We know that hotel guidebooks have encountered some controversy as of late as is evidenced by this quote that sums up the tensions between guidebook publishers and writers quite succintly, "They pay * * * *, they get * * * *."
Even our post this morning on LonelyPlanet's Haystack booking service generated a comment about the "good intentions" behind the site. Which is why when we stumbled across this photo on Flickr today from a hotel in Italy, we found the caption to be very apropro for this discussion:
Lonely Planet says this hotel is decorated with an eye for style. Plus the hotel ripped us off.
Hmmm...eye for style from a 9-yr-old's perspective, perhaps? Either that or the guidebook writer for Italy got paid * * * *.
When your guidebook said luxury rooms did they really mean two cots and a bathroom down the hall? Contribute your own thoughts on guidebook reviews of hotels by becoming a member and commenting below.
Unless defacing a billboard with the words "Slut", "I would hit it" and indecipherable gang tags is what Miami locals consider love. And of course we already mentioned their disdain for "Calvinization."
We'll see how people respond when Gansevoort South opens sometime later this year.
Check out more of the photos in the HotelChatter Flickr group here. And contribute any of your favorite hotel photos so that all the world can see! Plus, Flickr is totally safer than MySpace.
Japanese Love Hotels give us practically an endless supply of hotel stories. Like this photo captured by a Flickr member at a love hotel in Shibuya:
These are some of the amenities provided by a love hotel in Shibuya. At first I thought they were advertising dildos and vibrators (upper left hand corner), but then realized that they're probably innocent hair care products.
However, should you feel the need to dress up like a can of Budweiser, the Costume Play Goods Rental in the lower right corner should be of good service.
Back in the late 1990s, foam was a popular clubbing feature on the isle of Ibiza.
Fast forward to 2006 where foam is now a popular kiddie feature at the Hard Rock Pattaya in Thailand. Bet it feels a little different without the ecstasy, huh?
Lesley S lets us know about the The Watercolor Inn in Grayton Beach, Florida where she snapped this pic:
If you have the means, I highly recommend it. We stopped by for a drink after a walk on the beach and were treated like royalty despite a less than pleasant appearance (and not being hotel guests, which we told them). The staff--particularly in the lounge--was extremely friendly and helpful. Having drinks under a fan out by the pool was one of the highlights of the trip.
This one was taken at the The Madison Hotel (which is actually a Loews) where all the drawers come with this inscription:
Of all the First Ladies in the United States, Dolly Madison has been considered the most colorful. In her eight years in Washington D.C., she made the White House a most delightful place to visit. Beautiful, gregarious, bouyant and cheerful, the regular social gatherings she hosted were lively events at which anyone would feel welcome.
As this photo demonstrates, you don't have to order hotel porn to watch it. But at this love hotel is Sao Paolo, if you wanted real porn instead they have it for free on the TV.
As this photo from Flickr demonstrates, there is another way to get a peek at the exclusive, members-only SoHo House pool without being a member or paying $500 for a room. That's through gaining rooftop access at the Gansevoort Hotel which offers a view of the pool.
However, as one tipster tells us, being at the Gansevoort's rooftop on weekends mean fraternizing with the Bridge & Tunnel crowd which sorta perplexes us--aren't they supposed to be at the shore or something?
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by juliana
