The Diary of Anne Ku

20 July 2000 Thursday dry

A PRISONER IN NEW YORK

Windows you cannot open - even if you could, it's minimal or noisy outside - so you wouldn't.

Refrigerator you can't use - because it's full of electronically tagged items. If you open a compartment and take something out, then you will be billed for it.

Ridiculous call charges:

• local: $1.00 per call for first 15 minutes then 5 cents each additional minute
• collect or operator assisted calls: $0.75 for the call
• credit card calls: $0.75 for the call
• toll-free: $0.50 access charge
• long distance direct dial: 40% above operator assisted day rate
• international: 40% above operator assisted day rate

I asked for a non-adjoining room, non-smoking floor, quiet room, high floor, one bed as I was staying here for a week. But these five requirements were too much for this hotel. Instead, seeing that it was my first stay and that I was so difficult to please, the front desk upgraded me to an executive room which entitled me to breakfast. The breakfast was hardly worth waiting for - as it was in a crowded diner full of tourists.

yesterday

tomorrow

20 August 2000

I had jotted down my thoughts of the day during my travels. Now that I've FINALLY unpacked and cleaned up my room, I found these notes. So I will now "back-fill" my on-line diary.

Basic hotel requirements
"must haves"

• quiet room
• no smoking
• convenient to destination
• safe
• reasonably priced
• swimming pool or access to one via sports membership etc

Additional requirements
"nice to have"

• no adjoining door (peace)
• high floor (privacy)
• security deposit box in room (convenience)
• lots of light (energy)
• many lifts so you don't have to wait
• access to grand piano
• breakfast included
• refrigerator that's is open (not electronically tagged)
• spacious
• cotton sheets