Paris has 7 4****L hotels at the moment, and the number will go up to 9 in 2009-2010, as the Mandarin and the Peninsula groups from Hong Kong each have plans for hotels. If I am not mistaken, the Mandarin group has bought a big administrative building at Place d'Iéna for conversion, and interests from the U.A.E. have bought the 'Majestic' building on avenue Kléber, sold by the French government. The Majestic was the conference center where the Vietnam peace agreements were signed. The new owners are expected to develop a hotel with the Peninsula group there.

>... they measure temperatures in Fahrenheit and distances in miles - which is very out-of-date.<

You mean they don't work anymore?

Or you can't find media for them - like 8 track tapes?

Or you can't get replacement parts?

I like the idea of a '5-shovels' grading system! 8-)

In France the stars are attributed according to a strict system of requirements, 4 stars is the highest possible rating. A description of the system is here:

http://www.alltravelingkidsfamilyvac...ce-hotels.html

>>in France, hotels are given a grade ranging from one to four stars based on the facilities that are available; but such ratings are not an indication of the quality of the accommodations. That means that the star rating will only give you a basic idea of what facilities a hotel has to offer. Two-star hotels must have an elevator (if appropriate), a telephone in every bedroom, and at least 40% of the rooms are required to have a bathroom in the room (en-suite). Three-star hotels must offer breakfast room service and 80% of the rooms must be en-suite, and four-star hotels are required to have a restaurant and all the rooms en-suite.<<