| 
by
Suzanne
Carmel  | | The
picture of loveliness -- the view from a junior suite balcony of the Hotel Cipriani
in Italy. |
Many
travelers from the United States seek out the familiar overseas, Americanized
aspects of a place - a normal reaction to being somewhere unfamiliar no matter
how well traveled you are. This is true even in Europe, where visitors can find
most everything they need to feel at ease. Travelers are perhaps most in need
of this familiarity when it comes to accommodations - a safe refuge to return
to after a day of exploration. Therefore, many American chains have set up shop
in European cities, yet the top European hotels offer something distinctive that
should not be skipped in favor of an Americanized version. The service in luxury
hotels in Europe feels different than their American counterparts though it's
difficult to identify why that is. While traveling through Europe this spring,
I asked two staff members at top hotels in Paris and Venice to weigh in on the
differences. The
Hotel Lancaster John
W. Petch is the director of sales and marketing for GLA International, which manages
The Hotel Lancaster and three other French hotels, along with one in the Caribbean.
The five-star Hotel Lancaster is centrally located off the Champs-Elysées
in the heart of the 8th arrondissement. It combines 19th century opulence with
a contemporary feel thanks to a renovation by its newest owner, Grace Leo-Andrieu.
The hotel is known for its discreet, efficient service and the warm staff that
handles every guest's request. Services include the basics one would expect at
a top hotel, plus extras such as a concierge, who will arrange any service or
activity imaginable, babysitting, a dog bed (for one guest with a dog per night),
tracking down lost items for guests, private underground parking and more. Guests
such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Noel Coward and Elizabeth Taylor have stayed
in the hotel along with more current celebrities, including Jeremy Irons, Debra
Winger and John Malkovich. Originally built in 1889 as a private home, the Hotel
Lancaster welcomes guests as though to a private house, albeit one with 60 elegantly
furnished rooms and suites.  | | A
luxurious bedroom in one of Hotel Lancaster's suites. |
The
tradition of gracious service is passed down from one staff member to another
as the staff changes and grows. The hotel has a very extensive guest history.
Staff knows which repeat guests prefer rooms facing a certain direction, or on
a certain floor; that some refuse to be in certain rooms or require specific artwork
in the room they are staying in. This treatment doesn't just hold true for the
repeat guests. All visitors receive personal attention.
(CONTINUE...)
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