Savor Exceptional Cuisine

• Reservations & Priority Access
  Many distinguished hotels extend priority seating and preferred time slots to their guests. Securing reservations in advance not only guarantees a table, but often the best tables.
   
• Breakfast: An Elegant Beginning
  Confirm whether breakfast is included with your stay—and whether the property presents a curated à la carte menu or a lavish buffet spread. A well-considered breakfast sets the tone for the day ahead.
   
• Service Hours & In-Room Dining
  Dining schedules vary, and clarity on breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours avoids disappointment. In-room dining, often available around the clock in finer hotels, offers a private indulgence worth noting.
   
• Affiliated Restaurants
  When a restaurant is part of the property, guests frequently enjoy privileges—priority access, discreet billing directly to the folio, and menus designed with the hotel’s clientele in mind.
   
• The Art of the Reservation
  Inquire whether the Butler or Concierge can secure your dining arrangements. In affiliated venues, they often hold keys to time slots not available to the public. Independent restaurants, however, may require direct booking through websites or reservation apps.
   
• Dress Code & Atmosphere
  Fine dining is as much about ambiance as cuisine. Many venues uphold elegant dress codes to preserve their atmosphere—knowing the expectation ensures you arrive in perfect form.
   
• Culinary Experiences
  Seek out experiences beyond the menu—chef’s tables, sommelier-led pairings, or seasonal culinary events. These intimate offerings often become the highlight of a stay.
   
• Personalized Considerations - Check if Available ahead of time, not once you've arrived !
  Discerning chefs are increasingly attuned to dietary preferences and restrictions. Whether vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, or halal, refinement lies in accommodation whenever possible.
   
• Timing is Everything
  At peak periods—weekends, holidays, or during major local events—advance reservations are essential. The best properties anticipate this and offer discreet solutions for their guests.
   
• Gratuities & Service Charges
  In many international destinations, gratuities may already be included. Confirming this detail ensures both etiquette and ease.
   
• Exclusive Spaces
  Private dining rooms, members-only lounges, or rooftop terraces often elevate the experience for guests who desire intimacy and distinction.
   
• Beyond the Property
  Some hotels partner with nearby Michelin-starred or world-renowned restaurants, granting preferred access to tables otherwise impossible to secure. This is the mark of a property that extends its hospitality beyond its walls.
   

• Proximity Considerations
  When choosing a location within the room, perimeter seating offers privacy, central seating captures the ambiance and energy, window or terrace seating provides scenic views, and quiet corner tables ensure discretion.
   
• Location within the Room
  Perimeter seating offers privacy, central tables provide ambiance and energy, window or terrace seating affords scenic views, and quiet corner tables ensure discretion.
   
• Ambiance & Comfort
  Seating choices also shape the experience — booth or banquette seating fosters intimacy, freestanding tables offer more space and formality, softer or candlelit lighting creates a refined atmosphere, and outdoor seating provides an elegant option when weather permits.
   
• Service Considerations
  Tables should be strategically positioned — close enough to staff for attentive service without disruption, and, in venues with entertainment, placed to ensure a clear view of the dining room stage.
   
• Personal Comfort
  Seating should avoid air vents, drafty entrances, or loud music speakers, while providing adequate space for mobility needs or added privacy.

• Special Requests
  Romantic settings like terrace, garden, or poolside dining, chef’s table or counter seating for an interactive experience, and private or semi-private dining options. 

 Scent Sensitivity

  Lingering odors from cigar, tobacco, or marijuana smoke often permeate clothing, just as heavy perfume or cologne can linger noticeably in close quarters. Such scents can easily overpower the subtle aromas and flavors of fine cuisine. Should this occur, discreetly and courteously inform the maître d’ and request a quiet relocation. A polite explanation that the patrons residual odor is affecting your dining experience is appropriate. 

Guest Discretion and Proactive Awareness
While fine dining should reflect thoughtful hospitality, guests should also feel empowered to advocate for their own comfort. If seating, proximity, or environmental factors—such as intrusive odors or excessive noise—diminish the experience, address the concern promptly and graciously with the maître d’. 

Management Awareness
A well-trained maître d’ should remain attuned to the dining room environment and recognize when a guest’s lingering scent—whether from smoke or a strong fragrance—may affect others before seating is arranged. Such sensitivities are best addressed proactively, ensuring no guest is placed in the uncomfortable position of requesting a change.