HotelChatter

We've heard a few theories in our time; we've gotten some explanations from hotel designers, some from our classes at hospitality school, and some from the cavernous depths of the myth-busting interwebs. Hotel carpeting is so ugly because....

· It hides stains. Bright, loud patterns and dark colors hide dirt, damage and wear-and-tear. Rarely will you ever see a white or beige hotel carpet; it's simply impractical and too difficult to keep clean. And no matter how spotless a floor might be, a single stain underfoot may easily make an entire space feel dirty and old. Fug carpeting, we're sorry to say, hides the stains and scuffs and dirt that the housekeeping staff cannot take care of during standard room cleanings.

· It encourages gambling in casinos. The nastiest, fugliest of carpets can often be found on casino floors. As the Museum of Hoaxes points out, some say there's a reason for it:

The carpets have subliminal themes and messages in them that encourage gambling. [David Schwartz, a historian of gambling] writes, "Many of the carpets use flowers and wheels, both suggestive of a cyclical life: flowers bud, bloom, and then die, and their beauty is only ephemeral. The wheel was famous to the Romans (note its prominence at Caesars Palace) as a symbol of the relentless capriciousness of fortune. Could both be subtle reminders to casino patrons that life and luck are fleeting, and one should eat, drink, and be merry before the morrow brings a swing in fortune?"

· It creates visual interest in hallways and corridors. There's not much going on in the hallways in the guestroom corridors; something's gotta excite the eye and keep things interesting. Apparently, that "something" is often carpeting like this.

But we know there are more reasons why this, this and this sort of thing happens — surely the entire hotel industry cannot possibly be suffering from a disorder that causes bad taste. Surely the line between opulence and unsightliness is not that difficult to navigate, right? What are some other practical purposes for the bright, busy, crazy patterns and colors on hotel floors? Chime in. Help us understand.