Reviving the Dream Trip

Vacationers seek unforgettable experiences in a return to international travel.

- BECCA HENSLEY

Bleary-eyed after an overnight flight to Paris, I stumble off the plane and wend my way toward passport control. Before I’ve had a chance to take the inevitable, jet lag-inspired wrong turn, an elegant man catches my eye. He’s holding a placard with my name and waving to me. “I’m with the Ritz,” he says, taking my bag and leading me to the one passport control aisle with nobody waiting in line. “She’s a VIP,” he says to somebody as we pass, and I see a man gape at me, then, not recognizing me as a tabloid star, turn away, disappointed. I want to tell the poor fellow I’m nobody, actually, that every guest with a reservation at Ritz Paris gets this de rigueur spin through the crowds. As if proving my point, my companion ushers me efficiently through passport control, baggage claim and customs, then puts me into a limousine. There’s traffic, but even Ritz Paris can’t eliminate that. Eventually we arrive at Place Vendome, where the Ritz — a grand palace hotel, the first in the world to introduce electricity and telephones to every room — presides over the square.

But that’s not all. It’s 8 a.m., and my suite is ready. When I show surprise (and relief because, as all international travelers know, the room is never ready after those overnight flights), the front desk manager explains, “At the Ritz, your suite will always be ready, Madame.” And it’s true. The Ritz reigns as the only hotel in Paris to guarantee your room will be ready the moment you arrive. Not only that, there’s a