Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
PROFITABLE FOR THE HOTELS
RAINY WEATHER HARVEST
TIME FOR THEM.
All Sorts of Business Under Their
Roofs Reap Benefit From Enforced
Confinement of Guests.

This is good hotel weather." remarked
the chief clerk of one of the capitals big
caravansaries, on one of the recent stormy
days, as he chatted for a moment with a
Star reporter, and indicated toward the
plate glass windows of the office, against
which the rain pelted in sheets, although
from a trade standpoint in general it is
very discouraging.
Rainy days. of which we have had so
many this spring. are profitable ones for a
hotel. A large hotel is little city in itself.
with a dozen or more different kinds of
business under its roof. When the weather
is inclement the guests remain indoors. and,
with nothing to do. look around for some
thing to engage their attention. The news
stands are well patroniZed, and there Is a
run on the magazines, newspapers and post
cards. especially the last. of which no city
in the country can furnish so many diversi-
fled and beautiful views as Washington.
The lady guests devote their time to letter
writing. and we are busy responding to
calls for stationery. Rainy weather makes
men feel like smoking to kill time. to the
profit of the cigar stands. and also thirsty
and hungry, to the advantage Of the cafe
and restaurant. Even the hotel BARRIERS re-
joice when 1t rains, as men indulge in ton
serial operations to pass the hours. The
hotel stenOgrapher works overtime, the tel
egraph operator doubles his output of mes
sageS, while the operators at the hotel
room telephone exchange put in their heav-
lest days at the switchboard. The hotel cab
general rainy-day prosperity, so all around.
you see. we have no kick coming when 1t Is
a rainy day.
Good Season Just Closed
''The spring season just closing. consider
ing that this year is a short session year in
the capital. has been one of the best we have
he mi MT u
all that we could desire. With each sue
.ceeding year Washington has larger and
ever-increasing permanent hotel colony,
consisting of the residents of other places
who come to the capital for the social sea-
son and take permanent apartments at the
big hotels, though the smaller ones also
participate in this profitable clientele.
80 far as the transient trade is con-
cerned this year has been good one. too.
I'll tell you curious thing about the hotel
transient business. The average transient
guest remains about one and a half days in
the large European-plan houses of this
kind. Were all of the guests who come
here in three days to remain. and none de-
part those who came later would be turned
away. 1t Is welcome the coming guest and
bid the going a naffectionate adieu, with US.
and all under the sheltering roof of big
hotel. from the bellboys to the manager.
rejoice when there are simultaneous lines
making for the register and the door.
washington Is now an all-the-year
around hotel town, and the days when it
was considered a winter town are passed.
There are few cities which have broadened
and expanded in all ways like the capital
We not only now have a very heavy sum-
mer transient trade, much more so than a
dozen years ago, but we also have conven-
lions of different kinds throughout the en-
tire year. For the electrical convention. for
instance, every room in the house was
booked for the week long in advance. and
this in June. Then the summer excursion
travel to- the city, which has always been
more or less good. has increased to very
heavy proportions in recent years. and from
our bookings for the ensuing summer we
expect it to break the record. AS the years
advance Washington is destined to become
the Mecca Of the country to the especial
profit of the hotels and the advantage of
the city in general. No matter how large
the crowds may be. there Is always room
for all who may desire to abide with us
temporarily, or permanently, for that mat
tor