I recently read blog entry by a couple that had very contrasting experiences in hotels in Thailand and in Japan. Whereas most people might of thought that Japanese hotels would be preferrable to Thai ones it turned out to not be the case. The couple in question valued the location amenities and attractions a lot more than those of the hotel. The toilet might have flushed but there was nothing to do in Japan. In contrast the stay in Bangkok was fun. The hotel was in a hip style and the fun of the city was easily accessible.
I suspect many people prefer hotel rooms more than the place where they are set. The psychology of a hotel room is alluring. A space you can use without cleaning. TV in bed. Clean towels. Room service. It’s a bit like being royalty. If you read hotel reviews you notice how many times there are complaints about the bath being dirty, the air con not working properly; only 2 channels on the TV and so on. The holiday experience is ruined if the hotel or staff are not up to scratch.
It is bringing the expectations from back home on holiday that is causing the frustration. If you need to live a ’first world life’ all the time then don’t go to Thailand or India or Kenya or Argentina. You will pay lots and they will often try hard but the time will come when the comfort will slip and inconvenience, dirt or creepy crawlies will creep into the experience.
Other travellers go too much the other way and are prepared to accept nearly any hardship to save money. To such an extent that it is hard for a local economy to survive purely on tourism. That may be no bad thing, but frugality can be over-done and can sometimes be perceived as rude.
We need to examine our psychology, our patterns on holiday. This examination will do untold good when it comes to responsible tourism, eco tourism and carbon emissions.
Sources: IP Cloaker
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