Recently I spent one week at a customer in a hotel where the staff obviously was hosting nightly parties down at my end of the hall- from about 2:00am - 5:30am each (yes- every) night I was there. The hotel I’m in tonight has no elevator. Yeah. @#$! That’s what I said. Twice in the past 10 days or so, I’ve been in really nice resort-hotels, so I’ve had the whole spectrum this month and last.

For me, sometimes it’s the little things… I really like it when hotels have conditioner, instead of just shampoo. I like space- so a nice work area is important to me. Of course a big soft bed and plenty-o-pillows is a key ingredient. A whirlpool or jetted tub (in the room) is icing on the cake. Exercise rooms are good, although half the time I’m too tired when traveling or have work to do (I know- excuses, excuses ;). Convenience is also a biggie- I had a run in Las Vegas where *every* room I had felt like it was a 10-minute walk just to the elevators. When I’m on-site for a customer, I also love the hotels with the do-it-yourself breakfast- I can go when I want and grab something before heading out for the day. I love the little lighted makeup mirrors… and of course a full-length for checking out the wardrobe. Plugs! I love lots of plugs. I like hotels that secure the outer doors early and require a key for access to various parts of the building.

Sometimes it’s the bigger things… Hotels with outside-facing doors make me paranoid, and obviously those in neighborhoods where your rims may disappear is not good either. I hate hotels that MAKE me valet park my car. It’s my car, my keys, I park it and I keep the keys- that’s my rule. (My Dad taught me a little trick of telling the valet boys that it’s a company car and against corporate policy for valet- it works!)

Traveling techies sometimes have unique needs or requests, and many of the ‘good list’ is universal for all traveler types.

So, those are some items from my little list… What about you- what do YOU look for in a good hotel?

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However, as much as I love sprinkling on the Magic FISMA Fairy Dust, “Magical Security” is craziness.

I won’t go into too much detail on hackers, shampoo, washing, and South Pacific.  I have a feeling I’ll get plenty of comments to that effect.

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I’m frequently in hotels. And I’m frequently drinking water. It’s usually room-temperature tap water, so when I started noticing funny tastes and smells in hotel room glasses, it got me wondering exactly how they clean and replace those in-room glasses.

Over the past several weeks I took a mental survey of housekeeping carts. (I frequently sneak an extra shampoo or conditioner at some point, so I’ve usually spent a bit of time exploring the carts, and what’s on them.) I thought about it and realized I’ve never seen glasses (clean or dirty) on any housekeeping carts…. hmm…. they’re not changing them out… so how are they cleaning the glasses?

I was getting ready to post a blog asking just that question when I did a search online and confirmed my worst suspicions. Looks like there’s a nation-wide coup over just this very topic, after numerous TV news ‘stings’ with hidden cameras. On the first search page, I found such video from LA, Maryland and Atlanta, and saw links to several other postings.

If you’re curious… check out some of the findings… I’ll warn you though, in more than one video, there’s a glove, toilet swishing and then glass-cleaning… same glove. (uggggh)

• Good Morning America Report - link
• News in Atlanta - link
• ABC 2 in Maryland - link
• ABC 7 in LA - link

I think I’ll have to start packing my own bottles… the only dirty drink I want comes with gin and olives. ;)

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