English hotels come in for some sharp criticism from time
to time, and I am glad to give hospitality to testimony in their favour, particularly when it comes from so experienced a witness as Sir Kenneth Clark. I don't think I have in fact drawn the com- parison with which he credits me between British and Swiss hotels, but I am very willing that he_ should draw it. In his view "for comfort, efficiency and courtesy the English hotel is far superior ; I should particularly stress the last." have myself, in a rather limited• experience, never found Swiss hotels deficient in any of these qualities, but if English hotels are still less deficient in them I am very glad. Let me add one more quotation from Sir Kenneth's letter : "It has been my good fortune to stay in most of the famous hotels in Europe, and I would like to record that I know at least two English hotels, outside London, which can compare with any of them—even under present conditions ; no doubt there are many more which I have not visited." That may well be. But in the matter of medium-priced hotels (which " famous " hotels rarely are) I still take leave to doubt whether the advantage is with the British.
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