zsm1928

To all of you guys who are offended when I bring my kids into the lounge with their pyjamas (and slippers), get over it. I don't understand how it violates your dignity as an executive.

ChiCityJetsetter

To be fair, the Sheraton Tribeca, NYC, isn't exactly a non-cosmopolitan hotel. You'd think people would dress more appropriately.

yosithezet

I've deleted and edited a few posts which violated the FT rules regarding posts containing prejudicial content. Please be careful to be respectful of others.

yosithezet
Co-Moderator, SPG Forum

worldwidedreamer

I totally agree. As someone who runs with Vibrams, wears VivoBarefoot shoes to the office and would love to just avoid shoes I think that their primary purpose is that most people (including myself) find feet quite ugly.

T8191

The aesthetics of feet are one issue. The hygiene of feet is another topic.

Shoes are possibly the dirtiest things going - sweaty on the inside, and trodden into whatever society, dogs, cats etc have deposited soon the outside. Neither shoes nor feet belong on surfaces used by other people ... except floors. And those who choose to go barefoot on public floors have to accept the potential consequences.

CHOPCHOP767

I didn't see any specific policy, doing a quick search on the Sheraton site, but I've only seen these at less cosmopolitan locales, e.g. resort/beach properties where the policy is clearly stated. I've read in that in the past that the no shoes, no service rule was for aesthetic purposes in that businesses wanted to maintain a respectable appearance and by denying service to those who didn't have shoes, or couldn't afford them way way back when, that they achieved that end. But to-day with the legal concerns of guests with bare-feet possibly cutting themselves with broken glass or slipping because bare-feet have less traction that shoes, sadly I suspect the aesthetic concern would only be a secondary factor in establishing the policy. That's not to say I don't agree with the policy because I certainly do support it. Thankfully, I've not yet seen this, at least not that I can recall, in SPG properties. More often than not, I'm the one who feels under-dressed in jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes.

Fizzer

Don't care about your kids but if you and your wife were to do it as well I would be amused and think it strange. Nothing to do with my dignity being affronted. just that it is weird. It's just the same as walking out on the street in PJs, as it's a public place ( sort of).

sbtinme

I can't imagine that 99% of business travellers really care about this issue in any meaningful way. I certainly don't. What I do loathe, however, is the family dynamic wherein the parents have "checked out" and the kids are maniacs (yelling, running, dropping food, hoarding plates full of stuff, etc). Let's face it, all of us hate that sort of behavior and it's nothing more than a reflection of the parents.

Many of us who've been at this game for decades sometimes conflate the two and that's certainly not fair. I see mostly well behaved kids and attentive parents, and -- for that -- I'm grateful.

Like others here, I, too, am baffled when I see a grown man come staggering into a Sheraton lounge in tattered sweat pants, the t-shirt he slept in, and hair shooting in all directions. But, I see it just about every single time these days. It's becoming the new norm, I'm afraid.

mahasamatman

I'm baffled when I see someone walking into a lounge wearing a jacket and tie. Neither of those fit my idea of "lounging".

KathyWdrf

Maybe that particular guy just needs some coffee & nourishment before he can get it together to clean up, comb his hair, and dress for the day? Doesn't really bother me too much.

chad75

Really use to bother me, but now, unless any dangly bits are showing from shorts, robes etc I don't care.

Anyway I've donned the smoking jacket and am off for a lounging session at my local Sheraton:

SFBayGuy

Smiley face or not, this comment smacks of something not very nice.

geirfugl

Its interesting how concerned abouth feet many are around here,is it not??

Im broad minded,but eeek,this foot thing somehow groses me out

LovetoTravel83

I don't get it that people are grossed out of this. I mean, you do swim in a pool where others' feet are in there.

Now from an etiquette point of view, I do see it as bad manners. Every place requires a form of dress code, and in a club lounge, it should be casual. Now barefooted is in no way casual. I actually don't know what is the dress code of being barefoot.

MSPeconomist

Bare feet would almost be the dress code in certain temples and mosques which require that shoes be removed? However, it's usually OK not to remove socks if you're wearing socks. Also, at some of these places, the custom at least for the faithful who are visiting to worship would be to wash their feet before entering.

Some swimming pool and/or hot tub areas forbid street shoes but usually permit slippers, swimming shoes, or plastic/rubber flip-flops in addition to bare feet. Hence this would be another example where the dress code almost specifies bare feet.