eh? that fireplace looked totally different to the one in the picture they showed!
Shhh, don't tell him that, he's got an idea in his head of a connection with his parents and place of birth.
Old family story that probably changes slightly with every re-telling.
Why would they open their doors and show all their dirty closets? I don´t get it, if it´s an iconic historic hotel, surely by showing their ´ugly´ face undermines their position? Or are they desperate for a bit of PR and promotion from the BBC?? can´t get my head around the reason behind all this.
What dirty closets?
Even the rich realise buildings have to be built and maintained.
They're paying a premium to get the 'Swan' experience, it's all serenity front of house, above the water line.
Below the waterline there's lots of staff and thrashing about.
In fact this doc is rather a good advert for the Claridge's, fair number of very long term staff.
Lots of attention to detail, pride in their work and pride in the business their working for and a sense of the history of the place.
Dirty closets, years ago (50's IIRC) there was a Doc about the Ritz or Savoy and it showed the terrible working conditions, treatment and pay of the back of house staff, caused a bit of a fuss IIRC.
Seems like you find a chap being interviewed about his job the same thing as being a bit flash.
Means something different to me.
Oh dear, posting past 12 is never a good idea is it so apologies if i failed in my post to make it clear, it was the conflict between someone saying how they liked to keep a fact private whilst making that fact public knowledge that gave me some, though I have to admit now negligible and still dwindling, amusement....I quoted the man himself saying he thought it a but flash to tell people where he worked, to highlight the incongruity of saying that to a television camera.
Anyway, I sure it doesn't matter a hill of beans as to whether we understand each other and I'm equally sure this is annoying the other thread visitors so that is my last word on this particular matter.
I got half way through the last programme and 2 people decided to skype me so I missed the second half - will watch it later. I must say in spite of my leftish leanings I'm enjoying this series - and I'm not quite sure why - the actual people are certainly part of my enjoyment.
Well hush my mouth, that's me told.
I must say I'm surprised it's got that many viewers.
Opposite New Tricks isn't it, which is very popular (I assume) not that I've ever watched it.
Bugger just realised why I've been humming La Vie En Rose.
I watched New Tricks and V+ Claridges so I can watch both!
I'm loving this programme. It's great fun to watch, cos to me it's not real, it's another planet!
I loved them all standing on the stairs to greet the Japanese royalty! And of course, the great debate over the clocks! lol
There doesn't appear to be many English people working there.
When I worked for the Four Seasons ( no not the band ) Hotel and Resorts it was normal
for staff to move around the world within the Four Seasons company and spend time in the
many luxury Hotel's, working long hours but a great way to see the world. We had perks like
free food ( full breakfast, dinner and evening/late meals ) which was true 5 star cuisine and we
could stay free ( after building up time) at any Four Season's in the world.
If it wasn't for the recession I would still be there.
I got half way through the last programme and 2 people decided to skype me so I missed the second half - will watch it later. I must say in spite of my leftish leanings I'm enjoying this series - and I'm not quite sure why - the actual people are certainly part of my enjoyment.
There's always something beguiling about places such as Claridges which, whatever the original reason for their existing, have not only developed a history but have effectively become proper communities - there was a similar series on earlier this year about some famous country house, which name escapes me, and pretty much the same story was told....the individual stories of the workers who had been there for decades, intertwined with the significant or anecdotal history taking place around them.
I'm really enjoying this excellent documentary giving all us 'lesser mortals' (;)) the opportunity to see the daily workings of somewhere we normally wouldn't go.....or maybe even allowed in!
The retired Bookmaker was 'the character' of this weeks episode for me. Loved the way he casually sauntered in greeting each member of staff by their christian names. And at 85 years old, (:eek:) and taking breakfast at Claridge's for 40 years.....a truly amazing character!
Koch, the German Manager from day one has always come across to me as the right man for the job. Polite, softly spoken, very very calm and a real gentleman.....a thoroughly decent guy.
Joan Collins 'observations' on costs were interesting to hear!
A great many staff in a great number of hotels come into that category! My wife works in a hotel - she is one of the few British staff.
I hope she is paid a decent salary, I was speaking with a colleague who knows one of the kitchen staff at the Savoy and it is minimum wage without perks, not even the meals are included until you have five months service according to him.
What happens if you've paid a fortune to stay and end up stuck next to, or above or below, a room that is having work done to it. I don't think I'd be too happy. I guess they try and avoid putting people in rooms near renovation work, but it must not always be possible?
What happens if you've paid a fortune to stay and end up stuck next to, or above or below, a room that is having work done to it. I don't think I'd be too happy. I guess they try and avoid putting people in rooms near renovation work, but it must not always be possible?
