- Introduction: Birthday Hotel Hopping In Paris
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Boeing 747-8
- Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Review & Guide
- This Is Lufthansa’s New Business Class Catering?!?
- Review: Ritz Paris Hotel
- Review: Four Seasons Paris George V
- Review: Cheval Blanc Paris
- Impressions From Our Trip To Paris
- Review: Air France Business Class Boeing 777-200
Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
We spent the majority of our time in Paris at the 244-room Four Seasons George V, which is one of the most famous Four Seasons properties in the world, and for that matter one of the most well regarded luxury properties in Paris.
While the Ritz-Paris and Cheval Blanc were both impressive in their own way, to me the Four Seasons offered the all-around best experience. The hotel is gorgeous, has impeccable service, and features three different Michelin-starred restaurants. Furthermore, while the hotel no doubt caters to outside guests as well, I appreciated how hotel guests were made to feel like a priority (which isn’t a feeling I got at the Ritz Paris, by comparison).
With that out of the way, let’s get into the review.
In this post:
How to book the Four Seasons Paris
Full disclosure — while we pay the going rate for a vast majority of our hotel stays (including the one night stays we did at the Ritz Paris and Cheval Blanc Paris), in this case Ford had won a prize through work with Four Seasons, for a week-long stay at any Four Seasons property. We decided to do four nights here and three nights somewhere else (which I’ll review separately). So in this case we didn’t pay for the accommodation (including breakfast).
As far as booking the Four Seasons George V goes, rates vary throughout the year (and there are sometimes promotions that can offer additional savings), though generally you can expect that entry level rooms start at around 1,200 EUR per night. This hotel is in the same price range as the Ritz Paris — both hotels have amazing reputations and are Paris institutions, and they charge accordingly.
Anyway, the best way to book any Four Seasons property is through a travel advisor affiliated with the Four Seasons Preferred Partner program. You pay the same rate you’ll find directly on Four Seasons’ website, but you’ll receive extra perks, including things like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and a hotel credit.
Booking Four Seasons properties through Preferred Partner is better than booking through programs like Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts. That’s because upgrades are generally prioritized for Preferred Partner guests, and on top of that Preferred Partner perks can be stacked with virtually any publicly available Four Seasons rate.
You can’t beat getting all of these extra perks just for booking through an eligible travel advisor. Ford is of course more than happy to help anyone book Four Seasons properties through Preferred Partner, and can be reached at [email protected]. He doesn’t charge any booking fees for Four Seasons properties.
Four Seasons Paris location
The Four Seasons Paris is located on Avenue George V (hence the name). This is in the heart of the “Golden Triangle,” in Paris’ 8th arrondissement. There’s lots of high-end shopping in the area, and the hotel is within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, etc.
Everyone will have different location preferences within Paris. Ford and I love to get our steps in, so for us this was a perfect, central location. We didn’t use a taxi once, but rather could comfortably walk everywhere from the hotel.
Four Seasons Paris lobby & public areas
The Four Seasons is certainly big on first impressions, as the hotel is known for its over-the-top floral arrangements. Jeff Leatham is the hotel’s artistic director, and a big part of that is the flowers. Last I heard (this dates back to before our stay), this hotel spends over $1 million per year on flowers (as one does). New flowers are added every day, and the hotel goes through roughly 12,000 stems per week.
Personally I love the contrast between the beautiful historic building and the vibrant and contemporary flowers, as this is a combination that you won’t often find. Anyway, inside the entrance to the hotel is the “grand” lobby area, with the reception desk to the left and the concierge desk to the right.
Immediately past the main part of the lobby are the hallways connecting various wings of the hotel, which also feature quite a few flowers.
The ground floor of the Four Seasons has an incredible flow, as all five of the property’s food & beverage outlets (including the three Michelin-starred restaurants) are located here. There’s a central courtyard, and then an outlet on each side. We’ll talk more about those in a bit.
Since the Four Seasons is in a historic building, there are several sets of elevators, each of which is different. The elevators to our room were located to the left of reception.
If you want to get your steps in, there’s a pretty staircase in this area as well.
Four Seasons Paris suite
We were assigned room 331, a Four Seasons Suite (this is the hotel’s standard suite) on the third floor. While I wouldn’t want my home furnished like this, I found the decor of the hallways to be charming, and have a real sense of place.
Inside the entrance to the suite was a half bath immediately to the right, and then a living room straight ahead.
The living room was generously sized, and featured a couch with a TV, two chairs, and then a desk with a chair.
The minibar was in the living room, and unlike at the Ritz, there was an in-room coffee and tea setup (Four Seasons in general does an excellent job with coffee, as most Four Seasons properties also have a complimentary morning coffee & tea setup in the lobby).
Waiting on the living room table was a welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of water, fruit, and some chocolates.
There were double sliding doors separating the living area from the bedroom. The bedroom had a signature Four Seasons bed, which I find to be the most comfortable hotel bed out there.
The bedroom also had a chair with an ottoman, as well as a TV.
Our room had views of the surrounding neighborhood, and from one window we could even see the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Behind the bedroom were some closets, and then the bathroom. The bathroom featured double sinks, a soaking tub, a walk-in shower, a toilet, and a bidet. Design-wise, this was probably the least impressive part of the room.
Toiletries were the Eau Imperiale collection from Guerlain, and the products felt high quality.
Wi-Fi in the room was fast and free, and housekeeping was offered twice a day and had great attention to detail (Four Seasons properties have some consistent housekeeping practices I appreciate, like placing cleaning cloths underneath glasses, for example)
Of course we lucked out and were grateful to have a suite. Beyond that, I loved the general design of the room — it was immaculately maintained, and had a lighter color palette than some other historic hotels, which made it feel a bit cheerier and brighter.
