A hotel for the super rich and famous

JRM is an example of why you can’t generalise about new/old money and why surface ‘good manners’ can be very misleading.

I think Jacob Rees-Mogg is old money and IMO has not a lot to recommend him.
I had a very nasty bite from a gerbil once, be careful if you start transporting them.

I was once invited to dinner at The Goring Hotel and expected it to be very snooty but it was wonderful! The staff were very friendly and helpful and instead of feeling out of my comfort zone I felt very settled. It didn't seem as opulent / flashy as the hotel on the television last night. Mind you I wasn't paying the bill!!!

Not me for one Grandma70 but I’m safe in the knowledge that this will NEVER happen .

I get your point, gillybob, but ‘old money’ people do tend to have better manners and be less ostentatious.

I wonder how many people would refuse inherited money because it just ‘fell into their lap’. Not many, I suspect.

gillybob, I was referring to the way ‘old money and new money’ are different and so often this is true

I watched some of it. I find it quite sad, and wonder if the staff secretly despise the guests. I would. I don’t reall mind people being rich, and I like good hotels, but I wouldn’t stay in that one even if I could afford it. Massive display of bad taste and ostentation all round.

that’s the difference between ‘old money and new money

Really ? I don’t see much of a difference to be honest . In fact often those with “new money” have at least earned it in some way, shape or form, whereas “ old money” well it fell into their lap because of who’s womb they came from .

EllanVannin, that’s the difference between ‘old money and new money’

Years ago I had two jobs to keep the finances ticking over.Daytime nursing then in the evenings as a silver service waitress at big " do's ). Hard graft and some of the most obnoxious guests you've ever come across who you could tell weren't accustomed to the " finer things in life ".I was able to keep my cool by telling myself that there was more breeding in my little finger than the whole of their personas. These were wives of golfers from a certain golf club.
The " finger-snapping " type which I'm sure many of you will have encountered in your lives.
Looking back I don't know how I worked all day and then at night until 2/3 am. It was an education in people though and an avoidance of HP.

Those born into wealth were the more appreciative well-mannered and generous------as for the others----------Rubbish !

Ok Annie. Thanks.

Sparklefizz, no, I didn’t mean you x

Those people spending £20,000+ per night to stay in a suite wouldn’t give a monkeys toot that only a few blocks away a young mum can’t afford to feed her family or a young man is begging on the streets. Why should they? They live in a parallel universe.

I don’t watch programmes like this because they say so much about the world we live in - it’s not about people having more but about the baseline we should have for those who have less.

It's all the bowing and scraping that gets me more than anything. For goodness sake,it's only people who've made good of their lives ( been lucky ) not born royalty.

I do watch such programmes and saw that one last night and all I could think of was Brexit ! Why ? Because 3/4 of staff are foreign and hotel work is a magnet to them with possible living quarters meals and a wage in exchange for some of the hardest work imaginable------which could possibly cease unless those staff had been in this country x amount of years over the allotted time given.

These programmes are a real eye-opener though. How the other half live !
The nearest I ever was was afternoon tea at the Dorchester before Christmas some years ago while on a trip on the Orient Express. May as well make a day of it too hahaha.
I reckon us ladies wouldn't have looked out of place at that hotel on last nights show !

Anniebach Not sure if you mean me, but I have no anger at all, just not interested.

I didn’t see the programme. No use holding anger because there are people with such wealth, always has been always will be so.

toscalily???

I did wonder if gerbil was a euphemism for girlfriend

.... and I have a lot of time for Will.i.am, I must admit. As GrannyGravy says above, he does a great deal for kids from the ghetto back in his home town.

I found all that wealth and glitz so OTT ... all those pink balloons and everything pink for an 83 year old who has everything money could buy. I like nice stuff but this seemed obscene and I switched off and read a book instead.

However, I do accept that catering to wealthy people in this way brings in a huge amount of income to the country, and to London in particular.

Oh lemon dear you just can’t help yourself can you - bless. Never mind

Husband, D and I went with some friends for dinner at this hotel after the theatre a few Christmas’s ago.

The food was exquisite, service impeccable and not as expensive as you would have thought.

Hoping to go back for afternoon tea with D and sister in the new year.

As long as people have earned their money legally and pay the appropriate taxes in the country it is earned, they can spend it where and how they want. Will.I.am has set up a charitable foundation which helps a lot of underprivileged youth in his home town and is very much “hands on” with the foundation.

I thought the China was beautiful.
Did you see the absolute mess somebody had left that room in after a one night stay. Obviously a shopping trip.
I thought I had misheard when the man said about flying his gerbil first class.

People are entitled to spend their money as they wish provided its legal (and moral )
We have no idea how much money wealthy people donate to charity etc.
I do agree there is a great divide.