Are luxury hotels, like the Ritz or the Madarin Oriental worth it?

If you are poor, no. If you are of certain class, YES!, especially since you always figure out a way to have it on someone else's dime.

I've stayed at the the Savoy in London several times and I gave a dinner party there, dined at the Ritz a number of times and gone to a wedding at Claridge's. I haven't stayed at an Omni, so I can't compare. I will say there's an atmosphere to the luxury hotels that have history.... the staff takes the reputation as seriously as the reviews. There's a feel of old school. They are proud of their service and their standards.

No, well maybe once in awhile, better to stay at a nice AIRBNB, then calculate the difference between a luxury hotel and your AIRBNB, then donate that amount to your favorite charity.

I find them to be pretentious. Are they worth it? That would depend on the level of spending comfort for each person. If someone else is picking up the tab, fine and dandy. If not, hard pass. Just give me clean and comfortable.

In my experience generally, no. I stay in a lot of hotels for work and pleasure travel, both high-end and mid-range; luxury hotels are great for bragging-rights, instagram shots and better coffee/food, but when you get down to it, a hotel room is a hotel room. You basically just sleep, bathe and poop in it. Of course, this is after years of experiencing it. When I first started traveling for work, I was so excited to be in nicer hotels. But after years of experiencing them, luxury hotels all do start to feel the same and, once you've done them enough, the luxury aspect starts to become basic. As long as a room has a TV, a shower, and a bed, and the hotel has some standards when it comes to upkeep and cleanliness, then mid-range is just fine. I will say however, low-end hotels are never a good value for the average person. I'd blow $1000 a night on a room before enduring a "Quality" Inn ever again. Truth be told, some of my favorite hotel experiences have been in very average accommodations. It's about who you're with, why you're there, and the surrounding area.

I stayed at the Ritz in London. I felt underdressed every time I entered the lobby .

Beds have upgraded but the sheets - you may get 600 thread count sheet and one of the higher end places.

I have stayed in many top hotels in the world (very lucky). It all depends what you like. Some of them go for an XVIII century look and it is okay if you like that style. I prefer modern hotels. Amman in Tokyo, Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, Costes in Paris is what I prefer when I travel. In NYC, I love the Langham and the MO. In London, I love the rooms at the ME and the FS. I have stayed at the Savoy, Ritz, Langham, MO in London but they are just way too overpriced and I just do not like them. But then again, it depends on what you like. I think the Peninsula chain also strikes a nice middle of the road.

Sure they are worth it for rich people. I spent five years staying at the best hotels in Europe and the Middle East, but on someone elses dime. I love them. My billionaire host appreciated them and price wasn't outrageous for a billionaire. I think average folks who really dream to experience a fabled hotel's ambiance can enjoy it for a splurge. But I think many people find the price just too painful so cannot receive sufficient pleasure in compensation.

This is the way it works for all luxury and it is becoming even more stratified.

The very highest luxury products and experiences are now astronomically expensive. Superyachts cost over a billion. An entree dish at a Michelin starred restaurant is 80 to 140 dollars. This ready to wear paint splattered Lanvin blazer alone is 2,500.

Really only the rich can pay such prices and experience the fun of consumption and the pleasure of luxury without feeling ripped off.

Generally we don’t stay at fancy-fancy hotels, but we’ve splurged on Belmonds and I do think they are worth it.

I did not like the one Waldorf Astoria we stayed at and my one stay at a Ritz Carlton was nice, but not particularly memorable.

oops, the silly Lanvin.

“Is it worth it?” questions are ridiculous. If I’m rich, possibly. If I’m poor, possibly not.

I stayed at the Ritz in Paris and was pleasantly surprised. We ordered room service breakfast several days and they always sent the hottest and most handsome bellmen to bring it. We had a room on two floors with the dining room upstairs, and they would literally hoist the table up over their heads and carry it up. On our final evening there, we had dinner in the dining room and again they made a point of assigning the cutest blond waiter to our table, and he was just adorable, friendly and sweet. I can speak a tiny bit of French, and when I dropped a phrase or two he practically alerted the media.

The whole Ritz experience made for a very memorable trip.

The answer is dependent on who you ask, how often they travel, whether they are traveling on business or for pleasure, and where they travel. My job requires a lot of travel, often 20+ weeks out of the year, and primarily to Asia and the Middle East. My opinion about certain hotel brands will be different from someone who travels less often, domestically, and primarily for pleasure. I often use the hotel to host meetings and client dinners, so I'm reliant on other areas of a hotel beyond just the guest rooms. My average stay per city is usually three nights or more. In my opinion, paying more for a 4 or 5 star property is worth the extra cost. (They are likely to remember you and your preferences on future visits, and make more of an effort service-wise.) Depending on the location, Mandarins and Peninsulas are usually a class above hotels managed my Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton (both brands can vary widely). Personally I tend to stay at the smaller boutique hotels rather than the major hotel chains.