HOTEL FOR TOURISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15055, 26 July 1912, Page 4

HOTEL FOR TOURISTS.

Sir,l would like in the interest of the travelling public, and the tourist section especially, to urge the great nece *£ty for the immediate founding right in the city of a large and thoroughly up-to-date private hotel. Let me attempt to forecast the scale of hotel I have in mind. It should be of not less than 200 rooms (the Winchester in San Francisco had 700). Electric •light, should be installed throughout. Bathrooms with hot and cold service should beliberally supplied; elevators to all flats; baggage checked from train and steamer. to hotel on the American system. The American and European stylo should be adopted. Under one, the visitor pays for his room by the day or week as ho requires, while his meals are provided a la restaurant. On the other hand one payment covers the whole. The building should at least be six storeys; a roof garden should be provided for promenade and for summer concerts. Telephone, postal, and telegraph facilities must be provided. Theatre tickets with plans of theatres must also be available. In fact, any and every reasonable want of the traveller must bo provided for. In the Palmer Home in State-street, and also in Saratoga House, Dearbornstreet, Chicago, a splendid vestibule is provided, where friends may meet and 'make appointments; this feature should by no means bo neglected. As for tariff, moderate charges of from seven to eight shillings per day would bo highly appreciated by travellers, while for those who only "required rooms from 15s to a pound per week would meet with general approval. There are infinite details one cannot refer to. But one thing is clear, a better opportunity never existed than the present, as the demand for an establishment such as that I havo outlined was never greater than at present. Y.P.