Four Seasons Paris restaurants & bars
If you love great food and ambiance, the Four Seasons George V is an unbeatable property. To give you an overview of the food & beverage outlets at the hotel:
- There’s Le Cinq, the Four Seasons’ three Michelin-starred restaurant, which is open for dinner
- There’s Le George, the Four Seasons’ one Michelin-starred restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner
- There’s L’Orangerie, the Four Seasons’ one Michelin-starred restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner
- There’s Le Bar, the Four Seasons’ bar, which is open in the evenings
- There’s La Galerie, the hotel’s all day dining lounge, open for everything from breakfast, to lunch, to afternoon tea, to dinner
The outlets at the hotel are not only all individually top quality, but they all complement one another beautifully. If you’re into high-end dining, you could absolutely spend two days at this hotel having nothing but amazing meals (of course you’d also ideally want to leave the hotel, but rather I’m simply saying that this hotel has really great restaurants).
I don’t think there’s another hotel in Paris with three different Michelin-starred restaurants. For that matter, several top Paris hotels don’t have any Michelin-starred restaurants. For example, Plaza Athenee recently lost its Alain Ducasse Michelin-starred restaurant.
Four Seasons Paris La Galerie (breakfast)
The Four Seasons Paris serves breakfast either at La Galerie from 7AM until 11AM, or it’s also available through in-room dining. If you book a Four Seasons Preferred Partner rate (which is the best way to book), then you have your choice of enjoying breakfast in the restaurant or via room service.
As I hinted at above, I appreciate that there’s a morning setup in the lobby with complimentary coffee, tea, juice, croissants, and granola bars. This is such a basic thing that still means so much to me when staying at a hotel — it shouldn’t be a fight to get your first cup of coffee, and that’s something Four Seasons consistently nails.
La Galerie is located just off the lobby and to the right, and it’s a gorgeous room that makes you feel like you’re in a different era. I think the pictures more or less speak for themselves.
We had breakfast in the restaurant two mornings, and you can find the La Galerie breakfast menu here. We had the “healthy breakfast,” which retails for 62 EUR (though again, breakfast is included if you book through Preferred Partner). To start this included coffee, a fresh detox juice, and a matcha latte. Yum, yum, and yum.
Then there was some gluten-free bread, served with peanut butter and a chocolate spread (I’ll just trust the Four Seasons on this and believe that the chocolate spread is healthy). 😉
Next up was a delicious avocado toast, again on gluten-free toast.
Then there was a tasty acai bowl.
Four Seasons Paris room service (breakfast)
We also had room service breakfast two days at the Four Seasons (you can find the in-room dining menu here). One morning Ford had the American breakfast, while I had the healthy breakfast (this time with an egg white omelet rather than avocado toast), and the other day we both had the same healthy breakfast we had in the restaurant.
Four Seasons Paris Le Bar (drinks)
Le Bar is the Four Seasons’ signature bar, and it’s located next to La Galerie, not far from reception. The bar is intimate, but tables are still nicely spaced out.
There’s also a piano next to the bar, and for much of the evenings there’s live music, which is a nice touch.
You can find the drink list for Le Bar here. Much like at the Ritz, cocktails are in the range of 30-32 EUR, so you’re definitely paying for the scene and ambiance (as you’d expect). On the plus side, the cocktails were excellent, and came with olives and almonds.
While Le Bar has a nice mix of hotel guests and outside guests, I appreciated that some tables were always held back for hotel guests. We visited the bar a few times, and as soon as we informed them we were hotel guests a table was immediately available.
This was true across outlets at George V, which is in contrast to the Ritz Paris, where it felt like there was no priority service for hotel guests.
Four Seasons Paris Le George (lunch)
Le George is one of the Four Seasons’ one Michelin-starred restaurants, serving modern Mediterranean cuisine from Chef Simone Zanoni (who has quite a following, by the way). The restaurant is all about local sourcing and sustainability. I feel like every restaurant says that, except here:
- The restaurant has its own garden in Versailles, where a vast majority of the vegetables come from, so that’s kind of cool
- The restaurant encourages guests to drink complimentary still or sparkling water from a purification system in the kitchen; I feel like virtually every fancy restaurant tries to profit off selling bottled waters, so kudos
We had lunch at Le George one day. The restaurant was bustling, with a nice mix of business people and leisure visitors celebrating special occasions.
You can find the Le George menu here. We had an incredible testing menu here, which started with a delicious pumpkin soup.
That was followed a red tuna crudo, as well as a tuna crispy rice dish, both of which were mouthwateringly delicious.
Next up was a ravioli dish, which we loved.
Then there was a roasted sole with basil and vinegar sauce, served with vegetables on the side.
We were also offered a selection of desserts, including a tarte tatin, panna cotta, and shades of hazelnuts.
I couldn’t put into words how delicious (or filling!) our lunch was. I have to be honest, I’m not someone who has historically sought out Michelin-starred restaurants, since I’ve often felt like the food has been overly fancy and not terribly approachable. This experience changed my mind about that.
Four Seasons Paris L’Orangerie (dinner)
In our quest to check out everything this hotel has to offer, we decided to have dinner one night at L’Orangerie, the Four Seasons’ one Michelin-starred restaurant that has an emphasis on plants and fish. The restaurant has just 17 seats, and it’s basically the glassed in area of the La Galerie lounge setup.
L’Orangerie exclusively has tasting menus in the evenings, and you can choose between a five or seven course tasting menu. You can find the L’Orangerie menu here. We decided to do the seven course tasting menu (165 EUR per person), because why not — you only live once, and it was a special trip.
Service began with some canapés (which were artfully presented), bread with seaweed butter, and an amuse bouche.