I'm really enjoying this excellent documentary giving all us 'lesser mortals' (;)) the opportunity to see the daily workings of somewhere we normally wouldn't go.....or maybe even allowed in!
The retired Bookmaker was 'the character' of this weeks episode for me. Loved the way he casually sauntered in greeting each member of staff by their christian names. And at 85 years old, (:eek:) and taking breakfast at Claridge's for 40 years.....a truly amazing character!
Koch, the German Manager from day one has always come across to me as the right man for the job. Polite, softly spoken, very very calm and a real gentleman.....a thoroughly decent guy.
Joan Collins 'observations' on costs were interesting to hear!
Jerry was great....but have you seen the Prices, for B/fast.
The retired Bookmaker was 'the character' of this weeks episode for me. Loved the way he casually sauntered in greeting each member of staff by their christian names. And at 85 years old, (:eek:) and taking breakfast at Claridge's for 40 years.....a truly amazing character!
So that around £40 a day, every day, that's hundreds of thousands over the years. I true what they say, you never meet a poor bookmaker.
Just catching up with my recording about an hour behind you lot.
I grinned innanely at the build up to the Emperors arrival.
I don't care if the staff have rather grand titles, it's all part of the fantasy world.
Anyone remember BBC 4 or similar doing a Doc on the Grand Hotels, I've got a vague memory of one.
Ah found the Doc, I was thinking of.
Timeshift (great strand btw) Hotel Deluxe. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0126vfd
Not on Iplayer though, why the whole Timeshift and Wonderland strands aren't on Iplayer I don't know.
What dirty closets?
Even the rich realise buildings have to be built and maintained.
They're paying a premium to get the 'Swan' experience, it's all serenity front of house, above the water line.
Below the waterline there's lots of staff and thrashing about.
In fact this doc is rather a good advert for the Claridge's, fair number of very long term staff.
Lots of attention to detail, pride in their work and pride in the business their working for and a sense of the history of the place.
Dirty closets, years ago (50's IIRC) there was a Doc about the Ritz or Savoy and it showed the terrible working conditions, treatment and pay of the back of house staff, caused a bit of a fuss IIRC.
But attention to detail and organization is something that is already presupposed anyway. Obviously everyone knows that there must be some work behind the end-product, but same with magic, you know it´s a trick but once you reveal how it is done it kind of loses its charm.
I don´t know, I am not 100 per cent convinced that this is a good PR move.
I worked in hotels in the 60's mainly because accomodation usually came with the job. Some hotels provided accomodation in the 'attics' of hotels whereas others, usually in London, had their own separate staff 'hostels'. I was fortunate enough to live in a fab place that had been a small hotel belonging to a large hotel group, which was deemed not posh enough to be part of the chain so it was given over to the staff. It had bar, breakfast room (breakfast included) TV room, billiard room, and ballroom. Some of the rooms had balconies. And it was situated in the very best part of Kensington! The rents were peppercorn, fabulous value, but the wages were pants.
But attention to detail and organization is something that is already presupposed anyway. Obviously everyone knows that there must be some work behind the end-product, but same with magic, you know it´s a trick but once you reveal how it is done it kind of loses its charm.
I don´t know, I am not 100 per cent convinced that this is a good PR move.
We can all envision the attention to detail and organisation that goes on at somewhere like Claridges, seeing it and the people involved is another thing.
I don't think it would spoil the 'magic' for me.
On that tip I've been back to a Hotel job I was involved in, very boutique and up market decor, I helped do the foundation and steel work on the extension.
Having seen it nearly finished, walls up fireplaces in, etc, the dancing about in mud and tonnes of concrete and steel I helped put in the place all is hard to 'see'
We can all envision the attention to detail and organisation that goes on at somewhere like Claridges, seeing it and the people involved is another thing.I don't think it would spoil the 'magic' for me.
On that tip I've been back to a Hotel job I was involved in, very boutique and up market decor, I helped do the foundation and steel work on the extension.
Having seen it nearly finished, walls up fireplaces in, etc, the dancing about in mud and tonnes of concrete and steel I helped put in the place all is hard to 'see'
If this is really how it is, seemingly hundreds of staff scurrying around like ants dealing with the tiniest of blemishes in the rooms & around the hotel, one can understand why the rooms cost so much - the staff wages must come to a fair wack, assuming that hotels have to pay the basic wage. I can imagine that jobs like doorman pay very well in tips, no wonder he has been there for so long. It's possible that with such rich patrons, some staff, who deal directly with them, must get some very large tips.
Comments
Shhh, don't tell him that, he's got an idea in his head of a connection with his parents and place of birth.
