# American hotels have bibles. What quirks do other nations' hotels have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852 "2011-04-18T16:25:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/161 "2011-05-01T14:06:30Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > How many have you taken, TruCelt? šŸ˜ƒ > > I suspect the Gideons donā€™t mind if someone is interested enough to take one of their bibles. Years ago, I remember reading somewhere that the official position of the Gideons is (or was) that no Gideon Bible had ever been stolen, although some had been ā€œborrowedā€. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/162 "2011-05-01T14:22:37Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Iā€™ve seen them in Mexico, but I think theyā€™re less than the norm, though. Iā€™m trying to think of what formal category the ā€œhotelsā€ were in. Whatever they were, they were cheap! > [@](#): > > An another note, I just returned from China, and although I only have two hotels to report on, they both had separate showers from tubs, and both had hot water pots and French presses if you wanted coffee. The coffee was universally horrible. At the Shanghai hotel, the shower had a cool Venetian blind so that the people in the room could potentially watch the showerer shower. This is kind of like some ā€œhoteles de pasoā€ that I know in Mexico, except that the latter is really, really low-end, and the former was very, very high-end. Or Brazilian ā€œlove hotelsā€, where the partitions between rooms apparently donā€™t reach up to the ceiling! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/163 "2011-05-01T20:32:20Z")
Telephone next to the throne? Had one once at fancy-shmancy NYC hotel. Never used it _in situ_, though. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/164 "2011-05-02T15:30:27Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Telephone next to the throne? Had one once at fancy-shmancy NYC hotel. Never used it _in situ_, though. Thatā€™s so the bride can call her Mother in private. ā€œHe wants me to. . . You did? With Dad? Oooh! Yuck!ā€ I guess Iā€™ve got to make a donation to the Gideon society. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/165 "2011-05-03T12:10:24Z")
The western ( European ) style hotels in Luanda have condoms in the bathroom. It is a recent effort to combat the spread of AIDS and ā€œstimulateā€ the local economy. :eek: They also have a 1.2m x 1.2m elevators that will usually stop on or near the floor you requested, a bathtub built for someone the size of a five year old, and a bidet. The lobby doors are always open so that the jumbo size mosquitoā€™s can get in and test the effectiveness of the bug spray and malarial prophylactics that visitors have chosen. Oh, and they have bibles that can be used to combat any other insects that may choose to share your accommodations. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/166 "2011-05-03T13:56:43Z")
Costa Rica: hot water for the shower was heated in an electric showerhead, which was plugged into an outlet in the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/167 "2011-05-03T17:53:55Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Costa Rica: hot water for the shower was heated in an electric showerhead, which was plugged into an outlet in the bathroom. I donā€™t know what these are called, but I think they were invented in Brazil? They seem to be common across Latin America, and Iā€™ve also encountered them in Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/168 "2011-05-03T18:09:28Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I suspect the Gideons donā€™t mind if someone is interested enough to take one of their bibles. They donā€™t. At a university I attended, the Gideons stopped short of putting Bibles in student residence rooms, but they did have a table set up where you could help yourself to one at no charge. It was staffed by a Gideon, who would help you select the one you wanted: King James, Revised Standard, or whatever; and as I recall, they had a few in different languages also. And if you didnā€™t want one at all, he would simply tell you to have a nice day. As far as I could tell, in addition to there being no charge for a Bible, no donation was expected either (although Iā€™m sure they would have accepted one). ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/169 "2011-05-03T18:31:33Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Costa Rica: hot water for the shower was heated in an electric showerhead, which was plugged into an outlet in the bathroom. I saw one at a B&B in Ireland. It also had a pump to increase the water pressure. It was heavenly, you could pressure-wash your face if you trned up the dial enough; but they donā€™t seem to sell them in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/170 "2011-05-03T18:59:13Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I saw one at a B&B in Ireland. It also had a pump to increase the water pressure. It was heavenly, you could pressure-wash your face if you trned up the dial enough; but they donā€™t seem to sell them in the US. Iā€™m a bit puzzled. Iā€™m sure there are electrically pumped and heated showers in the USA, so what distinction is being made here? ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/171 "2011-05-03T20:27:11Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > Iā€™m a bit puzzled. Iā€™m sure there are electrically pumped and heated showers in the USA, so what distinction is being made here? Much of the UK seems to have dramatically lower water pressure in the shower than in much of the US. Thatā€™s the main reason. The way British bathtub and/or shower enclosures are constructed make it easy to add a pump. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/172 "2011-05-03T20:54:45Z")
Ah, another thing I noticed in Germany ā€¦ by the sound of the American Tourist in full bellow mode at the front desk when we checked in, you would have thought the lack of central air conditioning was life threatening ā€¦ I am the first one to cranky my bedroom down to hang a half cow to dry age temperatures, but even I was comfortable with the windows open and the fan on. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/173 "2011-05-03T21:38:09Z")