The first course consisted of fresh herbs tartare with goji berries.
The next course consisted of a smoked salad of braised onions with tarragon.
Next up were salt crusted bay prawns garnished with a bouquet of Oscietre caviar. This was plated tableside, and it was a pretty cool presentation.
The first of the two mains was sea bream with cucumber tapioca and a spicy juice.
The second main was turbot with broth.
Those five dishes wrapped up the appetizers and mains, so at that point there was a palate cleanser.
The first dessert consisted of lemon and sheep milk kefir, with a salty shell.
Then there was a pumpkin and passion fruit gavotte with a cinnamon perfume.
And as if that wasn’t enough, there were a couple more small desserts on the house.
Four Seasons Paris Le Cinq (dinner)
We decided to celebrate Ford’s 30th birthday by having dinner at Le Cinq, the Four Seasons’ three Michelin-starred restaurants. We’ve never knowingly sought out Michelin-starred restaurants, but after two amazing meals at one Michelin-starred restaurants, we couldn’t help but want to try a three Michelin-starred restaurant. How on earth could this be more over-the-top than the other restaurants?!?
Le Cinq is just open for dinner, and it’s located behind La Galerie.
The restaurant is in what’s probably one of the most elegant rooms I’ve ever seen. The below picture was taken in the morning, while in the evening it was set up even more exquisitely, with each table having candles and flower petals.
You can find the Le Cinq dinner menu here. As you can tell, it makes the other restaurants look like a bargain by comparison. Like I said, it was a special occasion, and if we were going to do it, we figured we should just fully lean into it and ignore the prices. So that’s what we did.
Before we even talk about the food, I just have to say how much we enjoyed this whole dining experience. Dining at a restaurant of this level is almost like dinner and a show, because the precision, passion, and attentiveness that goes into this is next level. I was worried that the servers might be snooty or that we might feel out of place, but everyone working here made us feel so welcome, and was genuinely professional, confident, and hilarious.
The amount of effort that went into this meal just made it all the more enjoyable. While meals are expensive, this really is an experience. We were at our table for over four hours, and we didn’t even do the tasting menu.
Our meal started with an amuse bouche. We each ordered a glass of champagne, and were brought some tasty snacks to go along with it.
We were also offered a selection of bread.
And then there was another amuse bouche, just for good measure.
Getting to the part of the meal that we actually ordered, we started with gratinated onions and the wild porcini mushrooms roasted with thyme. They were happy to split the appetizers in two, so we could share them while getting two separate plates.
For the main course, I had the blue lobster roasted with salted butter and avocado crepes, while Ford had the ham, truffle, and spaghetti gratineur.
Next up was a cheese course, served off a trolley.
Then for dessert we ordered the crunchy grapefruit, which was once again split in half so we could share it.
We were then served a variety of petit fours.
Then a cart was brought to our table with all kinds of truffles and other sweets, and we could select whichever we wanted. We were pretty stuffed at this point, so just had a couple of the things that our server recommended.
At the conclusion of our meal we were given to-go bags, with croissants and boxes of chocolates.
What a memorable experience. While the food was very good (both in terms of taste and presentation), what really set the experience apart was the service. Going to a restaurant like this is almost like attending a four hour performance, and we enjoyed every minute of it.
Four Seasons Paris spa, gym, and pool
The Four Seasons Paris has a spa on the basement level, which is quite impressive. While I didn’t get any spa treatments, I did use the gym and pool.
The gym can be accessed by guests 24/7, and is around 1,000 square feet. It had modern equipment, for both cardio and weights.
The 55-foot pool was open daily from 6:30AM until 10PM, and is a beautiful space. I don’t think there’s a city in the world with as many impressive indoor hotel pools as Paris. There was plenty of seating around the pool as well.
In addition to the pool, there was also a whirlpool with warmer water, as well as steam rooms and hammams.
Four Seasons Paris service
Service at the Four Seasons was phenomenal across the board:
- Every employee we interacted with was genuinely friendly and eager to please
- The hotel did a great job delivering on expectations — whenever we called with requests they were promptly taken care of, when we were told room service would arrive within 30 minutes, it did in fact arrive within 30 minutes, etc.
- The concierges at the Four Seasons are excellent, and can seemingly get you a table just about anywhere, which we took advantage of
- Even though the hotel gets a lot of outside traffic due to the restaurants, I appreciated that the hotel prioritized guests for seating
- Service in all three of the Michelin-starred restaurants was next-level amazing, but I guess that’s to be expected at restaurants of that caliber
Bottom line
The Four Seasons Paris George V lives up to its reputation. This is a phenomenal city hotel, with top notch facilities that combine old world charm with a bit of flair, all while offering the amenities you’d expect at a modern property.
Beyond the nice rooms, excellent service, and great gym and spa, food & drinks are really a focal point at this property. The hotel has three different Michelin-starred restaurants, and we had the chance to eat at all of them.
Of course I should mention that much like at the Ritz, you should expect everything here to cost you dearly. This hotel is quite a scene and it’s a destination for many, so expect it to be priced accordingly. On the plus side, the hotel did a great job prioritizing reservations and seating for hotel guests, so staying at the Four Seasons is also the best way to get a table at a restaurant or bar here.
What do you make of the Four Seasons George V? Have any OMAAT readers stayed there?
Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
Read Four Seasons reviews: Athens, Bogota Casa Medina, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Costa Rica Peninsula Papagayo, Denver, Desroches Island, Florence, Fort Lauderdale, Geneva, Hualalai, Kyoto, Lanai, Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Los Cabos, Madrid, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Maui, Megeve, Miami, Napa Valley, Naviva, Nevis, Oahu at Ko Olina, Paris, Punta Mita, San Francisco at Embarcadero, Scottsdale, Seychelles, and Surfside
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Learn about Four Seasons basics: Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Four Seasons Private Retreats, Four Seasons Yachts, Four Seasons Private Jet, Four Seasons travel agents, Four Seasons loyalty program, and maximizing value at Four Seasons
Welcome to fine dining, Ben! I have seen articles on some dining experiences here and there but never on time dining. My wife and I are food lovers and are thankful to be able to fly across the world just to dine at our favourite restaurant. One of our annual challenges is to see just how many 3 Michelin starred restaurants can we cover on every year’s guide. We reached the 100 millstone on October...
Welcome to fine dining, Ben! I have seen articles on some dining experiences here and there but never on time dining. My wife and I are food lovers and are thankful to be able to fly across the world just to dine at our favourite restaurant. One of our annual challenges is to see just how many 3 Michelin starred restaurants can we cover on every year’s guide. We reached the 100 millstone on October 24th and are on our way to Japan, with restrictions easing now. Le Cinq is great even though it did not make it onto our list of bucket list of dining experiences around the world. It is important to note that equally good restaurants exist where Michelin have not yet rated. Local bodies and/or countries pay a good sum to invite Michelin to rate restaurants in their countries.
Second line meant to read: “I have seen articles on some dining experiences here and there on your blog, but never on fine dining.”
Going to a large number of these places doesn’t mean one appreciates them, or is qualified to critique them
Great review of one of Paris' great hotels.
Appreciate aspirational reviews of these iconic non-points hotels like Claridge's, as you get a sense of whether they are worth the extra expense over the likes of the Park Hyatt Vendome.
Good for you guys, lean in to it and embrace the occasion, it's so special, I like that. I'll take your lead since I tend to fixate on things that shouldn't matter. when I look at these photos I realize how skilled and talented the many individuals are that have collectively created these moments; food and beverage, interiors, florals...so much breathtaking beauty all in one place. Looks like a unified experience that is beyond impressive. hope to visit someday.
Stayed at the George V twice but only for a day each time as we were off to other parts of France. Did get to Le Cinq it reminds me of Louis XV in Monaco. And I have sooo many pictures of the lobby flower displays,,gorgeous.
A cheaper alternative to the Four Seasons George V is within walking distance: Marriott's Luxury Collection-flagged Prince de Galles. This is a ridiculously expensive neighborhood that is too fake and too expat-oriented for me. I prefer the Renaissance Republique because the neighborhood is real. Another option is the independent Hôtel Le Presbytère. It's a 3-starred property but the location is great if you want to walk to everything in Paris.
If you like authentic, check out Barbes, Saint Denis, the 93…or is that too ‘authentic’ for you?
Good report and as opposed to others, I do like reviews of awesome non-points hotels as well.
Regarding the design of the hotel, somehow it does not wow me that much - at least the room for example. Maybe it's because I'm European myself and growing up here basically every museum or coffee shop looks similar to this, but to me this often just looks sort of "old" or "dated". But I guess that is...
Good report and as opposed to others, I do like reviews of awesome non-points hotels as well.
Regarding the design of the hotel, somehow it does not wow me that much - at least the room for example. Maybe it's because I'm European myself and growing up here basically every museum or coffee shop looks similar to this, but to me this often just looks sort of "old" or "dated". But I guess that is really just a personal opinion.
As for the food, while I can appreciate that part of it is the experience, I think if I ever paid so much for food and then got such pretentiously tiny sized portions, I'd be pretty pissed off. I get that at least the first lunches were tasting menus, but probably the "regular" portions will be similarly sized?
The gratuitous pictures of food taken in an upscale eatery is a very typical American thing to do. It's declasse, quite frankly.
As mom would say, couth up.
While I realize your business is reviews, there's a time and place for everything. You do not spend a meal like that setting up pictures of each of your plates.
I can guarantee the French staff was appalled.
Oh shussh. Grow up. Times change and if the staff was appalled, they are no smarter than you.
And I can guarantee that we Americans are appalled by your cynical and culturally judgmental opinion. I think you’re the person who should be embarrassed.
And I’m sure the FS staff are much classier than you and made no judgement.
This is hilarious. Person reading free online review of a hotel and restaurant is angry that the reviewer took photos during his review.
Though props for using "decalsse" as that's a good word.
Wow. Such a detailed report. The fancy food literally doesn't do it for me. I have had A LOT of French food though from actual housewives. I wanted to go inside the George V when I was there once, but Xi Jinping was staying so the street was blocked off and the city on high alert. We stayed at the super close Radisson Blu on points and the breakfast there was AMAZING.
Brilliant!
I can’t usually stay at such properties unless on business/expense account, and I haven’t had any of those trips for a long while because of COVID.
Thanks for the inspiration!!!!!!
After reading your amazing detailed review I feel like I was there for a moment… it was wonderful..thank you!
Did you actually take all those photos in a 3* Michelin restaurant?? How rude American and/or bulldozering German! No consideration for the other guests, who came for the food. Sigh!
You’re just completely silly. I have other words that describe your response …but I won’t waste them on you. Get a life.
I can almost guarantee that these photos were taken discretely on a phone, sans flash.
In which case, there is zero effect on other diner’s experiences.
Also, how weird to categorize this as “rude American / German” behavior. The Asian side of my family would like to have a word with you lol.
Glad you enjoyed your meal at Le Cinq. Jay Rayner reviewed it a few years ago causing huge controversy.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/09/le-cinq-paris-restaurant-review-jay-rayner
Glad you reviewed this hotel at last. The Peninsula is also amazing if you’re ever doing ultra-luxe Paris again, and I’ve heard very good things about La Reserve.
