CRITICISM OF HOTELS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 September 1933, Page 9

CRITICISM OF HOTELS

' guide book writer sued. PARIS, July 27. The question has arisen whether or not the following statement exceeds the limits of fair criticism: — “This hotel, once good and well run, should now be avoided at any cost. Appalling good is served here with great stinginess.” It appears in a “Guide Gastronomique de la France,” published a few months ago in Paris by Mlle. Edna Nicoll, an energetic young Frenchwoman who was educated in England and in the United States, and who runs a travel bureau with branches in many countries. It is applied to one of the hotels at St. Brieu,c, in Brit-

tany, and the proprietor is so annoyed that he is suing Mlle. Nicoll for damagThe case is interesting many people here because it raises the question of the gourmet's liberty to say what he thinks as plainly as does the critic or plays, films and books. Mlle. Nicoll, who was formerly in charge of the tourist services of the French StateRailways, said this afternoon that in her opinion members of the public have a right to a frank appreciation of hotels and restaurants in which they might spend their money. Whatever the merits of her contention may be, she can at least claim to have spoken her own mind'. If she is often generous in her praise, she shows no mercy when she has to find fault. “Very, very bad, avoid this hotel at any price,” she observes in one instance; “a miserable place” in another.