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Recent Comments:
Waldorf-Astoria Faces Third Bedbug Lawsuit {AOL Travel News}
Jan 7th 2011 11:19AM Thank YOU for finally stating the obvious. Being a former hotelier and knowing the bed bug story alot better than the "novice" traveler, here is some facts
1. Bed bugs are NOT a "dirty" issue. They are a bug that transfers from a person to product just like HEAD LICE in the schools.
2. Hotels cannot tell they have them until the infestation is more than a few...It usually takes upwards of 4-6 months.
3. Hotels, once they find the bed bugs, will have to destroy the bed bugs by destroying all soft goods in the room...it costs them a fortune too.
4. It isn't the hotels fault but the person who CARRIED the bed bugs to the hotel that the woman should sue. Hotels have record of who was in the room for upwards of a year so they can pinpoint who they are fairly quickly based on the size of the infestation. Additionally, I hate to stereotype but most infestations are from Middle East and European travelers that I have encountered.
5. If you get bitten...it usually isn't one or two, but 20 or more. You know you got them the FIRST NIGHT. So, you are in a hotel, you got bitten, I would love to find out when she told the front desk, manager on duty or housekeeping. I am betting without knowing the woman, she wiated until she got home and called in the complaint and awaited a response. 10 million is simply someone looking to pocket a huge amount of cash because she sees this as a company with big pockets. And if this stay at home mom was a doctor, she couldn't have been a very good one if she missed the signs of bed bugs!! Hotels know the games that people will play to get a freebie and believe me, there is MUCH MORE to this story than what is reported, that I guarantee
I am not backing the hotels on this, but you as the consumer take the risk when you travel. If you get seated on a plane next to an obess person do you sue the airline, it isn't the airlines fault that someone over indulged...It is the same concept in this case. The hotels can't determine who has or hasn't got bed bugs, so you as the consumer need to take the right steps to ensure that they are not there...that is your responsibility. Being a hotelier, we stay at 5+ star hotels all the time and we do the checks like the woman in a prior response said
Lift up the sheet and check the mattress at the headboard and in the seams. If you suspect bed bugs, call the front desk, they don't want them as much as YOU don't.
There really isn't a need for all kinds of different pj's. If you have bedbugs and checked the bed prior, they are not going to all of a sudden show up.
It is always a good idea to never place your suitcase on the bed, that is what the luggage rack is for.
Where socks in hotel room...seriously...if you want to see the dirtiest part of a hotel room, try the carpet...the hotels do clean them but not after EVERY stay. Or how about the phones and remotes. Every thought about who the person was that stayed before you. Was he some pervert that was watching a porno and pleasing himself with the remote in his hands. The housekeepers do wash them but really do you TRUST that it was the cleaned to your personal standards...
Hotels are a PUBLIC housing unit, plain and simple and you pay to use them, they follow the standards required and I guarantee the Waldorf does, but don't be niave, the people cleaning the rooms are simple good people who do the best that they can.
Top ten overrated international travel destinations {Gadling}
Nov 4th 2010 9:47AM I think that they are wrong about the Leaning tower of Pisa... I just went to Italy and it is NOT cabled up everywhere like they say. Sure it is surrpunded by tacky street vendors trying to sell you any and everything but it is just amazing to stand there and realize that it hasn't fallen in all this time. Pisa does have more to offer than the Leaning tower. The church is full of amazing history and beautiful as well - Galileo discovered the pendulum there. That Church actually leans as well. The Baptistry is beautiful and Pisa is very close to the sea, worth the extra 20 minutes drive to go there as well. If you go to Italy, it is something you have to see, simply because you will probably never see it again and EVERYONE knows what it is. Sidenote: They have the cleanest bathrooms in ITALY in Pisa, that alone is something amazing!
Woman Given Refund After Uncomfortable Flight With Obese Passenger {AOL Travel News}
Oct 28th 2010 10:08AM Sorry...I have to agree with the man who said that the Dr was second rate. You are going to tell me that a GOOD doctor, who wants to help a patient, is going to allow a medication to make his already ill patient to become morbidly obese! Know the facts! Get a clue.
Obesity is a disease and one that a person brings on themselves. There is no medical evidence that shows (as far as I know) that medicine does that to a person. You would be hard pressed to get the FDA to approve a drug that does. YES, some medications do make you gain a SMALL amount of weight but that is a SMALL amount of weight and the rest is up to the person giving into their own wants and needs.
Americans like to blame everyone but themselves for the problems. I am fat, it was the drugs. I am a drug addict, it was the dealers fault. My husband beats me, he is under stress. I overextended my finances, it was the mortgage companies fault, the car company that gave me the loan, etc. etc. I am black, muslim, gay or a woman I am being wrongfully discriminated against. The world is full of "poor me's", BUCK up people. YOU make the choices, you reap the rewards and serve the punishments
Woman Given Refund After Uncomfortable Flight With Obese Passenger {AOL Travel News}
Oct 28th 2010 9:55AM I appreciate your comments regarding obese people but really, Karma...give me a break.
The true fact here is that obese individuals CHOOSE to be obese. The fact that they have to buy more food is a CHOICE, a LIFESTYLE...buying less food is simply one start to a way to decrease the weight. Those who are obese put themselves in that position - regardless of medical conditions - that is an excuse!
Insurance companies should pay for weight loss surgery, are you NUTS! Why should the rest of the American Public pay for someone's inability to control their own lives. You choose to get fat, you should pay to reduce the fat! IF you want to have the insurance companies pay for it, I think they should charge your premiums on your weight!
Go to Europe, you will be hard pressed to find a bunch of overweight people there. The ones that are, are usually the American Tourists. I have been on flights where I was sat next to an obese person and I clearly let them know and the flight attendants that I will NOT sit next to them. It may seem cruel, but why should I be inconvenienced by their choices...they could be the nicest person in the world but that is not my problem to deal with. My health and wellbeing is.
OH, and to those people who are criticizing the spelling and grammer of the responses. Is that all you have for a comeback! Grow up and read the content. Most people are typing FAST!
Smoking hurts on Saudi airline {Gadling}
Feb 5th 2009 9:45AM Not everything in life has to be the "equal" for all.
Life is made up of choices and the end result is people DO WHAT THEY WANT. Your choice to smoke results in conditions on how it affects others,plain and simple.
You have the right to destroy your own life, but you don't have the right to slowly murder all of us who don't smoke. Your choice is for YOU, not me and my children. YOU made a choice to smoke, those of us who chose not to made a choice as well and in a democracy, majority rules.
I think that the middle east has it 100% right on their punishments for their people. Maybe if the US adopted some of their punishments we wouldn't have as many of the problems that we have. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time, or in this case, accept the punishment.
