The Hotel Life

I'm about to start my travelling season. I travel as a mother, since our daughter plays college softball, and I travel as a writer, this year more than ever before. So I'm looking at my suitcases, gauging if they'll last another year, counting underwear, trying to color coordinate mentally. It really does help to pack for a long trip if everything color-coordinates.

Most of all, I'm thinking about motels and hotels and how to cope with them. When I travel as a spectator to my daughter's activities, my requirements are simple. I want a clean bed and a hot shower, and that's about it. If the motel has breakfast in the morning, so much the better.

On tour, it's a different situation. I'm by myself, and my hotel room is the only place I get to be alone so I can recharge my batteries. The first time I went on tour, I was delighted and amazed with every hotel I walked into. They were fancy, they had room service, there was enough room and a desk for my laptop. But with every trip I've gotten more specific about what I want.

I want safety. I want courtesy. I want help with my bags. I want timely delivery of messages and faxes left for me at the desk. I want on-time wakeup calls. I want good room service! And (though the hotel can't do anything about this, I guess) I do not enjoy having to go out on a balcony to place a cell phone call.

Recently I arrived at an "historic" hotel in the afternoon with only an hour to spare before a luncheon. (You know what I mean; uneven floors, pretty flights of stairs, extensively remodelled rooms, and layers of paint an inch thick.) I hoped for wonderful service in keeping with the Old South ambience. The young lady at the desk handed me my key, and also a bottle of wine and a huge gift basket my hosts had left for me. I already had a purse and a large tote bag. Then she pointed to the elevator. And that was the tone of the whole visit. Pleasant inefficiency.

By the way, my wakeup call was fifteen minutes late.

Give me a modern place with brisk workers. That's what I like! To hades with history, unless it comes with good service. This seems like the attitude of a phillistine, but when I travel, that's what I want.

Comments

[Nick Mar Alovera]

I saw your post above, it is unique! How I wish to go there.

[Janet Reid]

"pleasant inefficiency" is a great phrase. Sadly, I know EXACTLY what you mean.

[krisneri]

I'm not big on "quaint" and "historic," either. I remember one B&B hostess who was almost in tears because didn't choose to eat her only breakfast offering. A good innkeeper should want her guests to enjoy their stays, not guilt them into eating something they don't like. I'll take the modern place with brisk workers, too, especially when they'll deliver whatever food I want and not editorialize about it.

[Dana]

And yet...large and modern don't always come through, either, Charlaine (as I'm sure you know). My husband and I were traveling and DESPERATELY needed clothes cleaned and decided to splurge on having the hotel do them because we needed sleep. They called and woke us up FIVE TIMES to verify, change, clarify, and eventually announce the pre-delivery and final delivery of the clothes. Arrrgh.