Evening star., 1914-11-11
STUDYING THE SYSTEMS
Of AMERICAN HOTELS
F. W. Kingsley of London in Wash
ington on an Inspecting
Tour.
Frankly Admits He Finds Some Su-
perior Equipment In Establish
ments He Has Visited.

F. w. Kingsley. general manager OF
the Hotel Cecil, London, Is in wash
ineton, studying the hotels OF the Cap
ital In the course Of trip he Is max
ing through the United States to in
spect the hotels Of number OF large
American cities. Mr.. Kingsley un-
grudeingly admits that American
hotels are better equipped than Euro
mean hotels in respect to what he calls
radiation" meaning heat: hfts'
meaning elevators, and especially III
respect to kitchen machinery.
Mr.. Kingsley has visited. so Tar,
hotels in New York. Philadelphia ana
Atlantic City, in addition to Wasnne-
ton. and in an interview with re-
porter for The Star today he said ne
would like to have it made clear that
he had come to the United States TO
study not to teach" He arrived in
New York a couple of weeks ago, and
is on his way to Chicago and San
Francisco, with the intention OF re-
turning to London about Christmas
time.
"Nothing Doing" in London.
There is, as you say in America, moth
ing doing in London just now in the
way of hotel business" Mr.. Kingsley re-
marked. THE theaters are all closed at
night. Only matinees are given. Business
in all lines is very quiet, and this natural
Iy affects the hotels. The restaurants, for
instance, close at 10 o'clock at night, and
after that hour there is no light IN the
city, except what is absolutely necessary
for traffic"
h1r IN, mt
many. under the name of Kaiser" When
he was eighteen years old he went to
England, and has ever since Deen con-
nected with hotel management there ana
in Ireland. He married an Engish woman
and became a naturalized British sub
ject fourteen years ago. Two of his
nephews are fighting in the Leicestersh1re
yeomanry and his British interests and
connections are SO predominant that he
ckanged his name to Kingsley September
26. after the beginning of the war
IT am well acquainted with a great
many Americans. because the Cecil Is
an American rendezvous. and many VINO
do not live there use the palm court
and the American bar as gathering
place. 1t is not an uncommon Slght at
times to see 500 or more Americans
gathered in the Cecil in an evening.
II have always wanted to come to
America and see how American hotels
care for their guests. and the war and
an opportunity. I found New York
hotel management fertile field Tor
study. and many interesting things In
Washington. Philadelphia and Atlantic
City, too.
Besides the great size of your hotels.
they offer their patrons appliances for
convenience and comfort far beyond
what we have in Europe. All sorts OF
baths, and so many of them, are among
these interesting things.
Cites Advantages Of the Cecil.
II have yet to see. however, hotel
in the United States which can ac-
commodate as large gatherings, such
as banquets bring, as the Hotel Cecil.
We sometimes have 1900 people at a
banquet I think the largest number
in Washington is about 500, and in
New York 1900 is the biggest figure.
At the Cecil we can accommodate as
many as 1000 people at a reception" :"
Mr.. Kingsley occupies the unique
position of having been the manager
of the three largest hotels in London.
He began his London experience at the
Midland Railway Company's Great
Central Hotel. where he stayed for five
years. He then went to the Hotel
Russell, where he remand for three
years. He became manager Of the