Here's my list:

1. your car is greeted upon arrival, and you are escorted to the check in counter. Once checked in--you are escorted to your room. Better yet, check in formalities are completed IN your room.

2. The luggage comes up in a few minutes (at most).

3. The toiletries in the room are chic and branded (this is where the Ritz Carlton chain fails).

4. There is an abundance of thick and thirsty towels in the bathroom (not just 2 bathtowels). 2 branded robes are de riguer.

5. The linens are high thread count, and well, just luxurious.

6. When calling the front desk, concierge, etc, you are greeted by name, and not put on hold forever. If they must delay in answering, they take your name, and promise to call back in a few.

7. Hotels in English speaking countries are not staffed with personnel who can barely speak English. Everyone, from the maid to gardner, are eager to help guests, and see a request to completion (no saying, "you need to call XXX for that").

8. They've thought of a place for the room service trolley to go. I can't count the number of times in Hiltons and Sheratons when they're forced to go in the most awkward and intrusive spots in the room.

9. The night menu of in room dining is more than spartan.

10. There's no porn available on the TV. I'm no prude (believe me ), but porn choices reek of a business hotel, not a high end luxury property. I know I'll get flamed for this comment, but that's my 2 cents.

11. All orange juice is FRESHLY SQUEEZED!

12. No paper/ plastic anywhere but the pool/ beach. This includes cocktail napkins.

13. Finally, everytime you run into hotel personnel, they look you in the eye and say Good morning, afternoon or evening like they mean it.

What are your requirements/ standards for a luxe hotel?

I think the OP's list is pretty comprehensive. However, I believe that all important services should be on a 24 hrs basis: room service, pressing, dry cleaning, Concierge, Business services, etc. What is the point of checking into a hotel at 3:00pm and you need your suit cleaned for a function the next morning but you are told laundry needs to be sent in by 9:00am? This is where Four Seasons excels, especially in Paris/New York etc, where 4 hour laundry and 1 hour pressing is available 24 hours a day without surcharge.

Another de rigeur element is having the Operator, upon request, "introduce" all incoming calls to the room from outside the hotel. One Aldwych in London, UK is brilliant for this service.

Room service should arrive promptly with the Captain informing you how long it will take. Again, IMO, Four Seasons is the best at this.

Offer complimentary overnight shoeshine.

Offer complimentary newspaper delivery.

Personalised wake up calls with staff calling the guest, with weather information for the day.

These are some other barometers I look for in assessing how "luxury" a hotel is.

Cheers

Some of the great luxury hotels offer the following:
-- when you leave your room--housekeeping immediately enters and changes your linens in your bedroom and bathroom--no matter the time of day.--

--housekeeping never knocks on your door until they are certain you have left your room--

--room service is staffed by a 24-hour kitchen offering a complete menu (whatever you want at any time of day)--
--ice buckets are filled every afternoon--
--mineral water is complimentary--
--great water pressure in the shower (amazing how many old, legendary hotels have crummy water pressure)
--wood or satin hangars in the closet which can be easily removed--
--A concierge who can be counted on to make a last-minute restaurant reservation; last minute theatre tickets or repair a shoe or a fingernail--

Just a few thoughts--will likely think of more--

On the service side you nearly pointed out all important things but what's
with the room equippment, for me they should provide:

- a oversized fantastic bed
- a seperate shower and a secluded lavatory
- peaceful, warm - feeling rooms
- flowers or another greeting
- complementary water
- enough space to feel well

I would love it if they would di this. But how can they be totally certain?

The Halekulani had a button you push to have your room made up or refreshed and then they do your room.

* Unobtrousive, but always-ready, service

* Genuine warmth when interacting face-to-face

* Anticipation of (nearly) all potential needs and requests

In addition to the above:

• Offer car service between the hotel and airport, with hotel employees as drivers.
  
  
• Offer in-room music, such as a CD player with a decent library of CDs available to borrow.
  

I've stayed at the Hotel Du Cap Eden Roc a couple of times, and not once did I see a housekeeper in my room or leaving or entering it, but the room was always tidied up while I was out. It is amazing, they must monitor your comings and goings...

In the early morning hours, a housekeeper comes by and inserts a tiny ball of tissue in your door. If they see that the tissue has fallen to the floor, they know you are out of your room. Really!

But wouldn't the ball of tissue have fallen out if you ordered room service for breakfast? Or does the room service waiter put the tissue back in?

Makes me wonder why they can't have a sign saying the guest is out/in? Recently I stayed in my room to work (a very definite non-luxury hotel, believe me), and I couldn't imagine the number of intrusions: mini bar, housekeeping, room service tray removal, and even an electrician (came to the wrong room). I kicked myself for not using the Do Not Disturb sign.

You really never want to leave a 'Please Make Up Room' sign - lets robbers know you are not in. You can always tell the front desk you'd like your room cleaned when leaving. However, I agree, a deluxe hotel should not need to be told. Another must - no service carts in hallways - bugs me totally! I remember staying at the (supposedly 5 star) Fairmont Chateau Whistler last summer & they left service carts in the hallways all day - one about every 6 rooms - made me crazy! Just one of the many irritations on this stay that made me seriously question how it ever got all those stars.

Thorough housekeeping - once found a pile of cig butts on our room balcony
at Grand Hotel du Cap (Ferrat) - yuck!

Large complimentary bottles of chilled water at night - Mandarin Rafael Munich offers both sparkling & flat - nice touch. They also did a wonderful & huge fruit basket that was easy to eat & fruit was perfectly ripe - another nice touch.

Second the separate toilet & shower. I (kindof) understand if it's a really old hotel, but feel strongly about private toilets & showers not in bath tubs if you want to be considered deluxe. Love the bathrooms at the Park Hyatt Vendome & Manele Bay Hotel! Both gorgeous.

Forgot one thing - in addition to upscale toiletries, they need to be of a useable size - like 6oz. at least - trying to squeeze conditioner out of those teeny little bottles is something I don't enjoy doing...

Let me add a couple and see if anyone agrees:

1) No lines. For anything. Ever.

2) No burned out light bulbs. A truly luxe property should have the staff to monitor and change light bulbs without a guest ever having to notice one burned out.

3) No resort fees, service charges, delivery charges, setup charges, "we just feel like gouging you" charges, etc.

Brian,

Agreed! But I've yet to experience a property that has eliminated all lines--the bar at the pool is one place I often find myself often waiting (impatiently) at every luxe resort.