IMO the Park Hyatt (dated brown decor, so-so service, breakfast buffet not proper service) and the Shangri-La are both in a significantly lower league than the George V, Peninsula and Crillon - despite also having “palace”’status. Agree Ritz
is a bit of a tourist trap and no in-room Nespresso bugs me out.
The Shangri-La is a better location if you care about views and also has a fantastic indoor pool/spa offering. Its Eiffel Tower views are better than this FS, but depends what your preferences are of course.
Enjoyed your reviews of the Ritz and the Four Seasons.
Next time, try Le Bristol located on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Having stayed there several times, I have found it to be exemplary.
Great review. Thank you Ben.
So, putting price aside, which of the restaurants impressed you to the most, and not putting money aside, which one do you feel had the best value for what you paid, despite the high prices for all?
@ Aaron -- Interesting question. Usually I'd be able to identify a clear winner based on my preferences, though I'm struggling here. I'd say that I enjoyed the food at Le George the most, I enjoyed the overall experience and "performance" at Le Cinq the most, and I thought L'Orangerie was the best value for the tasting menu, especially given that the restaurant only has 17 seats.
Amazing! What a trip
While I was quite unimpressed by the Ritz, I do feel differently here. To quote the Mandalorian: „This is the way“. I guess I have a new life goal :)
Gaudy, but thankfully less gaudy than the Ritz. Having said that, I’m sure pics don’t convey how nice it really is in person. Just back from Four Seasons Mexico City, perfect balance of traditional Mexico and classic luxury. Four Seasons just does it right, most of the time.
This was indeed one of your best reviews. I have stayed there twice as a whim and it's very much as you describe. A truly wonderful experience. It's probably the singular finest FS property in the world, certainly so in comparison to the many others I have experienced. I'm curious, did you get upgraded to the suite? If so, wow, pure luck. I am a FS Elite and on both occasions was told very politely...
This was indeed one of your best reviews. I have stayed there twice as a whim and it's very much as you describe. A truly wonderful experience. It's probably the singular finest FS property in the world, certainly so in comparison to the many others I have experienced. I'm curious, did you get upgraded to the suite? If so, wow, pure luck. I am a FS Elite and on both occasions was told very politely and with apologies that suites are so heavily booked there that it will be rare to ever get an upgrade. Though the standard rooms are perfectly wonderful as well.
@ Stuart -- Yes, we did get upgraded to a suite. The hotel was full while we stayed there, so I guess we lucked out with what rooms were available.
Thank you for this review Ben. I visited the hotel bar just for one 30 euro drink 15 years ago when I was visiting on a solo trip to Paris and had an amazing evening which is indelibly imprinted in my memory. Loved reading your review of the rest of the hotel. Great detail and a tremendous entertaining resource which I haven't found on other travel blogs. People who complain about not being able to...
Thank you for this review Ben. I visited the hotel bar just for one 30 euro drink 15 years ago when I was visiting on a solo trip to Paris and had an amazing evening which is indelibly imprinted in my memory. Loved reading your review of the rest of the hotel. Great detail and a tremendous entertaining resource which I haven't found on other travel blogs. People who complain about not being able to use points should remember that chase, amex and thank you points can all be used to pay for hotels on the affiiliated travel agencies of those issuers albeit for perhaps not as great value as transfer partners.
I'm here for this!!!
Cheval Blanc is more up my alley in terms of decor, but it seems like FS George V is the better one to stay at. Looking forward to the next installment and beyond. The world is finally starting to get back to normal!
While I appreciate these reviews, one of the things that OMAAT had over all other blogs is that they didn't accept freebies, whether it's through your spouse or not. I feel that is recently starting to crack and it is more difficult to trust the review.
Having accepted discounts/freebies myself, it definitely allows me to let slip certain problems even if subconsciously.
Hotel looks great other than the bathroom, which could have been out of a holiday inn.
"bathroom which could have been out of a holiday inn."
Omar you must seek help, drug addiction is terrible but it can be overcome.
Please also refrain from commenting until your mental capacity has been restored.
All the best.
This was probably one of the best reviews that I have read in a long time. Unfortunately, I do not agree with everything in reference to the rooms. I had been staying at the George V for many years, and it seems that the things that are visible to everyone is immaculate, the rooms have gotten tired. The room you showed looked like one of the last rooms I had. I found the lighting in...
This was probably one of the best reviews that I have read in a long time. Unfortunately, I do not agree with everything in reference to the rooms. I had been staying at the George V for many years, and it seems that the things that are visible to everyone is immaculate, the rooms have gotten tired. The room you showed looked like one of the last rooms I had. I found the lighting in the room horrendous. Besides the complications of pushing buttons to achieve what you want, the room is dark. Especially the bathrooms where it is nice to have bright light. If 2 people are sharing the room and you are even watching the same TV station, you have to turn the sound off of one since both are not in synch. I also do not like having to walk thru a restaurant area to get to the room elevator. My last visit to Paris, I stayed at the Peninsula which I think was far above the George V, though the location in my opinion was not as good. I personally prefer smaller hotels without all of the crowds and activity, and look forward to my next stay at Cheval Blanc. Hopefully I will not be disappointed.
The Peninsula is very special - totally flawless rooms and service, blending a traditional feel with more modern design and tech, but not as ‘iconic’ overall and on site restaurants not as good
Hook me up with a free suite please! This was a great read. Merci.
Been following your blog for over 10 years now and have read just about every review! So glad you've ventured into Michelin dining! Have similar experience with your travels in the past ~ 10 years, and now appreciate every trip and every meal so much more.
Wow, what a life you live! Here I am, after barely traveling the last two years, looking forward to using a Hyatt award night in Sacramento en route to driving to the in-laws for Thanksgiving.
