Appropriate Gift - Hotel Staff Above & Beyond

Is this a small place or a larger place? Perhaps a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers? Once you get home, if the hotel is listed on Trip Advisor or some other review site, then write a good review. (do not do this from the hotel, as having the same IP address for the review as for the hotel will kick it out) Businesses love getting good reviews, it is like money in the bank. Make sure you write something here on the RS site too, over on the Guidebook pages.

The hotel is a smaller one - actually one of Rick's recommendations (Hotel Le Colbert). We will definitely write a good review on TA when we get home which I know they'd appreciate anyway, without going above and beyond. We just don't want to do anything to insult them and wine is so personal I wouldn't want to choose a bottle they may not enjoy. That's why we are finding this so difficult. Thanks for the suggestions - any other ideas?

A bottle of wine would be a good choice, i think. If you're worried about the quality, why not ask the hotel owners if they can recommend where to buy wine, and then you'll be going to a decent shop where the shop owner may even know the people who have sent you and be able to tell you their preference.

A bottle of Pastis might be more appropriate. Choosing wine for anyone who lives in "wine country" is a guessing game. Twice I've gifted French hosts with Pastis and they have been delighted.

First, a generous tip would be in order for everyone except the owner. Put it inside a thank you card. For the owner I would consider a nice bottle of wine. Don't ask the owner for a recommendation. Do to a wine shop and explain your need. Another idea -- depending on size of staff -- is a cake decorated with merci, or something similar that could be shared with the staff. I think food and wine is always appreciated by most people. Remember it is the thought, gesture, that is important.

I think Frank's suggestion of a tip is perfect, and wine for the owner. I would add a box of chocolate that they can share.

For employees, I think a generous tip is the way to go. For the owner, you might consider a handwritten thank you note with or without the wine. A heart felt handwritten note is often more appreciated than you might realize.

I realized I never responded - thanks to all of you for your responses...it was a hectic and exhausting end of our trip. We were going to go with wine but the hotel gifted US wine! We decided at that point, since it was too late to do anything else, that we would do something when we got home. The "staff" that helped us (sorry, I was so exhausted after our hospital stay and was a bit over-generic in my description) were the owners themselves. I'm not sure there is any additional staff actually. We left a good tip in the room and I have drafted the review to post to Trip Advisor. We actually decided to pull together a gift basket to send to them in France of "New England" things with explanations since we are both from New England (things like chocolate covered cranberries, maple syrup and balsam scented sachets). We just need to get a box now.

What a fantastic idea! I'll remember that next time I end up in a predicament. I've always just left behind cash and a note but it never seemed personal. I bet if you enclose a note it will hang on the wall for years. Positive reviews are worth their weight in gold. I got a personal letter from someone in Rome over a positive review on TA thanking me.