To be honored as the
best hotel in the world, in whatever category, is a major accolade. The
Four Seasons George V in Paris has been voted by readers of the Zigat Guides as the Best Large Hotel in the World, and I'm not about to disagree. I haven't stayed in every large hotel in the world, but I've stayed in a few and dined in some others, and can safely say that the Four Seasons George V is the best hotel I've ever stayed in.
I might be biased, of course. When my girlfriend and I arrived to check into the
Four Seasons George V a few years ago, something strange happened. Our bags were whisked away at the reception desk, and a young lady led us to one side and into the elevator. We zoomed up to one of the top floors, and when the doors parted there were two people to greet us. We'd been upgraded, I was starting to see, and were led down a sumptuously-decorated corridor to our room. Or rather, our suite.
'We've put you in the
Honeymoon Suite,' the young lady said, and though we weren't on our honeymoon – we weren't even engaged – we were not about to argue. She gave us a tour, which involved walking about half a mile around the vast living room and bedroom, and then out onto one of the two balconies. I'd never seen a room like it. Two balconies, one on either side, and one of them with perfect views across Paris rooftops to the
Eiffel Tower.
'This is one of our best suites,' said the young woman. 'The only one that's better is the
Presidential Suite, over there.' We gazed across to the balcony of the Presidential Suite, which seemed to be empty. We had the rooftops to ourselves. We also had a half-bottle of wine, which we opened and sipped in the late afternoon Paris sunlight, looking at that unforgettable view of the Eiffel Tower.
Being upgraded like that is one of the occasional perks of the travel writer's life. They don't happen that often, believe me, but when they do, they're appreciated and enjoyed. We certainly intended to enjoy this one. We were only there one night, but we made the most of it. We didn't leave the room between checking in one afternoon, and checking out at one minute to noon the next morning. And by the time we checked out, we were engaged. Is the
Four Seasons George V the best hotel in the world? You bet!
