How could I forget? Those pesky water-savers in the shower! How annoying! At least in the U.S., you are not paying for rationed water in a hotel. You can't even get your hair rinsed in a reasonable amount of time and traveling you are usually trying to dress more hurridly to get going. My husband has been able to pop those things out on some ocassions, but I don't know how he did it.

RLA....I apologize for offending you...I just at this point in time dont deserve the "Sir"! I'll like it later,tho and it speaks well of the hospitality always extended in the GS of Texas which I visit about 3 times a month...charm and grace are the norm..I just didnt say what I wanted to say with the right words, did I?But that will come too!!

BeachBoi, I know what you mean! I hear Yes Ma'am and think my mother must be around, he can't be talking to me!!
But having grown up in the South, I do know what RLA means...Ma'am and Sir are signs of respect, not age~
Of course, being a BeachBoi and all, you might get more than your fair share of those Southern ladies calling you sugar and darlin

Scarlet ~ You got it girl! You are Southern savy! I fell out at your explanation of your screen name. Are you my 17 going on 18 y.o. daughter?

BeachBoi ~ Don't worry! I'm not at all offended. I hear this all the time. It's more intriguing and amusing to me. I was really puzzled until early on I learned why it was offensive to Northeasterner's. I live in a metropolitan suburb full of corp. relos so I am minority here. I used to live in the Midland/Odessa towns of the west Texas region. I never even seen a bagel until I was nearly 27 y.o. and moved to the Dallas area. I had only vaguely heard the word. They certainly were not a staple in the grocery stores back then (13 years ago)but surely are today. Welcome to the world, rla! I should know by now how different one pasta tastes different from the other and what anitpasta is, but I don't. I'm just getting down the names of them. Please don't trash me all you foodies, teach me!

As for hotels, it's all about the sewing kit, baby!

Scarlett..........Gotta Love It...(And I dont mean the fried chicken!!)

good troll actually! these are fun to read! this may sound dumb...but...i hate dirty grout...i want a spotless, pristine bathroom and a room with good lighting....have been in very expensive places with dirty grout!!!!yuck....and don't you hate thoses rooms so dark that you can't see whether it is really clean or not???

Oops! Pardon my grammer! I'm living up to my stereotype. It's really not that bad. I meant, "I had never even seen a bagel..." I appreciate all the highly educated people here who keep me on my toes! I know, I make many other English errors too. I do the best I can with what I know. It has taken me years to delete all the extra and unnecessary words native Texans frequently use. My own daughter once said she hated it when people use the word little unnecessarily as in, "Put that little thing right here." or " Bless your little heart". You wouldn't know that she is a 7th or 8th generation Texan from one of the first families to settle in Texas in the mid-1800's.

I can't do anything about strong Southern accent. It hasn't left me by now, so I guess it's not going anywhere. At least you don't have to listen to me.

Scarlet ~ I hope I didn't come across wrong. I'm sorry if I did. I meant that I loved your explanation of your s.n because it is so my daughter.

RLA, honey, I have never heard a complaint about my Southern accent so I doubt you will either

No, of course, I am not offended!

Scarlet - My daughter was at a meeting last week where her a speaker was speaking with a strong Southern accent. My daughter's new supervisor (a non-Texan) sitting next to her leaned over and said, "What is she saying? I can't understand a word of it." My D was surprised as she had no trouble understanding since she is used to hearing me. I had to laugh!

Great thread, Cassandra!

For me, a hotel should have:
-Large rooms
-Big, fluffy towels
-Water pressure in the shower
-A bathtub
-CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the Weather Channel, ESPN, etc. on TV
-Everything clean and well-maintained
-Good food from Room Service
-A refrigerator for my Diet-Pepsi
-Friendly, attentive staff

In a restaurant, all I care about is the quality of the food!

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, but I really like it when hotels have conditioner - those 2-in-1s never really do the trick.

Hotels score big points with me for triple sheets on the bed. It feels cleaner. In nice hotels, I always go peek at the sheets on the bed first to see if they have it. Good quality sheets are a must, low thread count sheets can be scratchy. I just was at a hotel that had a little sign on the bottled water --"this water is provided as a service to you - you will be billed $4.00 if the water is consumed" or something like that - totally offensive. A service to me ... what??? I also expect good quality bedspread and a nice blanket, not anything that looks like it been on the bed for 5 years. God knows when they wash those things. I like graciousness without intrusiveness. I like it when I ask the hotel staff an opinion about where to go for dinner and I get a thoughtful answer, not just the trendiest place of the moment. I hate when they don't pick up the room service trays from the halls promptly. Nothing like smelling someone's leftover nachos from the night before while you're walking out of your room first thing in the morning. I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke in the drapes of non-smoking rooms. Good quality soaps and other bath products are appreciated. I always think it's a little treat when there is something beyond the regular bath amenities, such as a nail file or good sewing kit. And contrary to what most people are saying, I actually like the chocolates on the pillow at night - as long as they are good chocolates. If they leave a little cheap piece of candy - it's points off. Better not to leave any. Of course it goes without saying that the room needs to be very clean or its major points off!