Definitely loving these "hotel porn" reviews. The prices here are absolutely insane and shouldn't even be legal lol, but it's awesome. And I agree with others, somehow this looks 10x nicer than the Ritz.
If you ever have a trip booked here and can't go last second, you know how to reach me...
Oh, Ben, Ben. Welcome to Michelin-star dining! Now you're hooked for life.
I was just a few years younger than you (if you're around Ford's age) when my wife and I enjoyed our first meal on that level. Aside from the astoundingly good food, I remember patting my jacket pocket in search of a pen to jot down some notes on what I was eating and drinking, and a pen just magically appeared in front...
Oh, Ben, Ben. Welcome to Michelin-star dining! Now you're hooked for life.
I was just a few years younger than you (if you're around Ford's age) when my wife and I enjoyed our first meal on that level. Aside from the astoundingly good food, I remember patting my jacket pocket in search of a pen to jot down some notes on what I was eating and drinking, and a pen just magically appeared in front of me, followed seconds later by a small pad of paper. The waitstaff were THAT attentive.
Since then, every special occasion has been an excuse to repeat the experience. One of the most memorable was De Librije in the Netherlands, which also has 3 Michelin stars. Just as you wrote, the staff were the farthest thing from snooty. They were so friendly and enthusiastic about the food. Food service at this level is truly an art form, and they know it.
Very nice and detailed review. Ben, could you comment on the dress code generally, and maybe for the restaurants? Thanks, and looking forward to the next hotel review.
Ben, epic review, really like how you could paint a picture between the Ritz and the 4S. Both great reviews and seems to me like its worth it to splurge on the four seasons.
Question on the language, i speak english and spanish and i know zero french, did you notice one of the hotels or both being good at accommodating English or was service at either limited due to the language if applicable?
@ Steve -- Virtually all employees we interacted with spoke perfect English. We also don't speak any French, and had no issues at either hotel (or at Cheval Blanc, for that matter).
Ben,
I trust you and Ford are not part of the "jacket and tie" crowd, so I'm wondering if there was some sort of dress code in the hotels and restaurants you visited in Paris?
@ Gregg -- Funny enough, for the first time ever we decided to bring a suit for a vacation, and we wore that at Le Cinq. Otherwise we just wore khakis or jeans and button downs or collared shirts. There didn't seem to be any major dress codes in place, though it's Paris, so many people definitely dressed up. People definitely dress more fashionably here than at your average luxury hotel in the United States, that's for sure.
Very enjoyable review! I doubt I will ever be able to spend that much $ on a hotel room. But I once walked into the George V lobby to use the bathroom LOL
$49USD for one drink. Jesus. Great review
Excellent hotel reviews and gorgeous photos. (Better than the hotel websites!) As a long-time fan of the Ritz, I do wonder if you might have departed with a more positive impression had you stayed more than just one night. Such a brief stay might have contributed to staff members failing to distinguish you from non-guests dropping in for a drink or a meal.
Glad you’re back. The first time I stayed at the George V was almost 20 years ago. It was the first truly fancy hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I was in my early 20’s and was blown away- it was simply another planet good. I went back a few years later and it still lived up to its reputation. The staff, the food, the rooms and the feel are all beyond what the photographs capture.
Glad you’re back. The first time I stayed at the George V was almost 20 years ago. It was the first truly fancy hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I was in my early 20’s and was blown away- it was simply another planet good. I went back a few years later and it still lived up to its reputation. The staff, the food, the rooms and the feel are all beyond what the photographs capture.
I ate al Le Cinq And got an incredible tour of their wine cellar. No requests seemed absurd.
I had corporate rates back in those days now for a nice room it’s €2000 a night. I never thought I’d say it but it’s worth it.
Don't even need to see the review. The Four Seasons is my preferred hotel chain for business and leisure travel when staying in European cities or in North America. Whilst not amongst the best when compared to smaller ultra-luxurious hotel brands or independent boutique hotels, it is certainly the best and most consistent amongst the major European and North American hotel chains. I love the dedicated concierge service that is provided since I stay most...
Don't even need to see the review. The Four Seasons is my preferred hotel chain for business and leisure travel when staying in European cities or in North America. Whilst not amongst the best when compared to smaller ultra-luxurious hotel brands or independent boutique hotels, it is certainly the best and most consistent amongst the major European and North American hotel chains. I love the dedicated concierge service that is provided since I stay most frequently at Four Seasons properties in Europe. The attention to detail is fantastic. The bedding is exquisite and always results in a fantastic night's rest! Having stayed at all three hotels which you are reviewing on this trip, this would be my recommendation alongside La Reserve.
Great review, seems like the exceptional level of service here vs the Ritz makes this the better "value" if one is allowed to call either of these hotels value haha.
Ben, you are back! The reviews on your Paris trip are simply fantastic! Great detail, great pictures, great perspective.
Probably the best review on OMAAT, great detail, especially the restaurants.
I’m a big fan of Four Seasons and been to many around the world as service level is consistently good and interior is usually at a certainly level of standard. With that said, that sink in the powder has got to go.
I enjoyed this review very much but couldn’t help but think that this review is somewhat tinted by freebie four night stays and not only that, but also at a much grander...
I’m a big fan of Four Seasons and been to many around the world as service level is consistently good and interior is usually at a certainly level of standard. With that said, that sink in the powder has got to go.
I enjoyed this review very much but couldn’t help but think that this review is somewhat tinted by freebie four night stays and not only that, but also at a much grander room compare to the one at Ritz. When one stays at a 3k euro room, one can’t help but feel grander and happier than say at a much smaller 1200 euro room. I’ve done both and I know how I feel about my stays at various hotels are always colored by the room category I’m in. When I get upgraded into a grand suite for one reason or the other, I automatically feel much better about the property. I suspect you would had feel much better about your stay at the Ritz had you stayed in a comparable room category and it was free!
