The sun., 1908-04-26
AoMAN HOLIDAYS.
Ilotsl,. PrnsluuI nd.Apartnsnt!

Shoad 10 some specific hotel, (which "
mine inns shal axe mine ease inl' he Is
the more puzzled TO chooas tho more inns
there are 70 ohoo,e from and his difficulty
u enhanced II b has not considered that
some Of his inns may be full, or may be too
dear, and yet tthers undesirable.
The run fron Naples In four hours and
q half had ben % hattering fair an ex.
porionco to people who had last made IL
In eight that they arrived In Rome on a
sunny Afternoon OF January preoooupiei
with expectations OF an instant ease IN
their Inn which seemed the measure OF their
merit, Thor indeed found their inn, and
II wss wittA painful surprise that they dill
not find ths rooms In II which they wantel
There yer, neither rooms full south nor
'over the garden nor 'oi the tram ami
In these circumstances there was nothing
for II bit 10 drive 30 some one slse's inn
and try for better quarters there. They
In fact drove TO half dozOn suoh, their
demands rising for more rooms and SUMMER
and oIieter and cheaper the fewer ami
dArkt and noisier and dearSr we're those
theytound.
TIE trouble was that they found In the
very fret alien hotel where they applied In
Apartment so eIaotly what they wanted
Nth It's four rooms and bath, al more o.
lee full SOUTH though mostly veerihg
SsSt nd north, that they carried the ih.a
norm In their consciousness and tested all
other apartments. by H., the earlier notion
Of single rooms being promptly rejected
after the sight Of It. The reader will there.
fore not be so much astonished as these
travellers wero to learn that there was
nothing else In Rome (where there must DO
about 500 hotels, hotsls 0arniS and pensionsJ
that one could comparatively stay even
over night In, and that they settled in that
Alluring apartment Professionally, the neI
day being Sunday and the crystalline Sat.
urday Of THAR arrival being well worn away
toward it's topaz and ruby sunset. 0fcourse
they continued their search for several
days Rfterward. zealously but hopelessly,
yet not frultlessly, for It resulted in an
acquaintance with Roman hotels which
they might otherwise never have made,
and for one Of them In potential Uopy on
subject Of interest TO every one hoping 10
como TO Rome or despairing OF H. The
psychology Of the matter vas very curious
and involved the sort Of pleasing seli-illl.
Sioh by which people so often get them.
selves over questionable passes In life and
como out with good conscience dead
one-whioh Is practically the same thing
These particular people had come to Rome
with "Reminiscences Of ineIpensivenessa and
had Intended 10 reooup themselves for the
cost Of several previous winters in New
York hotels by the immense saving they
would make 10 their Roman sojourn. When
It appeared, after all the negotiation and
consequent abatement. that their Roman
hotel apartment would cost them hardly 4
fifth less than they had last paid in New
York they took q guilty refuge In the fact
that they were getting for less money
something which no money could buy In
New York. Gradually all sense Of guilt
wore od and they boldly, or even impu-
dently said to themselves that they ought
10 have what they codld pay for and that
there we're reasons, which they we're moi
obliged to render In their frankest solilo
quies. why they should do just what the
chose In the matter.
The truth is that the modern Roman 30
tel is far better In every way than the h1tel
Of far higher olass, Or Of the highest cAss,
In New York. In the first place the nan.
agement is In the precious secret which our
propnetors have Lost, Of making you believe
that they want you, and having yov, they
know how TO look altar your pleasure and
welfare. The table Is always far better
than ours, with more real variety, though
vastly less stupid profudon. The ma
terials are wholesomer and fresher and
are without the proofs always present in
our hotel viands. Of a probationary period
in cold storage. "A for the cooking, there
is no comparison, whether the things are
simply or completely treated; and the ser
vioe is Of that neatness, promptness which
ours is 20 ignorant Of.
Your arrangement is almost always for
meals as we'll as rooms; the European plan
ID preferably ignored In Europe; and the
table d'hote luncheon and dinner Is served
at small, separate tables; your breakfast
ls brought to your room. Being old fash
loned myself am rather sorry for the
small, separate tables. liked the one big
long table, where you made talk withyour
neighbos; but II is gone, and much faciie
friendHnesS with Il. on either hand and
across the board. The rooms are tastefully
furnished and the beds are unquestionable;
the carpets warmly cover the floor il stone
or amply rug II II Of board. The steam
heating is generous and performs it's Office
Of roasting you out Of the hoube' with
out the sizzling and cracking which accom-
pany lts efforts at home The electricity
really Eliminates, and there is always an
electric lamp at your bed head for those
long hours when your remorse or your d.
Eestion will not let you sleep and you must
substitute some others waking dreams for
those Of your own slumbers. Above all,
there iS a lift or elevator. not enthusiast
cally active OF convulsively swift. but en-
tirely practicable and eficient. 1t will
hold from four to eight persons and will
take at least ak without reluctance
It must be clearly understood that the
ideal OF American comfort is fully and faith
fully realized and II the English have re-
formed the Italian hotels in respect Of clean
hness II Is we who have brought them quite
up TO our domestic level in regard to heat
and light. But II we want these things here
We must pay for them as We do at home,
though still We do not pay 90 much as We
pay at home. The tips are about half on
wasteful average, but whether they are
given currently or ultimately l do not
know. Who indeed knows about others