HotelChatter

Apparently the Craddock Terry Hotel brought in NanoTouch products in their guest rooms as an extra health preventative measure. See. This is where we got confused (and this was before we got to sippin’). The Nano name threw us off (we thought Apple) and wondered “does anyone still OWN those? What the what is going on in VA?” But no, this is just a case of bad naming, we think, as this brand has apparently been around for a minute.

The Nano Septic is a self-cleaning antimicrobial travel mat guests can put personal items like toothbrushes, jewelry, medicines and even those complimentary hotel iPads and Kindles that are used by so many guests (btw, protective sheaths for shared electronic devices will be available first quarter 2013).

There’s more. There’s a mat for those TV channel guides and coffee maker instruction placards which we know are always touched, but no one is sure how often are cleaned in hotel rooms. Well, damn. Why didn’t you just say so? We can get with this! We put down the cocktail and started taking this thing more seriously--because you know, this is how we've been fighting grime thus far.

Kimberly Christner, president and CEO of Cornerstone Hospitality (makers of Nano products) seems to have been spying on us with this statement.

"The reality is, few people are going to lay personal items on a vanity—even in a high-end hotel. Guests are going to use a towel or something else they perceive as being a clean resting area. NanoTouch provides our properties a proactive way to deliver a feeling of safety and security to our guests."

Embarassing.

Then there's the Craddock guest who co-signed on these mats.

"I'm always looking for hotels that do things just a little differently in their quest to please the guest," said Craddock Terry guest Kevin Thompson, president of Virginia Beach's Thompson Consulting. "Not only did I find the Craddock Terry Hotel an exceptionally cool boutique hotel, I also had a higher level of confidence in the cleanliness of my room, since they took the extra step to provide a self-cleaning surface. I was so excited about this new product that I found myself wanting to send some as gifts to my friends and clients who travel."

So, maybe we're sold? We're not sure til we test 'em. For now, you can buy them in the hotel's lobby store or online, travel kit-style. They’ll fit on nightstands, airplane tray tables, cruise ships, restaurants, and other areas where germs lurk. All for the reasonable price of $10.95.

If you happen to stay at the Craddock Terry Hotel, be assured your mat has never been used. Plus, you can take it with you after your stay. And, according to Craddock’s hotel director, by using the NanoTouch travel mats, it's one less towel they have to wash—increasing the sustainability of their property. We call that a win-win, folks.

[Photos: Cornerstone Hospitality/HotelChatter]