Back to the food porn pics. There are many great restaurants around the world with tasty food and impeccable service. Hopefully this gastronomy experience has opened you up to many more restaurants around the world that you can review along with points, hotels, and credit cards. The cheapest place to eat at this level of food is in Cape Town and the wine country an hour outside of Cape Town. Next time you and Ford drop by that part of the world, don’t forget to go. Tasting menu costs around $100-120 usd.
Finally you become a foodie ☺️
AA first class catering schould inspires from those meals haha
Ben, a 10/10 review. Spectacular!
Did you feel in the 244 room FSGV you were somewhat “lost in the shuffle” in such a large hotel compared to the 72 room Cheval Blanc Paris?
Thank you.
@ Bob -- Thanks so much for the kind words! Speaking of the number of rooms, I actually couldn't believe that the hotel has 50%+ more rooms than the Ritz, because you'd never know it based on how intimate and personalized the property feels.
Cheval Blanc definitely felt more boutique, as it's way smaller (less than a third of the number of rooms, as you mention). As you'll see in the next installment, though, that...
@ Bob -- Thanks so much for the kind words! Speaking of the number of rooms, I actually couldn't believe that the hotel has 50%+ more rooms than the Ritz, because you'd never know it based on how intimate and personalized the property feels.
Cheval Blanc definitely felt more boutique, as it's way smaller (less than a third of the number of rooms, as you mention). As you'll see in the next installment, though, that doesn't necessarily guarantee great service.
One thing that has consistently impressed me about Four Seasons properties around the world is how they perfect the art of service, whether it's a 100 room hotel, or a 350+ room hotel. I don't know how Four Seasons pulls it off, but the brand does...
Thank you! I look forward to your Cheval Blanc Paris review.
Are you able to get a table at Le Cinq by being a hotel guest or is there no preference given?
@ Pete -- I feel like preference was given across the board for hotel guests at the restaurants. We secured all of our reservations pretty last minute, including for a Friday and Saturday. The restaurants all ended up being booked out.
Had one martini at the bar there...50euros...and that was in 2003!! Luckily it was on the company expense report.
Serious question: do people prefer to eat at restaurants within the hotel or outside hotels when in a city? For me, I appreciate a good hotel bar but find even high-end restaurants to have certain package tour quality. Getting out of a hotel for meals is almost always preferable. In terms of Four Seasons, they lost me with Kind bars with morning coffee. It seems lovely but unnecessarily corporate and more than a little sterile....
Serious question: do people prefer to eat at restaurants within the hotel or outside hotels when in a city? For me, I appreciate a good hotel bar but find even high-end restaurants to have certain package tour quality. Getting out of a hotel for meals is almost always preferable. In terms of Four Seasons, they lost me with Kind bars with morning coffee. It seems lovely but unnecessarily corporate and more than a little sterile. Kinda like a Hilton resort with better furniture. Of two reviews, I'm firmly on Team Ritz.
@ miamiorbust -- I was thinking about this as well. Totally agree on the value of great hotel bars, but personally I like a mix of good hotel restaurants and non-hotel restaurants. Of course you don't want to enjoy all your meals within the hotel -- that would be a shame. However, if the restaurant is actually excellent on its own merit and you're not compromising quality, there's something oh-so-nice about just being 30 seconds...
@ miamiorbust -- I was thinking about this as well. Totally agree on the value of great hotel bars, but personally I like a mix of good hotel restaurants and non-hotel restaurants. Of course you don't want to enjoy all your meals within the hotel -- that would be a shame. However, if the restaurant is actually excellent on its own merit and you're not compromising quality, there's something oh-so-nice about just being 30 seconds from your dinner table to your room. At least that's my opinion.
I think the issue is that so many hotels have restaurants that aren't actually great, but rather people eat there because they're associated with a hotel. In the case of George V, the restaurants were mostly filled with non-hotel guests, and didn't at all have that package tour quality you may experience elsewhere. After all, those restaurants had to earn Michelin stars on their own merit.
As a general rule, hotel restaurants in North America suck; those in Europe are often great!
As a business traveler, there are a lot of times when you’re exhausted from work and/or jet lag and you just want a good meal, but you’re just not up for going out. The same with being on vacation - you’ve been out sightseeing and you’re jet lagged and you just want to stay at the hotel and relax.
Also, if we’ve been some place before, we like to have a “chill” day. Get...
As a business traveler, there are a lot of times when you’re exhausted from work and/or jet lag and you just want a good meal, but you’re just not up for going out. The same with being on vacation - you’ve been out sightseeing and you’re jet lagged and you just want to stay at the hotel and relax.
Also, if we’ve been some place before, we like to have a “chill” day. Get up late, have breakfast, hit the gym and pool, lunch, get a spa service and then have a nice relaxing dinner at the hotel. Get a goodnight sleep and be fresh and ready for a busy day.
Very nice review and the place, while I would never stop throwing up if this was how someone decorated their house somehow works in an old historic hotel.
The food looks amazing and with the exception of Le Cinq, the pricing is VERY reasonable considering it's in one of the most expensive hotels in Paris. Comparable meals here in LA would cost much more especially once you factor in tip and tax.
Ben- I didn't read the whole review, but I think you left off my fav part of this hotel. The only steam room I've been in with music! To be specific, they have a family steam room, men's steam room and female steam room.
I had high expectations before staying and somehow, it exceeded those expectations!
Dairy Iced Yeast Flavour for EUR 45 — Girl!
If you had to generalize the cost of the entire stay, at the preferred Four Seasons rate, including food/beverages?
