The Ritz Paris: Trip Report

Check-In:

Our check-in process began as we arrived at CDG from New York on a private transfer from the jetbridge, through customs and baggage, before being driven to the hotel (Perk of booking via Virtuoso!) Our plane arrived 45 minutes ahead of schedule at 6 a.m. Paris time, but someone was already waiting for us to exit the jet bridge. I’ve never had a major issue with busyness or crazy lines at CDG, so I wasn’t sure I’d see the value in this service, but we made it through the airport past customs in an unbelievable time. It was at such a breakneck pace that we had to wait about 15–20 minutes for our baggage to appear on the carousel.

We arrived at the hotel at roughly 7:15 a.m. Several staff members were waiting at the front of the hotel to welcome us by name, assist with our luggage, and escort us to the check-in desk. Check-in was friendly and quick, as I had already paid the room bill in advance, so all that was required was passport copies and a credit card for the hold. We were offered a property tour, but we declined as we were eager to get to our room after our overnight flight. Another pleasant surprise was a small complimentary breakfast waiting for us in our room upon our arrival. Obviously, arriving on a transatlantic overnight flight at 7 a.m. and being able to check in immediately was such a major benefit.

Welcome amenities

The Grand Jardin

Room:

We stayed in Room 429 in the Vendôme part of the building, which is part of the original Ritz Hotel from 1898. It’s a Grand Deluxe Room (the largest before suites come into play) with a Grand Jardin view that I had requested. Being a corner room, it had a nice curved balcony and also a nice view of the Palais Garnier, a little further off. We greatly enjoyed standing on the balcony together and looking out at the (mostly) empty garden throughout the day, or leaving the windows open to have some background music from Jardin and the sound of the fountain. We actually booked (and paid for) a standard Deluxe Room, and were upgraded to the Grand Deluxe room category when booking as a Virtuoso perk!

As people who like suites mostly for the novelty, we found this room pretty perfect for us and plan to request it specifically in the future. It was plenty spacious for two, well decorated, and very clean. One would think that, with all the molding and details in the room and on the furniture, dust would accumulate, but everything was spotless.

The bed and linens were excellent, and you could choose to have your sheets changed daily or every two days for sustainability. All of the linens at the hotel maintain the same peachy hue and tone throughout.

The bathroom was very nice—similar to the ones downstairs, if you’ve used those before on trips to hotel bars and restaurants. Dual vanities, separate enclosed toilet and shower rooms, and a very large/deep tub. All bath towels were very nice, 100% cotton, and always folded to prominently display their Ritz branding. To some, the swan faucets may seem somewhat gauche, but personally, I love them at the Ritz. Though they would be way too much basically at any other establishment.

Service:

Service throughout the hotel felt incredibly warm and friendly. Staff were always more than willing to talk with you about your experience at the hotel or to provide a tour of their area. Room service was always delivered in a friendly and personable manner—not the awkward silence present at some hotels while they gradually assemble your breakfast plating.

Requests via phone were always handled efficiently and promptly. Many times, things arrived quicker than I would have ever expected them to.

Housekeeping was excellent throughout. The room was always entirely spotless and refreshed throughout the day. Nothing was ever out of place upon our return—even for just a 1 or 2-hour trip outside the hotel.

Dining:

While dining at the Ritz is not generally known to reach the same highs as other top hotels, such as George V and Cheval Blanc, I still believe the program to be solid. Unfortunately, during our stay, both their new One Michelin Star restaurant, Espadon, and the Ritz Bar were closed—simply the perils of a stay in August.

Breakfast is available each day in either the formal dining room or via room service (both provided complimentary with our booking). We opted for room service each day as the spread was just so extensive and excellently presented, it was hard to pass up. If your booking includes breakfast, you can opt for the American Breakfast each morning, which includes a hot drink, choice of juice, pastry basket, cereal, yogurt or fruit salad, two eggs any way, and two sides. All of the breakfast options were truly excellent, with the French toast being quite possibly my favorite anywhere.

We did visit the Hemingway Bar, and while we enjoyed the experience, the drinks are certainly not inexpensive, and there can be quite a line of tourists waiting to get in. If you’re interested in a similar vibe without having to wait in a line, Harry’s New York Bar is just a block or two away and serves up a similar experience at a slightly lower price point.

American breakfast for two

The Ritz Club and Spa:

While neither myself nor my wife are spa treatment people, we did greatly enjoy the pool during our stay. The Ritz Club and Spa is on the lower level of the hotel and houses the spa treatment rooms, saunas, pool, hair salon, store, and pool bar.

The room itself is lovely for a pool room and of a very impressive size for a Parisian hotel - the largest of all the Palace hotels in the city. If you’re interested in a swim, I recommend the morning or the evening. The mid to late afternoon tended to fill up with families and children, while we were the only ones in the facility at other times.

Additionally, you can order food and drinks (alcoholic, and non-alcoholic) to be delivered to the pool at no additional charge. The Ritz also sells day passes to the Ritz Club and Spa if you’re interested in visiting without the additional formal stay.

All in all, it was an outstanding stay, and we would not hesitate to return. For me, the Ritz truly lived up to the hype and actually ended up far surpassing what my high expectations already were for the hotel. While I would like to get around to sampling many of the other great hotels in Paris, I can already tell it’s going to be hard to deviate from the Ritz when we next return.

The Ritz Club & Spa

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