I am in Washington D.C. at a conference.
I am staying in one of of the three conference hotels, an Omni to be precise, and it struck me this morning how much hotels have changed in the years I have been traveling -- for the better, for the most part.
The room key, for instance. The magnetic credit-card type key is a big improvement over the old brass keys ring-connected to a piece of plastic engraved with the words, "If Found Drop in Mail Box." I wonder how many of those actually got mailed?
The televisions are better with most hotels today having flat screens, but since HDTV is still not universally available the picture is actually not as good.
There aren't as many dresser drawers in recently built or refurbished hotels which is a good thing. I think they figured out that no one ever uses them. This hotel room has a small refrigerator behind one dresser cabinet door and a coffee maker behind the other.
The names of normal things are fancier today, I have a "Clarifying Bar" in a cute little box on my bathroom sink. I hope I can use it as soap. There is a shower cap in a matching box but I have never used one of them.
All hotels have internet hookups, which is good and bad because now I have another excuse not to read or do anything constructive. The $10 daily connection fee is annoying, especially after spending $200 for a room.
This hotel still has the 1980's issue telephone on one bed stand and a radio/clock on the other. I doubt either are often used.
I do have suggestions that could be universally applied.
1. Hotel pillows are huge. Since I prefer very thin pillows, I am forced to bring my own. Couldn't they have more than one size?
2. Isn't there a way to keep hotel room doors from shutting with a SLAM that shakes the room? This is my biggest complaint, the room doors in this Omni shut like someone is standing there and slamming them as hard they could.
3. Finally, every hotel room should have a window that at least opens an inch or two for fresh air. This one does.
That's it. Hotels are pretty comfortable these days. Am I missing anything?
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5 comments:
As it happens, I have actually dropped those keys with plastic tags in the mailbox a couple of times. I like the plastic cards, though, since they fit in the wallet.
I think the door slamming thing is a fire code thing.
What are you missing? It should not cost more than the yarn for a nice pair of socks, to stay in a hotel. I would travel more if that were the case.
Did you know that you can sign up online, for free, to become an Omni Select guest, which should get you free internet access? I did it in San Francisco from a hot spot and was set.
Corey ----
Really. I did not know that and I am an Omni frequent user member. Thanks for the tip.
Rambler -- fire code or not, couldn't someone devise a door with a "soft landing" and still guarantee a securely shut door?
Lynn --- ahhh, still more expensive unless one is staying with an aunt.
Agreed with Lynn...
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