Hotels have a lot to learn from home exchange. Travelers value amenities found in most exchange homes but few hotels. These include free local phone calls, wireless internet access, multi-room suites, fridge and microwave access, free parking, laundry machines to reduce the need to over-pack, and too many other things to list. Hotels lack the niceties found in even a modest exchange home and substitute daily cleaning and a pillow mint. Thanks, but I'll take a big comfy house over turn-down service any day.
WHAT HOME EXCHANGERS CAN LEARN FROM HOTELS
I've been writing about the interesting and attractive boutique hotel where I just spent the weekend. I only stay in a hotel voluntarily if there are few home exchangers in an area I need to visit at a particular time. I call these "invisible home exchange" areas since they are off-the-beaten track and contain few exchange options.
My cousin did not want to wait to get married until I received an exchange offer from someone in her home town, so we booked the nicest hotel in town. It was great, but it wasn't a swap home. Still, this weekend showed me that home exchangers still have something to learn from top hotels.
THE GUIDE
Instead of the traditional plastic folder with glossy brochures hotels tend to display in guest rooms, the Lancaster Arts Hotel commissioned a design firm to create a guide book to the hotel and surrounding area. It contained the sort of information we should all leave for our exchange partners: local restaurant recommendations, nearby attractions, how to use the television and internet, and so on. But this guide went further. Here are some ideas of how to expand your home exchange instructions:
* HOUSE HISTORY: who lived in your home before you? When was it built? Did it serve another purpose (barn, business, bordello?).
* COMMUNITY HISTORY: when was your town founded? By whom? Have there been exciting battles or other struggles?
* LOCAL MEDIA: what channel or frequency is each radio and television station you receive? What genre does each feature -- rock, public radio, alternative music, etc.
* DIRECTIONS FOR TOURS: is there an interesting area nearby where the exchangers can do a walking tour or driving tour? The hotel guide included a tour of nearby covered bridges and some info on them.
* LOCAL FUN FACTS: Did you know that in 1900 Lancaster produced the most umbrellas of any US town? Me neither.
* HOSPITALS and EMERGENCY RESPONDERS : everyone needs to know where to find help.
* MARKETS: where do farmers and craftspeople sell their wares in your area? Failing that, is there a supermarket nearby?
* CULTURAL NOTES: the guide sensitively described the large community of "Plain People" -- Amish and Mennonite groups -- and culturally-appropriate suggestions such as the fact that taking their picture violates their religion. You might share some information on local cultures in your own area.
When we have to stay in hotels we can take the best parts of our stay home with us and become better home exchangers in the process.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
You can subscribe to this blog to receive each day's post. Just enter your email below :
No comments:
Post a Comment