It’s Not About The Room

I’m sorry, Mr. Bliss, all we have left is a suite. I hope that will be okay.

The front desk clerk had the practiced smile that is designed to say, “Imma hook you up.”

Sure, that will be great.

I didn’t really care. I wasn’t upset or mad. I honestly just didn’t care. We were in another city for another week’s worth of meeting. I would be arriving on the site between 7:30 and 8:00am. We’d go to dinner after and I’d probably be back in the room around 10:00pm. A few emails, an hour or so of mindless TV and I’d go to sleep to start the whole thing over again.

Honestly, the complementary breakfast was more important to me than the room I was in. I have a very specific breakfast diet when I’m travelling.

• Raisin Bran cereal with 2% milk
• Two peach yogurts
• A bowl of fresh fruit
• Eggs or bacon, but never waffles
• A glass of orange juice

I actually don’t eat yogurt at home. I also don’t eat as complete a breakfast. But, when I travel it’s both a ritual and fuel for what will probably be a longer than normal day. And I’ve heard that eating yogurt helps prevent food issues when you travel. It’s probably more accurate for international travel than the it is for the domestic travel that I do, but it can’t hurt.

And wifi is super important. I don’t need the fee-based high speed version. As a writer, I’m not stressing the connection. But, if there is no option, it wouldn’t matter what size room you put me in.

Recently my boss and I ended up in South Florida in a city on the Atlantic side. We opted for a Holiday Inn since it literally shared a parking lot with our call center. It was probably one of the more basic hotels I’ve been in when travelling for my current company. There was no closet, just a bar with some coat hangers on it. No microwave or mini refrigerator. Pretty much a bed and a TV. It was the epitome of “fine.” But, not in a nice way.

Honestly? I didn’t care. It was really close to the center. But, it didn’t have the breakfast bar. That I did care about.

We went to dinner with the client at a nice restaurant on the beach.

So, where are you guys staying?

There’s a Marriott Courtyard right next door. I slept with the windows open last night. The sound of the waves was pretty cool.

Guess where we are staying next time we go to that city in Florida?

I’m sure it will be fine. As long as it has a bed, wifi and a breakfast bar, I’ll be great with it.

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. 

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