> [@Caractacus\_Pott](#): > > Much of the UK seems to have dramatically lower water pressure in the shower than in much of the US. Thatā€™s the main reason. The way British bathtub and/or shower enclosures are constructed make it easy to add a pump. I donā€™t know about the UK, but here in Ireland water pressure does not seem to be the issue. We all have water tanks in the roof, so water pressure is not dependent on mains supply but on gravity feed. Many Irish people choose pumped/heated showers as a matter of course, as it makes it easier to vary pressure and heat of the water. Many people prefer showers to baths, and have a stand-alone powered shower only. A powered unit is more common if the shower is a stand-alone unit not stand-in-the-bath. That means electronic heater/pumps are less common in hotels, although frequent in B+Bs. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/174 "2011-05-03T22:28:16Z")
Just to make sure that weā€™re all singing from the same hymn sheet, hereā€™s someoneā€™s [blog page](http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2007/03/20/114/) with a picture of a typical ā€œBrazilianā€ electric showerhead. ---
**Author:** ![TexasDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TexasDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexasDriver)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/175 "2011-05-04T10:51:22Z")
I havenā€™t seen many dual button toilets in my travels. Korea: A bathroom with sink, toilet, tub, and shower head. No shower curtain or glass doors. There was a drain both in the tub in the expected place and a drain in the room itself to catch the overspray. Wet room is a good name for it. Oh, and tiled, ceiling to floor. American hotel/motel bathrooms seem to always have a sign that says to put the shower curtain inside the tub before showering. (NOW I understand for the need for that sign.) Korea: A local apartment had a very small room with a sink, toilet, washing machine (clothes), and a shower head. No tub or demarcation line for a shower stall. The whole room was a shower stall. All I could think of was a wet toilet seat and my pants on the wet floor when I sat down to do my business. Also in Korea: The slot to put the room key in to turn on the lights. My group had never seen this before and many of us had to go find an English speaking person to tell us how to turn on the stupid lights. Word spread pretty fast after the first 10 or so got the information. Kauai, Hawaii: We rented a little cottage in the near jungle of the north side. We got our very own can of bug spray in the bathroom. We rented a little motel room (I thought it was Page, Arizona, but I canā€™t find a reference to it) that had a plaque explaining that the windows at the front by the door and high windows on the opposite side of the room could be opened for a cross breeze. (Like I would leave a window open on the ground floor.) Another feature was that there were no doors on the closet and no drawers. This was so that an occupant could quickly scan the room for stuff about to be left behind. Breckenridge, Colorado: Summer. No A/C and no fan. No big deal until you realize that when you left the window open (2nd floor, no balcony), then you were awakened at 6 am by the building construction. Hey, they donā€™t build in the dead of winter so they start at the crack of dawn in the summer. So you leave the window closed. Then it gets stuffy. I donā€™t care how clear the mountain air is, I want a window open or a fan or both. More and more the motels and hotels are getting to be non-smoking as the norm rather than the exception. Thank GOD! ---
**Author:** ![YaraMateo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/58f4c7/32.png) [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/176 "2011-05-04T13:29:52Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > In America, the low end hotels have free internet. The medium ones have a small cost. The high end ones have very expensive internet. Free internet usually means a very poor quality of hotel in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/177 "2011-05-04T14:11:22Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Many european hotels have two flush buttons for the toilets ā€“ one for a little flush, one for a big flush. Water conservation. Thatā€™s not hotels, thatā€™s required by current building code. If I ever decide to change my ancient toilet (which works fine, thankyoumuch), the new one will have the double button. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/178 "2011-05-04T15:38:45Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#): > > Just to make sure that weā€™re all singing from the same hymn sheet, hereā€™s someoneā€™s [blog page](http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2007/03/20/114/) with a picture of a typical ā€œBrazilianā€ electric showerhead. Ah, now I understand. Never seen one of those. We have proper units on the side of the shower, no cables. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/179 "2011-05-04T16:20:43Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Thatā€™s not hotels, thatā€™s required by current building code. If I ever decide to change my ancient toilet (which works fine, thankyoumuch), the new one will have the double button. Good idea. We didnā€™t have the privilege of going to any private homes in our brief trip, so knew only about the hotels. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852/180 "2011-05-04T21:00:30Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > Ah, now I understand. Never seen one of those. We have proper units on the side of the shower, no cables. Right. My mistake, I was picturing one of these: [http://howto-repair.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/how-to-repair-electric-shower-1.jpg](http://howto-repair.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/how-to-repair-electric-shower-1.jpg) The Brazilian is even more compact, like this: [http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/364773](http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/364773) Which is terrifying. But you canā€™t get either one in the US. Water pressure either comes from the City water tower (City water), or from a whole-house pump (well water). And there is a single central water heater for the house. Some few are going to individual water heaters for each shower/sink, but itā€™s quite rare. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hotels-have-bibles-what-quirks-do-other-nations-hotels-have/578852.md?page=10)