Smith: the boutique-hotel bible?
Posted by Anthony on August 27th, 2008For exactly 100 years, this year, the world has been unquestioningly accepting one of the oddest trends ever to infiltrate the hotel industry – the Gideons. Yes, the sneaky evangelists have been ‘placing’ their maroon preacher-pamphlets in bedside drawers for a century. We don’t know if the scripture-scattering organisation is planning some sort of party to celebrate, whether they’ll produce a special diamante-studded commemorative edition, or whether they’ve a bible-shaped cake on order, but the New Statesman (of all places) has chosen to mark the occasion with a short article.
The NS notes that ‘edgier’ boutique hotels have thus far managed to keep the Gideons at bay, and rang us up for a comment. We noted that, in the kind of hotel we’re into, the Kama Sutra would be more appropriate bed-time reading – which is certainly true, but, sadly, I doubt that anyone would be willing to set up an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the global dissemination of sex manuals. Now, that would be a missionary position indeed…
[...] day it’s the New Statesmen asking us about bibles, the next it’s State-side wealth bible Forbes asking us about spas. Fortunately for them, [...]
By Top 10 spa stays
On February 26th, 2009
If you don’t want to read it, you don’t have to. It’s not disturbing you at night, it’s not taking up your space, why bother to publish such a comment as an article?
Personally I think I appreciate I have a bible rather than a kama sutra book. I on the other hand I’m into classier hotels. Also, I highly doubt the kind of hotels you refer to have to worry of what their clients are reading as they usually have other plans than to read.
By angeline
On November 2nd, 2009
Oh I don’t know, Angeline, I’m sure there’s a happy medium: there’s some really raunchy stuff in Esther. And the Song of Solomon is practically Emannuelle. Maybe the Gideons could produce an abridged version with just the kinky bits, and then everyone would be happy…
By Anthony
On November 2nd, 2009