Originally Posted by USA_flyer
Surely part of the charm of France is that it *isn't* the US and that there's always that frisson of excitment as to how good your room is going to be. I'd much rather stay somewhere unique than Hotel Anywhere.
There is no charm when you arrive back in the room late at night after a nice meal to a dumpy bed that sinks to the floor, and then waking up to a handheld shower that soaks the floor because the owner was too cheap to buy a $3 plastic curtain. I'll take the Ritz Carlton any day over something "unique."
As for Accor, yes they are french and bought Motel 6, it is too bad they haven't learned anything about lodging in the process. I don't know if they have permitted the chain to sink to low French standards, but I will staying at one soon so I'll let you know.
As for TV, most people I know like to watch the late news and perhaps early a.m. business or sports news. We don't spend "all day" and "all night" watching TV, but that doesn't mean we don't value the option of relaxing for an hour before bed. Without cable or satellite there is no point in even buying a TV for the guest room.
