The travel-booking sites on the internet are starting to fill e-mail boxes with enticements to take a trip, book a holiday, stay in a hotel or try out summer nights in a re-tooled granary.
It has been awhile since letters from these various companies have appeared, likely because no one was leaving the backyard and it would have been a waste of time to attempt to lure anyone to go forth on a vacation.
Perhaps the faceless managers of these companies had some inside knowledge that travel this summer would pick up, gradually increasing to give hotels and attraction owners something to smile about with pre-travel bookings and requests for information.
This week alone the site we’ve used extensively in the past seemed to have resurrected itself, making its often annoying presence felt each time an e-mail notification was received. For the most part we were somewhat satisfied with this site when planning trips to Ontario, Newfoundland and the Maritimes. It failed us miserably on the Yukon voyage, forgetting to book a room in one hotel, forgetting to cancel at another and ignoring our special requests that were quite clear and concise.
The rates with this site were usually affordable although one motel owner complained it hadn’t given us her rate for seniors and she planned to have words with whomever she had a contract. I often wondered how her chat went.
Then there was the motel in British Columbia that should have been condemned but was given glowing reports, so glowing we were lured into booking for an overnight stay. The only saving grace was the beautiful scenery and the exquisite photographs Housemate brought home. The owner pleaded with us to give him a five-star review. “Not likely buddy.”
With the hints that spring is only months away and some indication it might be Ok to venture out a bit, the travel bug has started to bite and I’ve been clicking on the travel site to find out what’s available, where, prices and amenities offered.
It has been almost been 30 months since we last stayed in a hotel or motel. What has changed in that time, we wonder. Do we have to provide our own bedding and pillows? Do rooms in some establishments still have that bleachy smell that makes one wonder what bug has been cleansed from the room? Are the pull-out beds any more comfortable than they were years ago? Have prices been increased during our absence?
And what extra perks will be provided: small bottles of soap and hair shampoo, cloths with which to shine one’s shoes, maybe tiny tubes of toothpaste, and those miniature bars of soap that beg to be taken home?
Earlier at about the same time as the travel site e-mails increased in frequency, Housemate proclaimed one morning: “We have to go someplace to stay in a hotel.” My interest was piqued. “How come?” I asked.
His response: “I need some more of those little soaps. I’m almost out.”
Now that’s a reasonable reason to stay in a hotel for a weekend. That’s at least three baby bars of soap. As a bonus, I might get some hand lotion and a shoe cleaning cloth. Seeing friends and relatives will be fun too.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
