TRAVEL / JIM'S GEMS

So Tell Me – How does a hotel get a 5 Star rating? Does price have anything to do with it? Does the quality of service? What about the fluffy towels in the large spacious bath rooms in the large and spacious hotel rooms? Or, is it because travel journalists have written rave reviews and people with “funds” have used their platinum American Express Cards to check in and pay for services?

The answer could be a combination of the above or all of the above.

As a travel journalist I do have my own system of rating hotels, lodges, outfitters, and of course eating establishments. Which brings me to this addition of JIM’S GEMS of a travel nature.

Last week I attended a meeting in the Oregon community of Salem. No, not the place where they burn witches, they may burn the toast from time to time but witches are left sans flames.

Our accommodations were at the Red Lion Hotel and I must say the rooms were very nice, the towels were semi-fluffy, the Internet worked, and the soft-drink machines only charged a buck and a half. The highlight of my visit were the hotel people working the Desk. They were all helpfull and did a flawless job of pleasing guests. My special thanks to Dawn whose directions were life savers.

So after all that here is the TRAVEL GEM.

During lunch one day two of the men dinning with us didn’t think they could eat a whole half-pound hamburger and each wanted a bowl of clam chowder. So when the young lady brought the food he asked if the kitchen could cut the burger in half so the two might share the burger. Smiling she returned to the kitchen.

She returned quickly with a strange look and informed the table that she had been told there would be a $2.00 dollar charge for cutting the burger in two. Remember this is Salem, Oregon not a New York City Bristro.

The reply was nicer than mine would have been – “Just bring me a knife and another plate.”

Got Knife?