Planet Ruth

I've always admired the writing style of Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine.
But sometimes I think she lives on Planet Ruth. Take this entry from the recent Gourmet Editors Choptalk blog:

"Which hotel you choose can completely alter your impression of a city. After three nights in Le Grand, I was in love with Rome. How could I know that the hotel had turned my head? It was so splendid that I imagined I was staying in a palace. The room was large and gloriously ornate with a vast marble bathroom and an adjacent dressing room. Our (gorgeous) butler was constantly showing up with little treats and asking if we wanted anything pressed. She even woke us up with coffee in bed. A pianist was always playing right beneath the huge chandelier in the lobby, and the breakfast was enough to last you the entire day. I wanted to move in."

Bells and whistles immediately when off as soon as she mentioned a "butler." What Ruth doesn't say is that a standard room at Le Grand costs at least, at least!, 530 Euros a night. That translates to $711 in U.S. coin. She also doesn't say whether she - or Gourmet - was footing the bill.