Evening star., 1941-06-15
Hotel Men
Smooth as
Diplomats
Catering to Public
At Resorts Fills
Heads With Aches

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., June IA.
Americas resort hotel industry is
blg-time business, a combination of
high-pressure SalesmanShip and
silk-gloved diplomacy-but it hasn't
been the same since your Aunt
Tilly started dieting and went in
for pampered poodles.
Hotelmen in this great conven-
ton city and Seashore resort can
tell the story for their brethren the
country round of their complex
trade, its incongruitieS, its head
aches and its laughs. The picture
is about the same in every resort,
SeaShore or mountain.
Just the details differ.
Take that item of diet for a SAM
pie of how fad became a major
problem for resort innkeepers. Vic
tor Jacoby, executive secretary of
the New Jersey State Hotel Asso-
citation, says it probably won't be
many years before the American
plan disappears. That's the system
NlASlC CIlC 11ObCl SlNCo a DIdllhCG pl4SC
for room and meals.
Diets Create Problem.
"Diet hints and Slenderizing meth
ods had a great deal to do with it,"
cline of the plans popularity in
recent years. People liked to get
their moneys worth by eating plenty
under the American plan, and now
when they worry about their figure
the vacationistS prefer the European
plan of just paying for the room"
Hotelmen have learned sadly that
guests are few without dining rooms.
And a hotel must have 70 per cent
of its rooms occupied to be operat-
ing prohtably. So the dining rooms
stay.
Then there is that matter of pet
dogs. Most resort hotels barred
them until a few years ago, but
they have become so numerous now
that they can't be turned away.
The rate is 81 day at the better
beach-front hotels. At one they
can have standard lunch of
chopped meat and vegetables for 60
cents.
For dogs that refuse to be stand
ardized there is a roast beef din
ner for S180 and one of sirloin
steak for 1920
The automobile has brought other
headaches to resort hotels within
e. few hours driving time of metro
politan cenrers. The average guest
used to stay in a New Jersey resort
for three weeks. Now the visitor
runs down from New York or Phila-
elphia for three days.
Hotel Men Trained.
In the last few years the resort
hotelmen have snapped out of
lethargy and gone to town to at
tract huge conventions to their city
and, incidentally, to their inn.
To make sure that there is a con-
slant supply of highly trained no.
telmen available the State aSSocia-
tion-like others in the Nation
has set up a scholarship system to
provide college training for several
youths annually. The New Jersey
group sponsors four scholarships in
hotel administration courses at
Cornell.
The demand for these trained
men exceeds the supply. 1t is only
rarely that bellboy is able to work
up to a responsible position-most
of them only stay long enough to
enjoy the advantages of being paid
during the summer vacation season.
Hotel officials are smart fellows
that visitors can rarely fool.
John G. Benson, who has been
connected with Atlantic City's hotel
industry a quarter of a century and
now is recording secretary of the
New Jersey Hotel Association, says
a room clerk can see through most
people like glass"
Newlyweds Easily Detected.
Newlyweds, who invariably try to
act like they've been married for
years, never fooled any hotelman,
says Mr.. Benson, adding:
It's really simple. Both bride
and bridegroom have new clothes.
The bride wears a fresh flower, fire.
quently an orchid or gardenia. The
knot in the bridegroom necktie is
a marvellous bit of craftsmanship.
In signing Mr.. and Mrs on the
register the bridegroom feigns an
utter unconcern that is laughable,
but the bride follows the pen point
with her eyes"
And when all other signs fail
there is yet a dead giveaway-two
brand-new pairs of shoes.
In all my years." says Mr. Ben
son, I've never seen pair of
honeymooners that didn't have new
shoes with smooth, mworn surface
still visible on the soles."
Hotelmen consider it important
to spot honeymooners, Mr.. Benson
says, so special attention can be
paid to them. the theory being that
if exceptional treatment is accorded
them they will return many times
during married life, followed by
their children.
Hotel clerks have to be smart to
survive in the business, and if you
think career diplomats are smooth
customers you should watch an eX-
perienced hotelman at work. His
life is devoted to diplomacy. And,
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