TRAVEL SMART: SPAGO’S BEDROOM

05.01.09
Gourmet’s editor in chief finds a new hotel in Beverly Hills with her name written all over it.

.

When I arrived at the Montage and the check-in paperwork was all ready, I knew I was going to be happy there. When the receptionist asked what time I wanted my room cleaned I knew I was going to be very happy. (Why is it that the housekeepers always show up just as you’re coming in to take a quick shower? Or ask if you want turn-down at five in the afternoon when you’re plowing through email?) But when I saw the plethora of plugs on the desk, and realized that there was free wi-fi, I was sure I’d be back. The Montage is a hotel that gets all the details right.

Yes, the rooms are spacious, the towels fluffy and the beds comfortable. Yes, the location, across from Spago, is very convenient, but it’s the little things that really make this hotel so nice. When the valet brings your car, there’s an icy bottle of water sitting on the dashboard. Ask for a wakeup call, and they’ll inquire if you’d like a cup of coffee at the same time. And isn’t there something lovely about the fact that the bolster on the bed is emblazoned with your initials?

Sertl says: How do you reward service this good? My motto: “Never stiff the maid.” Five dollars per day is the general rule. At a hotel like the Montage, I’d leave $10.

Subscribe to Gourmet