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Monday, November 2, 2009
The column: What readers need in a good hotel
The Winging It column on Oct. 19 laid down my criteria for a good hotel room, and I asked  you to tell me what you looked for. The response was overwhelming -- roughly 80 e-mails and phone calls, and I am grateful for those who took time to add to my list. Today's column rounds up all of the readers' requirements, starting with those that generated multiple responses. A link to the previous column is included. Read about the importance of a clean iron and ironing board in a hotel room here.
Posted by Tom BELDEN @ 9:19 AM  Permalink | 1 comment
Comments   
Posted 10:07 AM, 11/02/2009
Tom Melchiorre
Mr. Belden, I read your article in today’s Inquirer on what people want in hotel rooms. The ironing board and low-quality iron, well, after too many white shirts winding up with rust spots, let’s just say I carry a hand steamer. I’m writing, though, to give you my pet peeve: Bathroom sinks that are too dimly lit and too far from the mirror. The bathroom may be bright but the lights are usually behind you when you're at the sink. The problem? The sink lights are rarely bright enough and I can’t see to shave well, if I got all the stray hairs, the corners, around the lips and close to the nose, and so forth. A good shave is often ruined by later noticing speaking companions staring at, or trying not to stare at, a part of your face that looked cleanly shaven when you left the room but obviously is not completely whisker free in the light of day. In addition to the poor lighting, the sinks themselves are surrounded by counter that sticks out so far I can’t bend close enough to the mirror to see if, indeed, I got a clean shave even in the poor lighting. (I now pack a good-size hand mirror for good shaving results, but it’s only a matter of time before it breaks in transit and I have luggage full of glass shards.) Only one hotel I’ve stayed in had the sink cutout with the counter on either side in a semi circle, providing a naturally close standing position to the mirror. And regarding luggage racks? I never use them. Too unstable, too low, potentially too buggy. The TV or desk counter is where I put the luggage, and it’s closer to the drawers. Thank you for listening. Tom Melchiorre Editor-in-Chief, Secular Nation Magazine Atheist Alliance International www.AtheistAlliance.org Tom Melchiorre, Word Geek http://www.examiner.com/x-3990-Philadelphia-Word-Geek-Examiner Tom Melchiorre Writing Editing Publishing Inc. Professionalism At Its Best...And Then Some Tom.Melchiorre@comcast.net 610-960-2558
1 comments
About Tom Belden
Tom Belden has been reporting and writing about Philadelphia International Airport and other air travel subjects for nearly 25 years. He has written business travel columns for The Inquirer's Travel and Business sections. His ground-breaking reporting (with colleague Craig McCoy) on baggage handling problems in Philadelphia have been credited with helping improve the system. His previous blog was called Road Warrior. He can reached at tbelden@phillynews.com.
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