Friday, May 19, 2006
02/2006 Zermatt: 'Three Star B&B experience '
Snows heavily all day.
Hurrah! Found a room for tonight; overheard a guest telling reception, in French, that he was checking out a day early, so I asked if I could have his room. They made me call back at 5pm as they wouldn’t let the room go until he’d paid his bill. Am outraged by the ludicrously inflated charge - £130 for one night’s bed and breakfast in a drab 3 star hotel which would be lucky to get £50 a night anywhere else. Unfortunately I’ve got no choice and my principles don’t extend to sleeping on a bench in the train station at -4 degrees. This being Switzerland I’d probably get arrested anyway – but at least I’d have a bed in jail for the night. That could be Plan B….
Pack my pyjamas and toothbrush in a bin liner, heft laptop bag over shoulder and head off to my overpriced overnighter which is right in the centre of town opposite the train station – nice and quiet. The room hasn’t been decorated since about 1971 and has curtains my Gran threw out in 1973: there is mould in the bathroom and a cold draught from the windows.
I’m seeing a few hotels off the main shopping street today. The shops are the kind that sells Prada ski jackets for £850. I don’t see anything priced under £100 in any of the windows.
Sleep in my fleece….
Snows heavily all day.
Hurrah! Found a room for tonight; overheard a guest telling reception, in French, that he was checking out a day early, so I asked if I could have his room. They made me call back at 5pm as they wouldn’t let the room go until he’d paid his bill. Am outraged by the ludicrously inflated charge - £130 for one night’s bed and breakfast in a drab 3 star hotel which would be lucky to get £50 a night anywhere else. Unfortunately I’ve got no choice and my principles don’t extend to sleeping on a bench in the train station at -4 degrees. This being Switzerland I’d probably get arrested anyway – but at least I’d have a bed in jail for the night. That could be Plan B….
Pack my pyjamas and toothbrush in a bin liner, heft laptop bag over shoulder and head off to my overpriced overnighter which is right in the centre of town opposite the train station – nice and quiet. The room hasn’t been decorated since about 1971 and has curtains my Gran threw out in 1973: there is mould in the bathroom and a cold draught from the windows.
I’m seeing a few hotels off the main shopping street today. The shops are the kind that sells Prada ski jackets for £850. I don’t see anything priced under £100 in any of the windows.
Sleep in my fleece….
# posted by hotelreviewer @ 11:58 am 
