Beautiful building, but it's a shame the experience doesn't focus more on the history, and worse, that the staff is rude and pretentious.
This is the former home of the founder of Coty - where are the perfume gifts? Why no La Rose Jacqueminot perfume, linen spray, scented candles? Instead the main hall is lined with jewelry and sunglasses you can buy anywhere. Maybe there's a rights issue? In that case, I would like to see more of the history in each room. Perhaps plaques with information about how the room was used, what notable guests were entertained there, etc. I want to "feel" like a guest of Coty. Perhaps the music at the bar can be from the 1920s when the home was completed.
About the service. The front desk was well run and attendants were courteous, but that's where it ends. The bartender didn't know how to make a dirty martini - and this is one of the "best bars in the world". However, the biggest disappointment was the rudeness of the restaurant staff, maybe because they work long hours - the same staff works breakfast and dinner - they were rude and pretentious at both seatings, particularly the older man and woman who never crack a smile. I understand there are some cultural differences between French and Americans, but there is no need to be rude to your guests. "No" should never come out of the mouth of a server, instead service workers should always at least attempt to find a solution for guests. I could've sworn I was in a comedy show as the butt of the joke. It felt as though our group of 5 was "judged" for wanting to take our dinner as a casual meal in the bar rather than sit in the formal dining room, and for breakfast again judged for asking for a carafe of water for the table (to not have to repeatedly stand to refill our tiny water glasses from the bottles at the buffet). On the last morning, some in our group wanted a cup of coffee 'to go' rather than sit for formal breakfast and again were judged and told "no". The front desk had to intervene to get two cups of coffee in small paper cups (think mouthwash cup size) charged at 10 Euro. They were served with ill-fitting lids so they weren't suitable for travel and had to be thrown away. Yes, coffee 'to go' is not the norm in France, but this is a tourist destination and people have travel itineraries to keep up with. At the very minimum, don't be rude about it or act disgusted by your guests' requests. read more