@ David alan Kimmey -- I'm happy to share what we ended up paying for our four nights. Our accommodation and breakfast were covered, though the rate for our nights would have been around 1,200 EUR for a standard room, or around 3,000 EUR for the suite we were upgraded to. As you can see, we had some great meals on property, and also went to the bar on an almost nightly basis. Our bill...
@ David alan Kimmey -- I'm happy to share what we ended up paying for our four nights. Our accommodation and breakfast were covered, though the rate for our nights would have been around 1,200 EUR for a standard room, or around 3,000 EUR for the suite we were upgraded to. As you can see, we had some great meals on property, and also went to the bar on an almost nightly basis. Our bill came out to around 2,200 EUR. So hopefully that gives you an idea of the incidental costs if you're really going all out with enjoying the food & beverage outlets.
The 2200 EUR included even the meal at Le Cinq? Wow I would have imagined just that meal alone being 1k for 2 people.
@ Luke -- Indeed. The meal at Le Cinq ended up coming out to around 750 EUR.
You will pay 800 euros per person at L'Arpège, a restaurant not inside an hotel.
So 750 euros is quite fair.
Thanks for this review.
I am so excited too to read your "La Samaritaine" hotel review.
(I cannot say white horse: it is like the opérette "A l'auberge du cheval blanc" for me)
This is one of the best reviews ever on OMAAT! I've had an eye on this hotel ever since I was a kid and saw British secret service agent John Steed stay here on The New Avengers, a successor series to The Avengers (not to be confused with the comic book The Avengers). If I stay here, I don't have to take so many photos but act like a big shot and simply enjoy. Prince...
This is one of the best reviews ever on OMAAT! I've had an eye on this hotel ever since I was a kid and saw British secret service agent John Steed stay here on The New Avengers, a successor series to The Avengers (not to be confused with the comic book The Avengers). If I stay here, I don't have to take so many photos but act like a big shot and simply enjoy. Prince Charles once said that he doesn't have to take photos because there's always the royal photographer to take photos for him. Some self taken photos are nice, though.
The episode was K is for Kill, Part 1 and Part 2.
Just wow. When you come from Holiday Inn’s , Ibis and Motel One then this is another planet. You are lucky you can live this lifestyle. Not for the average Joe
wow, i like this hotel much more than i thought it would. Although i am not a fan of this style hotel, i like it it far more than the Ritz you reviewed yesterday. the food looks fantastic. you two must have put on a few pounds here though! great review, ben. looking forward to the next ones.
oh, and ben, flowers have petals, not pedals. :-)
@ ben senise -- Whoops, fixed. And happy you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words.
Great review, the hotel looks simply fabulous.
Ben, what type of crowd was staying there? Were you guys the youngest by a couple of decades, or is it a mixed crowd?
@ CSR 2.0 -- Thanks! The crowd was more mixed than I was expecting, to be honest. Historically the hotel has a reputation for having mostly Americans and Middle Eastern guests. There were indeed a good number of Americans, though I truly felt like there were guests from all over the world, including plenty of Europeans (Germans, Brits, etc.). And then there were also at least two obvious A-list celebrities (I don't usually care about...
@ CSR 2.0 -- Thanks! The crowd was more mixed than I was expecting, to be honest. Historically the hotel has a reputation for having mostly Americans and Middle Eastern guests. There were indeed a good number of Americans, though I truly felt like there were guests from all over the world, including plenty of Europeans (Germans, Brits, etc.). And then there were also at least two obvious A-list celebrities (I don't usually care about that or recognize them, but in some cases it's hard to miss).
The age of guests was all over the place as well. We were probably the youngest (well, youngest non-children of other guests), but there were otherwise guests probably starting in their mid-30s and up.
Great review Ben! But who were the celebrities?
Fantastic review! That looks so much better than the Ritz, somehow. And incredible that you got to stay there for free, too.
Thanks for posting the food pics btw, a little food porn along with the hotel porn :) . Interestingly we just came back from Greece where we spent a night at Four Seasons Astir Palace (thanks to your recent review!), we did the tasting menu at Pelagos and they use some of...
Fantastic review! That looks so much better than the Ritz, somehow. And incredible that you got to stay there for free, too.
Thanks for posting the food pics btw, a little food porn along with the hotel porn :) . Interestingly we just came back from Greece where we spent a night at Four Seasons Astir Palace (thanks to your recent review!), we did the tasting menu at Pelagos and they use some of the same plates :).
Somehow many people feel insecure going into a Michelin starred restaurant (especially 3 stars), and assume that service will be snotty etc, but it's almost never the case. Service plays a huge part in getting those stars so it needs to be approachable; it often makes the experience as memorable as the food.
I've dined at a # of 3 star Michelin restaurants... and it's usually not cheap.
However, Le Cinq prices at US$150-200 for an entrée are insane.
They make other 3 star Michelins, such as Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (totally recommend it), look like a bargain.
That said, some restaurants charge prices like that simply as they can get away with it.
I was thinking the same thing! You can dine at Joel Robouchon in Las Vegas for about $200 USD for the tasting menu, and it also has 3 stars!
A la carte menus at Parisian 3 star restaurants are notoriously expensive.
Some don’t even offer a set / tasting option, like L’Ambroisie.
Ben, Great hotel 'porn'-level review. Thanks for all the detail! I'm a bit of a geek about minibar prices ..I'm wondering if you have a photo of the menu, or at least the baseline price of a Coke?
@ Chris -- Thanks! Great question. I went back and looked at all the pictures I took (I only post a small portion of them), and somehow I didn't take a picture of the minibar price list. However, I remember prices being very similar to Ritz minibar prices, which I think is also why I didn't take a picture (because at that point those prices didn't surprise me).