The Business Of Decoration Previous Page (66)
The hotel is a place of gay suggestion, constant movement, change, of new faces and a great variety of reactions. No single hostelry in town or country can, of course, suit every kind of person, but only the smaller type of inn can afford to appeal to a really limited public. Unfortunately, America is almost entirely lacking in first-rate hotels of small size. In nearly every case the largest hotel is found to be the best in cuisine, in personal service and in decorations and furniture. There is no essential reason for this except, I suppose, that when we in this country attempt to do anything very well we have to do it on a grand scale and we have to give it the possibility of paying largely. Our so-called inns, with the exception of a few road houses, are mostly ramshackle affairs
81
Page 82
82INTERIOR DECORATING
filled with base Victorian furniture and with no pretence to artistic significance. We have a few old Colonial structures still kept in repair and rather quaintly and pleasantly furnished with pieces after the period, but aside from these I know of only two or three good inns in the East comparable with any one of a hundred of the sort in Europe and perhaps the most delightful of these is situated in the little town of Bethel, Maine. The stomachic or decorative connoisseur who wishes to enjoy himself is therefore compelled to frequent large -hotels whether in the city or out of town. Among these he is apt to find a large measure of similarity. The higher value of the real estate in cities gives birth to higher structures on smaller ground plots, whereas in the country the generally cheaper land provides a larger acreage of buildings.
In certain resorts such as Atlantic City where land along the boardwalk is very valuable, an almost urban condition is created and we find there that the more recent hotels are as expensively and permanently constructed and decorated, and are built almost on as small a space, as are many of those in our cities.
The Business Of Decoration Next Page - (68)
Bed In A Bag Sets Books - The Business Of Decoration
