part of the included services at Amankora, as is complimentary laundry service!

(5) After getting back to our room (which had again been cleaned), I took a shower, then wrote this blog, while Claire tried her hand at archery (also included).

(6) In half an hour, we leave for the airport. The transfer is also included, and our guide will accompany us to help with anything unexpected at the airport. The staff will be there to say farewell, a touch that makes you feel like the welcome guest that you truly are.

(7) Addendum: after checking out and before we had left for the airport, housekeeping brought two small items we had inadvertently left in the room.


Service is at the heart of Amanresorts, as any Amanjunkie can attest. The resort almost seems to anticipate your needs.

So thank you to Amankora for your wonderful hospitality and service during our Amankora Journey. After nine days, it's back to Bangkok and civilization.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. As affiliates of Brownell Travel, we can provide our clients with Virtuoso amenities and amenities from other Brownell preferred hotel partners including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and more. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Ritz Carlton Amelia Island | amazing service story

What is the mark of a luxury hotel? It's more than creature comforts — the beauty of the setting, the comfort of the room, and the elegance of the furnishings. It's the atmosphere of hospitality and the culture of service.

Here is a heart warming story, told by a guest at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island, about the amazing way the hotel sprang into action after his son left his Joshie the Giraffe blanket behind after their family beach vacation on Amelia Island. I am touched by the human touch shown by the staff of this resort. It's a four minute video but worth watching!

Ritz Carlton Amelia Island is a Virtuoso hotel, and these added-value Virtuoso amenities help make your luxury vacation affordable. Just book through your Virtuoso travel consultant, and you'll get:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily continental breakfast for up to two in-room guests, in restaurant or via room service 
• $100 Spa credit once during stay 
• Complimentary valet parking for duration of stay

Ritz Carlton Amelia Island (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. .

booking expedia? read the fine print

This happens more often than any travel consultant wants to think about. A couple contacted me, wanting to plan their honeymoon on Maui. I gave them quotes on several resorts they were interested in and, as they were looking for a great value, recommended another property, the Napili Kai Beach Resort (pictured above). This is a very nice, low-rise group of condos on a great beach. The resort has swimming pools, putting green, beautiful grounds, and a nice restaurant.

I quoted them a complete package including round-trip air on the flights they wanted, five nights in the room category they preferred, and a rental car for the entire period of their stay on Maui. I included in the quote a very reasonably priced travel insurance policy that would allow them to change or cancel their reservations for any reason at any time, very important since the Napili Kai has a rather significant cancellation deadline.

They emailed me a few hours later, having priced out the same package on expedia for a slightly lower price. They asked a reasonable question: why did my package price out higher? So I did my research ... doing a mock booking for the same package on expedia. The result of my research? Expedia's price did NOT include taxes and surcharges on the rental car; mine did. When booking with expedia, it's always important to read the fine print about taxes and fees. You usually need to click through to another page to get to that information — and why is that, I wonder?

Consider the benefits of using a luxury travel consultant. I am, of course, biased in expressing this opinion, but hear my argument. While you may save a (very) few dollars by booking on some website, there are distinct advantages of working with a trusted travel advisor.

• A no-walk guarantee. My supplier, Classic Vacations, has a no-walk provision in their contract with every property they represent. You will not get to the resort and find that the hotel sold your room to someone else.
  
• An emphasis on service. Classic is not a mass marketer selling hundreds of thousands of vacations directly to consumers on the internet. While expedia does have an 800 number, I've read countless accounts of customers unable to get through in a timely way to get their problems resolved. My clients have a toll-free number to call 24/7 if they need help.
  
• Working with a human being. When you use a travel consultant, you're not reduced to clicking buttons on a webpage. You have an experienced travel professional working for you. You can ask questions and get advice. I have traveled the world, very likely have visited the places you're thinking of traveling to, and have a network of contacts who can smooth the way for you.
  
• Special requests. Would someone at expedia call the sales manager at Napili Kai, let them know a honeymoon couple is coming, and ask that they be VIP'ed for their stay? I don't think so ... but this the kind of service I provide every day for my clients.
  
• Small touches like having all the paperwork for your rental car pre-filled. There is a special Classic counter for my clients at the Hertz office in Maui; they won't have to wait in line for their rental car.

How did the story turn out? My clients ended up booking through me. It doesn't always happen, but my job is to give my clients the best advice, service, and value I possibly can. travel consultant (search here on Google) copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website. .