Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-10-19
Hotel Life.

xAteOA 4AAS'
Tho multiplication of large hotels in oil our
cities, shows. of course. that We aie the greatest
people for travelling in proportion to our NUN
bers, in the world. But 1t suggests the question
whether after all. some impr. yenents cannot be
made in the arrangements ot them for the COM
forts of largo Glasses Of tho guests Twenty years
ngo tho Astor House was the wonder Of the Uni
tod States, and suggested that large hotels, from
being more generally known, would pick up the
custom. And 30 while England has been build.
ing mammoth hips--foating hotols--we
have boon putting mammoth hotels upon land.--
The stock in them does not pay very we'll and
steadily, except in o fcw cascs, but II certainly
costs the guests enormously, and ofton without
half the comfort which might be secured at n third
OF the cost.
A bookseller comes once or twice year to buy
looks or attend n trade sale, u country merchant
to buy goods. n lawyer tn compromise some suit,
or u Clergyman 10 attend tho anniversaries. At
homo, these men live comfortably and plainly, in
clean rooms, with few and simple wants. They
want 10 got through with thcir business and re-
turn. The glare and tho glitter ero nothing TO
them. They are 6idse to all that. and have got
letter friends and moro respectable Mt homo than
those who dash 1t the hardest and make the great
est show in those gildcd drawing rooms. And
they have to pay all the expense of tho costly fnr
niturc which is used up or needs to DO renovated
in ak months, or which thumb-soilod and dirty Is
put upa story higher into their apartments, to
mako way for something moro gorgeous in frosh
green and gold, in tho No. ! rooms where n
young gentleman and his wife or mistress IRE
sp,ling champagne and ice cream.
Simple, quiet, clean comfort, good ventilation.
fresh linen and plain neatnoss, are oil the large
class of business men seok ana care for. They
hate tho seventh story, or room small they
cannot ask In friend. They want not luxurious
deserts and rich food but they want choice and
"A uuiet spat not IN LA crnwied md mt to bo hur-
ricd. But TO go through tho Avc courses OF n
fashionable dinner and hnve to wait first till soup
is all done then tho fish, thon NIL varieties OF meat
then pies and puddings, and thon fruits--what
hns all this to do with them They do not choose
to submit their timo to such waste at homo cx-
cept twice ycar at the Thanksgiving dinner, or
some great occasion, why should they do 1t among
stranRors2 Yot thousands do, and pay for it all
too simply because they want 10 be wherc they
can bo sure cf having clean sheets. and good
sized room aud not 10 confined to tho choice be-
tween tough beefstrak, and ham and cgpr warmed
over.
Tho business man wants rcspectabi,y, and
that he must and will have, but ho does not want
To trust to hotels tn form his associates friends
lie has his circle at home his letters intro
| ducing him in tho city. and from which hc gets
| the benefits of his real character, formed and
known for twenty years, lilo wishes to DO able
| Ia ask a friend TO dino with him. TO cultivate n
| r'ehash'p NJ niish w bnnhcsH tThnsacu"H-
| The plan of having smaller tables 10 naturally
and wisely spperceding the old plan of one long
and enormous board. Bat u far greater improve
ment would be the more general introduction Of
rooms of different prices, ind fair charge being
made for the food furnished to each guest.
Of course there arc those to whom hotel life Is
tho everything in the world. Who enjoy tho pa
rade and the glitter, the dresses and the company
immensely. Some lovo the bar room or tho cham
pagne. Fast young mcn like young Lane who
must dash it at any cost, and ,oahout being knoWn
to spend as they do. For tho rest Of mankind.
the hotel is not place TO iipe at though Of the
greatest possible value for sojouaner with fam
lily or without. Even for few weeks. the we'll
conducted boarding house has its advantages over
the hotel for most. To live among strangers too
long is not good. Bat to go among such for en-
joymcnt of life, shows but a poor taste. To fancy
its fashion and its style. top Of everything. is per-
nicious. In such life, men walk in a false and
unnatural position. They are not at home. not
themselves not half the time fit for 'siness. In
deed, many are led away, cheated corrupted nnd
destroyed by not going to n hotel where they
be and live just ns they would at homc without
other prctensons the annoyances Of strange
customs and ways.-fhiiddelpLia Letf1cr