Top Hotels Four Seasons George V Review

Was recently at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris a few months ago and thought that I would share my impressions with everyone.

The Four Seasons George V is easily one of my favorite hotels in Paris. The lobby is almost always buzzing as you arrive, and you can't help but notice the floral sculptures that adorn it. And the check-in process could not be more welcoming. The staff makes you feel like someone of importance, even if you're really a nobody. The staff always appears genuinely happy to see you, and somehow they all seem to know your name.

There are the Guest Rooms and then there are the Suites. If you're able to plunk down €1,000+ or €2,000+ per night, you will really be living in the lap of luxury in one of their suites. As for me, a mere mortal, I can only afford the Standard or Deluxe rooms.

The standard Guest Rooms aren't quite as lavish as the photos on their website would would have you think. They really do some amazing lighting tricks with their official guest rooms photos. Realistically, you can expect your Deluxe or Superior Room to look more like this.

And, for a hotel that does an excellent job covering even the most minute details, I was a bit surprised to find traditional TVs and old-school VCRs instead of the newer options found at almost all top hotels these days.

For business travelers, the desks in the rooms are not really ideal. I found the desk and chair in my room to be too formal and clunky — not very conducive to desk work. Their newly renovated business center is a much better business environment.

However, the bathrooms in all of the guest rooms are truly fantastic, and look very much like they do on their website: Double vanities, lots of marble, completely separate rooms for toilets, plush robes, glass-enclosed showers and large separate baths stocked with Bulgari toiletries.

The bed was very comfortable, and the windows were impressively soundproof. You can easily swing them open and hear the roar of traffic on Avenue George V, but once they are latched shut you have absolute silence.

Each afternoon, a bottle of Evian was placed next to a hand crafted pair of desserts that varied from day to day. This service appears to be provided in lieu of the usual sweets at nightly turndown. Yet, I found them particularly refreshing after a full day of being out and about.

The food is rather exceptional overall. Le Cinq is exceptional and is really a must for those who aren't even guests of the hotel.

The room service is prompt and positively delicious — I'm sure I've never eaten a room service breakfast so perfectly prepared before. It was quite pricey for room service though. But, well worth it. Oddly, the cart it was delivered on had seen its day, and I'm pretty sure that our room service bill alone would have covered the cost for a replacement.

The private in-house spa is only available for hotel guests. I noticed the elevators have a special "Spa" button for calling an elevator down to the spa. It wouldn't be out of the question to think, or hope, that this button provides you with a private ride — say, if you happen to be in a bathrobe — but, it just seems to do the same thing as the down button. That's too bad because it seems like it wouldn't be that difficult to set that up.

Once you manage to arrive at the spa level you'll be welcomed into an underworld of divine and calming treatments and a top-notch gym equipped with preloaded iPods for borrowing. The lighting is appropriately dimmer down here. You feel relaxed just by being there. Beautiful corridors connect this small labyrinth together, and lead to a small indoor pool and hot tub that evokes the atmosphere of a secluded European palace (or at least it's basement). Take a seat in one of the few chaise lounges around the pool and within seconds a moist lemon-scented wash cloth is delivered to you along with a small bottle of Evian. The treatments are heavenly and they offer a wide range of options. Many of the general treatments are fairly priced. Afterwards, guests are ushered to a shared relaxation room with small beds covered in tulle canopies which provide a little privacy.

The locker rooms are roomy and stocked with all the amenities you'd think you might have forgotten in your hotel room. Each locker also has its own programmable safe for your belongings, in addition to a standard lock and key.

It's difficult to find too many flaws with the Four Seasons George V other than its rather steep prices. But I believe they do deliver relatively good value for that money. The service is noticeably a step up from your typical 5-star hotel and could not be more cordial. They went above and beyond to make me feel as welcome as could be. I definitely look forward to the next visit and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nearly flawless experience.