As always, Jaunted has the episode recap while we search out a place for our weary Racers to lay their heads.
Usually, as you no doubt know, we skip the hostel thing. Even when a hostel touts itself as a "design" hostel as Hostal Gat Raval in Barcelona does.
However, this season's Amazing Race cast has been a real bore. Seriously, ever since they got rid of the amputee and her creepy boyfriend there has been something missing from Amazing Race 10--excitement.
So we say, throw the remaining three teams in a stripped down "design hostel" in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona before their final race leg. Why? C'mon, at the end of the day if you strip away the slick website and the artsy front, Hostal Gat Raval is nothing more than a hostel. Which the hot water may be out, the crowd will be on the edge of shady, and after 24 hours at this place the teams could be full of some much needed tension.
Imagine: The 'Bama girls having to mingle in a Barcelona neighborhood that reminds many of Manhattan's East Village. Or Rob and Kim having to function with only a cold shower under their belt. Oh, and finally, don't you think a Bohemian neighborhood like Raval might test the sobriety of Tyler and James. C'mon, you have to admit, making the teams spend a night at a "design hostel" sure would liven' up the final leg.
What you hear about those Scandinavians is true--they are much larger in person, well, at least their hotel rooms are. Hotel Kämp in the middle of Helsinki has some of the most spacious rooms in the city.
Since the remaining Amazing Race teams spent the day getting dirty in Finland, we think the CBS suits should have put them up for the night at Hotel Kämp, a swank Helsinki hotel. Not only is this hotel in the center of everything, but the hotel also offers a laundry service for in house guests. Very nice.
As far as we know Phil and CBS made the teams continue racing without a night to catch their breath, however, if we were in charge of this little race around the globe, we would let these dirty kids wash up at a five star hotel in the middle of Helsinki. Oh, and the photo you see above? Yes, Hotel Kamp is known to hand out these ducks to guests to use in the bath tub. The monkey mounting the duck in this particular photo is not included with your room, just the duck, as far as we know.
In Gachurt Village, about twenty minutes from UB (Ulaanbaatar) sits Hotel Mongolia.
With its high ceilings, red brick walls, and scenic lobby, this place is an example of Mongolian craftsmanship.
Hotel Mongolia offers 57 temple style rooms, including Khan Suites are in those round, utterly Mongolian Stone Gers. There are also rooms in the temple itself, but that can't be nearly as much fun as staying in the round tent looking things.
There is also a restaurant on the premise which serves Mongolia's famous “Khanbräu” draft which we are sure both Peter and Rob could have used after their separate, but equally disturbing Mongolian outbursts.
And no, we don't know if the hotel allows guests to shoot fire arrows at giant bowls full of something explosive, but it would be very cool if they did.
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by markj