Hi Cassandra,

I think if I am wowed I notice why. If I am disappointed I notice why. Key variables that come into play when I think about it are value and quality. Under this umbrella I look for innovative, comfort, authenticity. I hold different standards according to cost, location. I am much tougher on restaurants than I am on hotels. If I know the area offers more I am particularly hard on both.

I expect high quality restaurants in metropolitan areas over rural ones. Location permitting, I look for a variety of authentic ethnic and or regional cuisines as well as contemporary options (fusion cuisines). I don't need to find this all on the same menu. I have to agree with Suzie though it would be hard for me to imagine a memorable meal in an establishment that had a salad bar on the premises . You won?t find a salad bar at a James Beard award winner or at a hole in the wall ethnic find.

In hotels, I don?t expect 5 star quality unless I am paying for it but I also don?t anticipate structural damage or false advertising with a bargain room. I don?t usually look for the hotel to provide the vacation experience. I expect to be sleeping in a comfortable room, spending maybe one or two days on the grounds, only if they are special. The balance of my time I will be out and about exploring. Location is important; I want walking access to attractions that have brought me to the area. A lot of hotels tell you they are central and then require a 25-30 minute walk to attractions. I just don't want to plan an activity unless it is a sedentary one around that kind of a walk. A 30 minute drive would also disappoint if I planned more than a single visit to the respective area. When I do happen upon pleasant experiences that go beyond these expectations, I am wowed.

Hotels: friendly staff that provide accurate check-in. Too many times I have taken my luggage to my room only to find the key doesn't work, someone is working in the room or a couple of times other guest were already in room. Hotels should be clean, everywhere, period. The room should have a comfortable bed with fluffy pillows (how come most of them are flat) and properly stocked with soft towels, shampoo etc. It should also be quiet not just from the hall, other rooms and street but also the heating and cooling system.
For Restaurants, I like good food provide by a server that provides just the right amount of service, not always bugging us but making sure we aren't sitting forever waiting for something. It should also be clean. And please, when I am with my kids it is okay to sit me with other families, but if it just my DH and myself sit us away from large tables.

I agree with many of the things already mentioned, especially cleanliness and shower spray. Here are few additional things I enjoy:

Hotel/Motel:
* TV with normal volume (hate those that have blasting volume when you first turn them on)
* TV channel guide
* USA Today
* decent size wastebasket (when I want to toss USA Today)
* rack of area attractions/restaurants/coupons/maps in lobby
* nightstand big enough for glass of water, book, glasses, lamp
* bathroom vanity with room on both sides of sink for spouse and I to put out our toiletries

Restaurants:
* servers who don't hover
* servers who don't say "you guys"
* restroom faucets with very hot water and foam-style soap
* and yada-yada about quality, cleanliness, etc.

Last hotel I stayed in had a vase on the vanity with an orchid; it was lovely.

I love a great bed, they are so few and far between, I love the triple sheeting too with high thread count sheets! Makes it "seem" much more sanitary! I can not stand a "yucky" looking bathroom. Like a good shower too, with big FLUFFY re. not scratchy towels I like the extra toiletries too, nail files, shower caps. q'tips. I love having wine glasses in addition to to water glasses, a big PLUS for me. Coffee maker with decent(Starbucks or better) coffee and extra coffee supplies. I never use decaf and always ask for extra reg. A fridge is a big plus as long as it does not contain the dreaded MINI BAR. Does anyone ever buy this overpriced stuff? Location of hotel more important THAN VIEW. Restaurants: no mediocre bread. No iceberg lettuce, unless stated. Moderate portions, neither too much or too little(very subjective, I know). REAL reggiano parmegiano, good mustard, (no yellow) if needed. REstaurants are even more subjective than hotel IMO. I want all this wonderful stuff at a great price too ;-0 Judy

Nothing is more of a turn off then finding room service trays outside doors long after they should have been picked up. Lots of hotels (expensive & moderate) are guilty of this.

I do like a room with some sort of view and a balcony is always nice too. Clean windows are a plus as well (likewise clean drapes and not having them hang off the hooks where people have pulled them back and forth opening & closing).

Also like extra towels. This is a regular pain in many hotels. An extra bath towel or two is important and having to call for them and wait for Housekeeping to come (or not) is a real nuisance.

On the subject of bathrooms, I want the plug/stopper thing in the tub to work. Many don't, hotels seem to assume everyone wants a shower when I prefer a nice long soak.

I appreciate hotels that have extra pillows in the closet and I like having an iron & ironing board.

I really appreciate it when you ask for your room to be made up early and it is!!
That is a major plus.

Nice soap is a plus (altho I usually have my own), likewise shampoos, etc. Hotels that have a little clothesline over the tub get points from me too.

I like the weather channel on t.v. also!

In restaurants please don't sit us next to a family with small children!! Nothing against kids, but I don't want to sit next to them in most cases. Pleasant, attentive service is welcome, but not "fussy" service.