A
Anonymous
Guest
It is reported today, "Travelodge are considering building hotels along the camino francés. They had some initial meetings with the Xunta in Galicia recently.... I wonder if some of the spirit of the camino will be gone if pilgrims sleep in Travelodges instead of the local albergue?"
Excellent opportunity here, folks! If Travelodge really want to do this, let's give them some real guidance on how to make an authentic environment. I'll start the ball rolling. Please add your suggestions!
1. Staff in these Travelodges should be unpaid volunteers, dedicated to peregrinos and refuse all tips.
2. All hotel guests must be pushed out the door by 9.30 a.m. at the latest.
3. Loudspeakers in the hotel rooms will play the sound of three people snoring, all through the night.
4. No sink or bath plugs will be provided in the bathrooms and an old (navy blue) sock will always be left in the corner.
5. A dog-eared copy of "Wild Flowers of Scandinavia" - in Norwegian - will be provided as the sole reading material in the hotel bedrooms, in case a pilgrim gets bored.
6. At about three o'clock in the morning, a member of the Travelodge staff will enter the room and accidentally step on the guest's nose, while whispering "Sorry," before falling over noisily and knocking over some walking sticks.
7. The hotel manager should gratefully accept a donation, instead of the 35 Euros room charge, as a sign of her full commitment to the spirit of the Camino.
8. The Travelodge company should send all their staff for training days and client communication seminars with Tomas el Templario at Manjarin, including instruction on how to encourage guests to crap in the hotel garden without being closed down as a health hazard by the local ayuntamiento.
9. The hotel manager should be qualified in shiatsu Zen crystal-gazing Hindu vegan caffeine-free Tibetan astro-karmic windsurfing, a dedicated opposer of Opus Dei, and able to give foot massage while simultaneously cooking sopa de ajo.
10. The Travelodge will always stay open in the winter, even if there are only two guests a week.
:wink:
Gareth
Excellent opportunity here, folks! If Travelodge really want to do this, let's give them some real guidance on how to make an authentic environment. I'll start the ball rolling. Please add your suggestions!
1. Staff in these Travelodges should be unpaid volunteers, dedicated to peregrinos and refuse all tips.
2. All hotel guests must be pushed out the door by 9.30 a.m. at the latest.
3. Loudspeakers in the hotel rooms will play the sound of three people snoring, all through the night.
4. No sink or bath plugs will be provided in the bathrooms and an old (navy blue) sock will always be left in the corner.
5. A dog-eared copy of "Wild Flowers of Scandinavia" - in Norwegian - will be provided as the sole reading material in the hotel bedrooms, in case a pilgrim gets bored.
6. At about three o'clock in the morning, a member of the Travelodge staff will enter the room and accidentally step on the guest's nose, while whispering "Sorry," before falling over noisily and knocking over some walking sticks.
7. The hotel manager should gratefully accept a donation, instead of the 35 Euros room charge, as a sign of her full commitment to the spirit of the Camino.
8. The Travelodge company should send all their staff for training days and client communication seminars with Tomas el Templario at Manjarin, including instruction on how to encourage guests to crap in the hotel garden without being closed down as a health hazard by the local ayuntamiento.
9. The hotel manager should be qualified in shiatsu Zen crystal-gazing Hindu vegan caffeine-free Tibetan astro-karmic windsurfing, a dedicated opposer of Opus Dei, and able to give foot massage while simultaneously cooking sopa de ajo.
10. The Travelodge will always stay open in the winter, even if there are only two guests a week.
:wink:
Gareth