What level of existential comfort do you require?

[zentara]

Palace

 74/10%

Executive suite at the best hotel

 37/5%

Regular hotel in a decent part of town

 197/28%

Motel

 53/7%

Boarding house

 43/6%

Sleeping Bag on Couch in Basement

 125/18%

Any port in a storm

 76/11%

Camping under the freeway overpass

 25/4%

Jail

 38/5%

Other

 40/6%

708 total votes

[papidave]

I'm not sure I can adequately relate to the term "require." I've witnessed enough poverty (both in the US and abroad) that I have a hard time justifying a requirement for more than
1. clean drinking water, and sufficient food to meet my nutritional requirements
2. sufficient space to successfully obtain a full-night's sleep
3. comfortable temperature, possibly accomplished through bedding or at least a decent climate
4. clean sanitary facilities (latrine, bathing)
5. some method for keeping the insects and reptiles away while I sleep.

This would probably leave me in better accommodations than a large percentage of the world population. Having said that, if we're talking about the amount required to be satisfied, I'd probably bump those requirements up slightly and add
 
6. a source of positive social interaction, and
7. high-speed internet access
to the list.

[spartan]

I agree, but perhaps to a lesser extent, which is why I chose any port in a storm. Perhaps I am just feeling particularly melancholy today, but the "require" in the question says to me: What do you need to survive? I would expect most of us can survive in quite appalling conditions; so any level of comfort above perhaps some type of shelter and warm clothing would be considered a luxury.
...

[planetscape]

A dark drafty cavern, a cold stone floor, a huge hoard of glittering gold... a regular supply of trespassing hobbits... what more can one ask?

[Moriarty]

what more can one ask?

CHOCOLATE!!

[apl]

Any place with lots of bookcases...

[RyuMaou]

Um, make that any place with lots of full bookcases, and we're off to a better start. Though, I'd add a nice, comfy, big chair, too, for reading and naps between books.

[apl]

You provide me the bookcases, I'll supply the books...

The comfy chair is a nice idea. But (to paraphrase the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers) books will get you through a time of no chairs better than a chair will get you through a time of no books. 8-)

[nimdokk]

Ideally, a hobbit hole (with my fiancée, our critters, books, and music), but I can be comfortable most anyplace

[pileofrogs]

Pfft, who needs a port? All you need is a good sea boat and a hundred miles off the lee shore.

[Tux]

As with so many things, it completely depends. I feel my own home as a palace when my wife and kids are at home, but we do not have a sauna, swimming pool, in-house tennis-court or other over-the-edge wealth items.

When on holiday, the weather greatly influences the choice of roof required. A tent is no fun when rain comes down pooring all week long. A caravan might do, but at least it must be big enough to give anyone a corner of their own to read, hack, or play computer games, when outside activities are not possible.

When traveling for work or conferences, I'd like a good bed and a bar. Usually the day-time activities are already tiring enough, and gathering in the hotel for a game of Fluxx (or whatever new game was just introduced by Geoff), is something I wouldn't like to miss.

[hangon]

At one time I would be satisfied in the wilderness, in the dead of winter, with a tent and catalytic heater for warmth & brewing caffeinated beverages.

Today: My reclining chair at home with a couple of books and a notepad.

[jffry]

Did the question get mixed up with the wrong set of choices?

All I require for existential comfort is Being and Nothingness.

[tbone1]

Any place quiet.

[Xiong]

1. Not raining.
2. Free wifi.
3. Free line power.

[JSchmitz]

I have to say I think the word existential is not really used correctly here but here goes - I travel only about 5 - 6 times a year and often I get reimbursed for travel so to go against the grain of my proletarian monk brothers (from the majority of answers anyways) I stay in the nicest damn hotel I can and never in the hotel where the conference is.

I choose W hotels whenever there is one around because they are really fun and nice (Especially the one on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago)... I also like small boutique hotels like the Heathman in Portland..I'm a contractor so we don't take a lot of vacations so I treat myself when I can - cheers!

Jeffery

[cdarke]

In that require takes effect at run-time:

as much comfort as I can get.

[xyzzy]

comfort is just a state of mind. people have even said that I'm too comfortable. humph. as if such a thing is possible.

[Plankton]

Beach

[blackgoat]

Nothing beats home sweet home :-)Although I would like to live even in home sweet home sans the restrictions, that would be total luxary!!

[pajout]

Other: People and countryside which I can like.

[tubaandy]

A tent is fine, especially if I'm on a Scout outing with my sons. Even if it's raining, but that is by no means for everyone.

Otherwise, for work, a decent hotel (Holiday Inn or other) is fine.

[apl]

Even if it's raining

My friends and I have gone to extreme lengths to be able to brew coffee during torrential downpours (while camping). Hot coffee cures almost anything.

[Ratazong]

Hot coffee cures almost anything.

Or as Scott Adams stated in one of my favorite Dilbert-strips: Sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.

[tubaandy]

apl++! We're definitely in the same boat there, although it's more for the grown ups. :)

[Anonymous Monk]

What can't coffee cure?

[wjw]

..peace of mind and a heavy wool blanket will do me fine, thank you....

[rir]

I just use the stuff that makes me comfortable. When I have to require them, it is a minor pain to deal with the uncertainty or just too late to help.

Be well,
rir

[tritan]

I feel like a port in a storm would provide the most out-of-body-experience, or an atmosphere where I would most likely be letting go my inner ego and my connections to this world. If I'm /in/ the port during the storm, couldn't I just walk up the port and away? If I stayed there, I must be out of it.

[monk2b]

I have changed a lot since getting older and maybe the economy has something to do with it too. But if I didn't have kids and a wife I could happily live anywhere that had eight continuous hours of high speed internet access a day.

I simply don't need much to be happy anymore and I feel I should have been this way all along.

[Anonymous Monk]

I am surprised that no one took on the topic on the sleeping bag. Personally, I'd much relate to a bean bag !!!!!

And a dark corner in the basement ? wow.

Now all may not be as darkness-loving as I, but then, well, the bean bag somewhere out in the country is as lovely.. may be a big umbrella to shelter when the sun is up and hot, but a big, I mean gigantic, banyan tree in its absence will totally do.

[Anonymous Monk]

My hidey-hole

[ZlR]

A palace of course.
And blackjack.
And hookers.
In fact, forget the blackjack ...

[Anonymous Monk]

Food, warmth, sanitation and shelter for my girlfriend, my cats, and I.

Internet access, electricity, and a place to put my computer, plus a desk to sit at.

That's pretty much it.

[pvaldes]

require existential comfort... bad style

use existential comfort... much better ;-)

[Anonymous Monk]

4 c h a n /b/