Tue. November 11, 2014
By Bryan Herb
Many hotels around the world tout themselves as your "home away from home," but if my bedroom at home were as nice as some of these hotel rooms, I would maybe never go anywhere! Most have features that our bedrooms at home don't (and I'm not talking about on-demand porn). Some have aspects that I always vow to recreate in my bedroom back home, but never do. If you have stayed in a few hotels over the past few years, you have probably noticed these same things.
1. A bed scarf or runner. It seems like just about every hotel has started using incorporating this design element into its bedrooms. If you have stayed in any hotel in the past fews years, you have probably seen these and know what I am talking about. They are the decorative runners that grace the foot of the bed, and usually hang down a bit on both sides. I personally do not use one of these back home, and I learned that the purpose of the scarf is to protect the expensive linens underneath. Whatever the case, my bed back home now feels really boring, like it's missing a necessary accessory.
2. A mini bar. OK, I know what you're thinking-- "but I do have a minibar." OK, but generally speaking, unless you are a character in Downton Abbey, or Joan Crawford you probably don't have a minibar in your bedroom. No, the minibar is something I can sink my teeth into. Imagine the ease and comfort of not having to go all the way to the kitchen at 3:00 AM for Vodka. I don't know about you, but personally this would save me a lot of time.
3. A telephone. Sure, a lot of us still have telephone in our bedrooms, but since almost everyone has cell phones now, having a telephone in your bedroom isn't necessary. I miss them. And, I find that when I pick up of the phone and reach the front desk, concierge, or housekeeping, I am assisted even faster than Siri! While we're on the topic of hotel telephones, when in doubt, 99 is often the number for the front desk.
4. Room Service. Some of you may be better at training your boyfriends than I have been, and you may have this figured out. For the rest of us, these two words are our favorite part of staying at a hotel. How else can you get a full meal to accompany your 3:00 AM vodka?
5. Daily Housekeeping. Second only to room service, this is what I miss most when I am back in my bedroom at home. Making my own bed totally sucks, and I hate it. Well, I don't hate it, I am just really bad at it. And is there anything better than going your hotel room after a long day or work or play, and you open the door and everything is clean and the bed is made? If you're like me, you stand for a moment in wonder, completely mesmerized at how crisp they got the edges. Oh, and while we are on the topic of housekeeping, if you are wondering if you should tip them, yes you should. Honestly, there have been a few times that I left my room in such a mess that housekeeping deserved a medal of honor, not a tip.
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