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August 10, 2007
Bathroom Fans: UGGGH
What do you think of when you walk into a hotel bathroom, switch the light on and the fan starts automatically, meaning that its linked to the one and only light and you are forced to hear its noisy motor running whether you want to or not?
I think of Motel 8 and every hotel like it in its category. Hey, Motel 8 is great and I've camped in one more than once, especially on those long across country hauls. But I'd expect more from a so-called higher-end hotel.
I'm at the Hotel Max in Seattle which prides itself as the most artistic hotel in downtown Seattle. And yes, they have automatic fans with no option to turn them off if the light is on. Cheeezy...given that they are trying to be hip and higher end, the designer who went for that choice made a big mistake.
Their behind-the-counter staff needs a little coaching about customer service however I have to admit, the AM manager turned around a smoking room screw-up on a dime and with grace. Smart PR move on his part.
The hallways and rooms have the feel of a W, Paramount or similar-like hotel property, meaning the rooms are small but modern, the soaps say body and face in big white letters on matted black paper, and the housecleaning/do not disturb signs say Yup and Nope. This one tries to be hip at $240 a night, which I thought was high for Seattle.
The cool parts? They give you a cozy duvet, tons of white plush pillows, and the doors are plastered with black and white shots from established Seattle artists and photographers.
August 10, 2007 in America The Free, Humor, Travel | Permalink
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Comments
I'm staying at the 'W', and there's the same fan-light setup. I have no such association with cheap motels. Maybe because the house I grew up in had the same thing.
Hey, are you suggesting I grew up in a cheap house?
I kid.
I was wondering something else about hotel bathrooms. Why do the cleaning staff always seem to leave the bathroom sink stopper in? It seems like a standard practice, but I almost never want the sink plugged when I use it.
Posted by: Darren | Aug 10, 2007 6:14:30 PM
I stayed at the Ramada Inn. It also had that annoying fan/light combo... but it also had a second light that was on a timer so you'd know when your shower time up as the (second) light would go out.
the decor was also quite hip and trendy - if you still lived in the 1980's.
Plus, the concrete breeze blocks, shabbily plastered and painted in cheap white glossy masonry paint certainly add a touch of 'industrial' to the throw-back look.
I guess green/red patterned carpet, chintzy bed spreads and flowery curtains never went out of fashion because they never were in fashion.
As for toiletries, I didn't get anything as sophisticated as you. The bar of soap had "SOAP" written on it, and in guess there was any confusion the little bottle of shampoo said "SHAMPOO" on it. That was about it. I guess it's utilitarian/minimalism.
Still, I only paid $140 a night, which still seems expensive to me but nothing compared to the fools who spent $320 a night at the Edgewater.
Ramada also came with free wifi.
Was the Ramada crap? Yes. Would I still choose to stay there again? Yes. Never going to pay $320 a night for a room in Seattle regardless of where it is.
:)
Posted by: Ben | Aug 12, 2007 12:56:52 PM
