Originally Posted by
EuropeanPete
I do think that you were constructing a straw man in your original post - Firstly, there was a clear suggestion that the only type of chain hotel available today are those bringing the strong brand standards and conventions of the 80s - like Holiday Inns and the core Hilton and Marriott brand. Secondly, in the original post and subsequently there is the suggestion that for some reason independent hotels were much more likely to have beautiful views or be more characteristic. I can absolutely see how in Montana in 1986 this would probably have been true, but the world moved on a generation ago. Some of the world's most luxurious hotels are Amans, some of the most distinctive boutique hotels are Small Luxury Hotels of the World, charming little boutiques are increasingly grouping together into common management companies and even giants like Marriott are cooperating with tiny boutiques G-Rough in Italy.
I'm going to bow out of this thread, as similar to the one other time I've come across you on this forum, you're getting massively heated and offensive at anyone who questions your logic. If you want to continue contributing to Internet forums I'd recommend getting a friend or relative to read your posts and offer their feedback as to how you come across.
Oh nonsense. There was a clear suggestion by me that chain hotels provide. consistency, predictability, reliability, etc. and in that context, security of what you can expect to get. There was no 'clear suggestion' that there was only that type of chain hotel. What I believe I made clear is that in
general that is what people turned to chain hotels for and still do, along with points. Do you really think I am not aware that it is possible that a chain hotel exists which is more unique than the majority?
Saying that some chains do have some more interesting hotels is hardly an argument in favour of chain hotels over independents in regards to chain hotels
in general or a majority of hotels. It is the Holiday Inns, Courtyard Inns, Hampton Inns, etc. who the majority of travellers use. Show me some links to some more interesting hotels in those chains EuropeanPete. I'd be happy to know of some I could stay at.
Nor am I suggesting that all independent hotels are superior to chain hotels. The majority of independent hotels are just as boring as chain hotels. However, it is more likely you will find an interesting independent hotel in
all price ranges than it is that you will find an interesting hotel in all chain hotel price ranges. Seen an interesting Motel 7 somewhere recently?
Going back to my sample hotel, that is a $100 a night hotel EuropeanPete. I chose it for several reasons. First, I happen to know of it and second it shows that you do not have to pay Small Luxury Hotel prices to get something interesting and yes with beautiful views. Am I or the hotel supposed to apologize for having beautiful views? Or do you think it is the only one that I could have chosen for my example? I could just as easily have chosen an example in dozens of places. My third reason for that specific example was simply because Davos has been in the news recently because of the annual World Economic Summit which is held there each year at the end of January. I wasn't 'cherry picking' as one poster tried to imply, I was simply choosing a place that a lot of people would have heard of recently.
I think we should also acknowledge that there are organizations of independent hotels who band together for some mutual benefit such as pooling their marketing to compete against the real chains, who remain independently owned and run, but some here have referred to as chains. Using Small Luxury Hotels as your example of a chain providing more unique hotels, you are simply embarrassing yourself by using an example that is in fact
not a chain. It is a group of independent hotels who are not 'grouped together into a common management company'. From the SLH website:
"INDEPENDENT HOTELS
We are the champions of small, independent luxury hotels ensuring our guests enjoy truly authentic luxury travel experiences."
(Please note what it is they are 'championing'. The direct antithesis of chain hotels.)
I don't get 'massively heated and offensive' EuropeanPete. Yet another typical example of the kind of assumptions people make and hyperbole they use when they resort to attacking a poster who does not 'go with the flow' and agree with the majority view. It is always the one 'out of step' who must be wrong. Right up until it turns out they were right all along.
One thing we can agree on is that it is time for us all to 'bow out'. The thread has reached that point where nothing is being added to the topic really. the usual suspects are just yet again defending their position as the arbiters of what is 'right' in this forum. What I do think the thread has shown are a few things. Some people prefer independent hotels where available as I do. Some prefer chains and collecting points and actually believe it is always their best choice. Perhaps some have been woken up to the idea of not being quite so quick to jump on the chain and points bandwagon. It is that last point that the thread was intended to stimulate.