Have you ever dined at a top restaurant where your enjoyment has been ruined by other guests being a little too intrusive for your liking? Maybe it is the other way around; in a stuffy hotel dining room, you have felt constrained by the proximity of other, less spirited parties.
Some people enjoy dining in the company of unknown guests; after all, ostentatious consumption is not ostentatious if people cannot observe.
There are times, however, when privacy is desirable.
If you do not have a home with well-trained staff and a private chef, do not despair; privacy and haute cuisine are not only for millionaires. All you have to do is rent a private room. Most hotels have them in their restaurants.
Staff are usually able to accommodate special requests, from a dinner theme to special dietary requirements. Guests can order from the a la carte menu or special menus can be devised.
Some rooms have glass panels, so if you don't want people to watch you dining try somewhere else. During holiday periods, the rooms are booked up quickly, so it is best to reserve early.
CONRAD INTERNATIONAL (2521-3838) Golden Leaf: two rooms, seating 10-12, or 12-24. Nicholini's: one room seating 14. Brasserie on the Eighth: one room seating 15.
