Guestroom, Crystal City Virginia

Guestroom, Crystal City Virginia

Image by jessamyn
I was appalled at how much these rooms cost. The conference is putting me up for one night (at their own expense, they say in the email, so I suppose I should be grateful) and I tried to get a room for the second night but the entire Hyatt is booked up. So I’m couch surfing with a friend down the hall tomorrow. This is a 0 room at standard rates. It’s nice but not that nice.

I’m in the "renovated" part of the hotel which means fancy art on the wall, really nice beds, a frosted glass door on the bathroom [!] and really chichi chairs and window treatments. It’s fine, the room is fine.

What is NOT fine is the total absence of a coffeemaker in the renovated wonderland of my room. I’ve sort of gotten used to them when I travel. I like to get up and drink coffee and finish up my talk in my PJs before going down to greet the day, and other people.

I was thinking about asking for one, but it occurred to me, maybe it’s declasse to ask for a coffee maker. Maybe in fancy places you’re expected to pay for a pot of coffee delivered to your room. Is that how the swells live? I don’t know anything about these sort of cultural rituals.

I do know two things.

1. I have never been in a hotel this fancy as a paying guest
2. I can’t remember the last time I stayed someplace without a coffee maker.

15apr07