Hotels

Hotels

Saturday, 9 November, 2024

Room service. An oversized bed seemingly made of clouds. Breathtaking views through wall-sized windows. Zippy elevators. Friendly, efficient bellhops. And three magical words: Gourmet breakfast included. These are the things of which a first-rate hotel stay is made.

The idea of a place to lay your head while away from home has been around for millennia: When the Greeks and Romans developed thermal baths, they also built accommodations for visitors to spend the night after a recuperating soak.

What we would recognize as an inn became common in Europe during the Middle Ages. Rustic but homey, they provided lodging, food, and stables for horses. Fast forward to the industrialists of the 19th century, and boom! now we’ve got grand hotels designed to cater to a guest’s every whim. Laundry service? Of course. Space for entertaining? Naturally. And oh, free soap!

our podcast

In this episode, we take a quick romp through hotel history and imagine what it might have been like to visit a luxurious hotel during its 20th-century heyday. Then we discuss so many books that transported us to hotels on the page. There are haunted rooms and murderous mischief, people falling in love and settling scores, history-making events, and intimate drama, plus plenty of opulent furnishings and white-glove service. (show notes / transcript)

recommended books

A Gentleman in Moscow

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A Room with a View

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A Rule Against Murder

buy | read review

Bellweather Rhapsody

buy | read review

Colour Scheme

buy | read review

Crossed Skis

buy | read review

The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty

buy | read review

Estoril

buy | read review

The Feast

buy | read review

Fields' Guide to Abduction

buy | read review

Girls' Night Out

buy | read review

The Guest List

buy | read review

The Hitman's Daughter

buy | read review

The Hunting Party

buy | read review

The Inn at Lake Devine

buy | read review

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel

buy | read review

Payment in Blood

buy | read review

The Plaza

buy | read review

The Ruins

buy | read review

The Visitors

buy | read review

Top image courtesy of Giancarlo Revolledo/Unsplash.

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