Old family story that probably changes slightly with every re-telling.
What dirty closets?
Even the rich realise buildings have to be built and maintained.
They're paying a premium to get the 'Swan' experience, it's all serenity front of house, above the water line.
Below the waterline there's lots of staff and thrashing about.
In fact this doc is rather a good advert for the Claridge's, fair number of very long term staff.
Lots of attention to detail, pride in their work and pride in the business their working for and a sense of the history of the place.
Dirty closets, years ago (50's IIRC) there was a Doc about the Ritz or Savoy and it showed the terrible working conditions, treatment and pay of the back of house staff, caused a bit of a fuss IIRC.
A great many staff in a great number of hotels come into that category! My wife works in a hotel - she is one of the few British staff.
Oh dear, posting past 12 is never a good idea is it so apologies if i failed in my post to make it clear, it was the conflict between someone saying how they liked to keep a fact private whilst making that fact public knowledge that gave me some, though I have to admit now negligible and still dwindling, amusement....I quoted the man himself saying he thought it a but flash to tell people where he worked, to highlight the incongruity of saying that to a television camera.
Anyway, I sure it doesn't matter a hill of beans as to whether we understand each other and I'm equally sure this is annoying the other thread visitors so that is my last word on this particular matter.
Will you draw marks on them, to make sure they get changed, like that bloke in the Tripadvisor documentary did?
I watched New Tricks and V+ Claridges so I can watch both!
I'm loving this programme. It's great fun to watch, cos to me it's not real, it's another planet!
I loved them all standing on the stairs to greet the Japanese royalty! And of course, the great debate over the clocks! lol
When I worked for the Four Seasons ( no not the band ) Hotel and Resorts it was normal
for staff to move around the world within the Four Seasons company and spend time in the
many luxury Hotel's, working long hours but a great way to see the world. We had perks like
free food ( full breakfast, dinner and evening/late meals ) which was true 5 star cuisine and we
could stay free ( after building up time) at any Four Season's in the world.
If it wasn't for the recession I would still be there.
This is seemingly the norm in London - not just in hotels but in catering too....
And has been since the start of the hotel trade and commercial catering.
Most bakers were of German origin.
There's always something beguiling about places such as Claridges which, whatever the original reason for their existing, have not only developed a history but have effectively become proper communities - there was a similar series on earlier this year about some famous country house, which name escapes me, and pretty much the same story was told....the individual stories of the workers who had been there for decades, intertwined with the significant or anecdotal history taking place around them.
The retired Bookmaker was 'the character' of this weeks episode for me. Loved the way he casually sauntered in greeting each member of staff by their christian names. And at 85 years old, (:eek:) and taking breakfast at Claridge's for 40 years.....a truly amazing character!
Koch, the German Manager from day one has always come across to me as the right man for the job. Polite, softly spoken, very very calm and a real gentleman.....a thoroughly decent guy.
Joan Collins 'observations' on costs were interesting to hear!
I hope she is paid a decent salary, I was speaking with a colleague who knows one of the kitchen staff at the Savoy and it is minimum wage without perks, not even the meals are included until you have five months service according to him.
So that around £40 a day, every day, that's hundreds of thousands over the years. I true what they say, you never meet a poor bookmaker.
Ah found the Doc, I was thinking of.
Timeshift (great strand btw) Hotel Deluxe.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0126vfd
Not on Iplayer though, why the whole Timeshift and Wonderland strands aren't on Iplayer I don't know.
But attention to detail and organization is something that is already presupposed anyway. Obviously everyone knows that there must be some work behind the end-product, but same with magic, you know it´s a trick but once you reveal how it is done it kind of loses its charm.
I don´t know, I am not 100 per cent convinced that this is a good PR move.
We can all envision the attention to detail and organisation that goes on at somewhere like Claridges, seeing it and the people involved is another thing.
I don't think it would spoil the 'magic' for me.
On that tip I've been back to a Hotel job I was involved in, very boutique and up market decor, I helped do the foundation and steel work on the extension.
Having seen it nearly finished, walls up fireplaces in, etc, the dancing about in mud and tonnes of concrete and steel I helped put in the place all is hard to 'see'
Yes! The worst was something like asking if Thomas ever wondered when the elderly couple would die!
If this is really how it is, seemingly hundreds of staff scurrying around like ants dealing with the tiniest of blemishes in the rooms & around the hotel, one can understand why the rooms cost so much - the staff wages must come to a fair wack, assuming that hotels have to pay the basic wage. I can imagine that jobs like doorman pay very well in tips, no wonder he has been there for so long. It's possible that with such rich patrons, some staff, who deal directly with them, must get some very large tips.