HOTELS AND TRAVELLERS
[To the Ediior of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—In a recent walking tour in Sussex I had the following experience. The hotes, to which I had written in advance, in view of the holiday season, to secure rooms, all assured me that they were full. This caused me to change my itinerary for the first day. But the proprietor of the hotel at which I stayed told me that it was the common practice to refuse accommodation for a single night's stay, even if it was available, in the hope of receiving later applications for several days or a whole week-end. This was particularly the case, he told me, when applications were received some time in advance. On his advice, I adhered to my original route and found, in several cases, the hotels which had refused me half empty and only too glad to be able to let me a room for a single night. In one, however, I was turned away, the proprietor admitting that he had accommodation, but say- ing that he hoped for a "longer let." I left him with the uncharitable hope that he would be left with empty beds on his hands!
Presumably hotel keepers know their own business best, though I had always understood that they were under an obligation to receive bona-fide travellers if they were in a position to do so. But this practice is certainly one which other travellers should know of and be on their guard against, May I finally say that it is still far too common in expensive hotels to find no lavatory basin in the bedrooms and charges up to a shilling for a hot bath? In one case, even no shaving water was provided, and the whole hotel was expected to use a single bathroom (which was also a lavatory) in the morning.
Are we surprised that foreigners find us uncivilised?—
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