Le Bar — Restaurant in Paris

The Plaza has long been one of my favorite destinations for dining, staying, and socializing. However, I regret to say that my recent experiences have been extremely disappointing due to increasingly unprofessional, disrespectful, and seemingly discriminatory behavior from certain members of the staff.

Most notably, a staff member who claims to be a “physio” – a bald gentleman – has shown a concerning attitude, particularly toward non-European guests. On two separate occasions, I was denied entry under the pretext of a “private event.” These refusals were delivered with a clear lack of respect. Ironically, on one occasion, I was later allowed in due to the presence of a friend who is a member of a royal family – a fact the staff member could not challenge.

On another occasion, while dining in the gallery, I observed numerous guests who were clearly not hotel residents, including several young women affiliated with a promoter group and a number of European patrons. When I attempted to enter again, I was met with the same fabricated excuse about a private event, suggesting a pattern of selective and discriminatory enforcement.

It is important to remind the staff that the Dorchester Collection, which The Plaza is part of, is owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, representing a Muslim nation. It is both ironic and troubling to see such apparent bias and gatekeeping happening under such ownership.

Additionally, I was shocked to overhear a manager instructing staff (assuming I did not understand French) to demand a 20% tip from customers, and to “point them out” if they refused, as a way to remember and possibly target them in the future. This kind of behavior is highly unethical and utterly unacceptable in a five-star hospitality environment.

I am genuinely disheartened by how the values of hospitality, inclusion, and respect seem to be eroding at The Plaza. I hope this message reaches the appropriate individuals who care about the brand’s reputation and values. I am prepared to escalate this matter further to ensure it receives the attention...

I recently visited The Plaza, a bar known for its upscale ambiance and lively atmosphere. However, my experience there was anything but pleasant. From the moment we stepped through the door, we were met with a barrage of unnecessary scrutiny and condescending treatment.

As we approached the bouncer, we were greeted with a cold and dismissive attitude. Instead of welcoming us warmly, he curtly inquired if we had an invitation. This caught us off guard, as we had never been asked for an invitation in our previous visits to The Plaza. The bouncer's tone implied that he considered us unworthy of entry, which was a rude and unwarranted assumption.

After what felt like an eternity of scrutiny, the bouncer reluctantly allowed us inside. However, his behavior only worsened from there. He insisted on holding onto our coats, even though every other patron in the bar was allowed to keep theirs. This gesture felt like a blatant attempt to manipulate us, implying that we were untrustworthy and might try to skip out on our bill.

The bar itself was only half-full, which further emphasized the bouncer's unnecessary harshness. It seemed like he was more concerned with excluding potential customers than creating a welcoming atmosphere.

The experience left a sour taste in our mouths. The Plaza's reputation for upscale sophistication was tarnished by its unprofessional and discriminatory treatment of its patrons. We felt like we were unwelcome intruders, rather than valued customers.

I would strongly advise against visiting The Plaza. Their gatekeeping attitude and disrespectful service are enough to ruin any night out. There are plenty of other bars and palaces in the area that value their customers and treat them...

I was made to feel very uncomfortable when the staff told me and my brothers that we were not well dressed enough to sit in this bar. This is especially surprising as I was lead all the way into the bar by another member of staff from the hotel (waitress at the terrace).

After she dropped us off at the bar, the staff there looked looked at us from top to bottom like we were disgusting, then made the comment loudly in front of the other customers that we weren't welcome.

The dress code policy should be revised: we were wearing smart, clean shorts on a day where it was 35 degrees celsius outside which is hardly an 'attentat à la pudeur'. Most 5-star hotels, in France, UK and USA have updated their policies to a casual dress code, keeping smarter requirements to evening restaurants only. This reflects current expectations, especially from younger customers like us.

If the Plaza Athenee prefers to resist this trend, then at least staff should be properly trained to avoid making potential customers feel humiliated in public. Today, the Dorchester collection lost 3 customers unnecessarily.

I also note that the majority of reviews posted in the last 6 months refer to this issue, as well as racial...