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Hotel Happenings: Dirty Rooms and the Dreaded Wake Up Call

Disgustingly gross hotel rooms have been a hot topic in the Travel Blog and I recently hit pay dirt when I came across a list of the nation’s filthiest properties.

According to TripAdvisor’s annual list of dirty hotel rooms, Manhattan’s Hotel Carter is as vile as they come. The 700-room hotel, located on West 43rd Street near Times Square once again earned the No. 1 spot on TripAdvisor’s filthy list (it has held the dubious honor for the past two years).

Now, for the third year in a row the Hotel Carter reigns supreme over its other groddy counterparts with tales from actual guests telling of their encounters with bedbugs, deplorable bathrooms, and stained bed sheets. But that pales in comparison to what a housekeeper found under a bed in August. According to the New York Post, a hotel housekeeper found the body of a woman hidden under a bed in one of the Hotel Carter’s room.

Still, if you are in desperate need of a place to stay in the Big Apple the hotel is up and running. Meaning it is has not been condemned by the Board of Health and is still considered a full-service property. The hotel even has a website, which urges prospective guests to “enjoy the warm hospitality and service at the Hotel Carter, a unique inviting departure from traditional hotels in Manhattan.”

Interpret it as you may.

On a positive note the Hotel Carter is as budget-friendly as they come in expensive Manhattan. A deluxe room for a weekend night is currently listed at $133.99 and that’s with tax!

THE DREADED HOTEL WAKE UP CALL

When was the last time you requested a wake up call at your favorite hotel and actually heard a live human at the end of the line?

For many hotel guests it has probably been a while given that an increasing number of lodgings now employ automated rise-and-shine calls, which feature recorded robotic voices telling you to get out of bed.

If you prefer to have a live person wish you a “Good Morning” before the sun rises then you might have to start shelling out more for your hotel room. Upscale properties such as the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton are among the limited hotel chains still offering personalized wake up calls, which includes a brief weather forecast.

I’m a light sleeper so I really don’t have a wake up call preference—I’m up at the first ring so it doesn’t matter who is on the other end of the line. What about you? Do you prefer automated or old fashion wake up calls?

Related Articles:

The Hotel Wake Up Call-Not So Dreaded Anymore

Combating Hotel Room Germs

Hotels–How Clean Are They?

Hotel Room Woes

Travel Tips–Hotel’s Unwanted Guests

Bye Bye Bathtubs!

This entry was posted in Hotels and tagged , , , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.