http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=1051793

Vote on this poll

Palace
[bar] 36/6%
Executive suite at the best hotel
[bar] 36/6%
Regular hotel in a decent part of town
[bar] 291/45%
Motel
[bar] 87/14%
Boarding house
[bar] 50/8%
Camping under the freeway overpass
[bar] 46/7%
Any port in a storm
[bar] 65/10%
Other
[bar] 29/5%
640 total votes
Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Old_Gray_Bear (Bishop) on Sep 01, 2013 at 15:00 UTC
    A motel next to a joint with decent coffee. It's nice if they have good scones as well, but the coffee is more important than the carbohydrates. It's also nice if the motel is within reasonable walking distance of the venue.

    ----
    I Go Back to Sleep, Now.

    OGB

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by toolic (Bishop) on Sep 01, 2013 at 17:13 UTC

    From experience, I require...

    • Thick (soundproof) walls.
    • No roaches.
    • A lock on the door.
    • A shower (not just a tub).

    Is that asking too much? Apparently, it is for some places.

      Soundproof walls is the holy grail of hotels. If I could find a chain that uses insulated, concrete block walls between rooms, I'd never stay anywhere else.
        I stayed in the NYLO Dallas Las Colinas one time. It has cement block everything (walls, floors, ceilings). Definitely sound proof! I'm pretty sure I could have played tuba in there an no one would have been bothered (had I had it with me).

        tubaandy
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Albannach (Monsignor) on Sep 01, 2013 at 15:11 UTC
    I'd pick "disease-free" if it were an option. The location (like any real estate) is far more important than the room, as I don't spent much time in the room, and the time I do spend I'm trying to sleep (which depends mostly on the party schedules of other guests). The real primary requirement is walking distance to decent food, coffee and the work itself.

    --
    I'd like to be able to assign to an luser

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by swampyankee (Parson) on Sep 01, 2013 at 16:51 UTC

    Bedbug-free

    Clean, decent room on the second floor or above with Internet in a part of town that's nice enough so that I don't have to worry about getting mugged walking to my car or the subway.


    Information about American English usage here and here. Floating point issues? Please read this before posting. — emc

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Ratazong (Monsignor) on Sep 02, 2013 at 08:08 UTC

    Nowadays, my electronics define the existential comfort required:

    • I need enough power-outlets to charge them all1
    • and I need a good WLAN with a fast Internet-connection
    The location itself becomes less and less important (as long as it is clean and provides a shower)

    Rata

    1: on my last bycicle-tour I carried a camera, a smartphone, an external battery (so I could use my phone as GPS the whole day long) and a tablet with me - all requiring power at night; add a laptop for business-trips...

      Definitely this, on work trips a hotel is just somewhere to log into home/office/pm.org etc.. and get some sleep, my first trip to S.America I saw Buenos Ares from the air, in a taxi and the 3 blocks between my hotel and the office :(

      print "Good ",qw(night morning afternoon evening)[(localtime)[2]/6]," fellow monks."
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by marinersk (Priest) on Sep 03, 2013 at 22:00 UTC
    # As requested require Port::Storm; # As would normally answer use Hotel::Regular;
      Ideally, I'd like to
      use Hotel; require Storm::Port unless Hotel->can('provide_room');
      Unfortunately, we die if the Hotel doesn't load properly. This makes for a very unpleasant vacation.
        Which implies that you can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave.
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Tux (Canon) on Sep 01, 2013 at 14:13 UTC

    I chose the suite, which painfully proves that you do not always get what you require.


    Enjoy, Have FUN! H.Merijn
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Sep 02, 2013 at 11:32 UTC
    what level of existential comfort

    In order to exist what level of "comfort" do you need.

    Existence is, or is not; comfort is subjective. Ergo, one, cannot be dependent upon the other.

    To exist, I need the bottom tear of the pyramid; I prefer, the top.

    Dependent upon the reason for my travel; I can tolerate most levels; if the incentive is right.


    With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by primo (Scribe) on Sep 04, 2013 at 08:26 UTC

    Essentials:

    • Roof
      - Preferably one without any major leaks.
    • Door
      - Preferably one that locks from both sides, but at very least from within.
    • Clean, Drinkable Water
      - Filling water bottles from a machine is acceptable, so long as the dispenser is within walking distance. Having to boil well water or rain water is not.
    • Indoor Toilet
      - Affixed to an adequate septic system, automatic flush not required.
    • Electricity
      - Occasional outages (but no more than a few minutes at a time) are acceptable.
    • Internet
      - Fast enough for a google search to return a result within 5 seconds. 3G is more than sufficient, dial-up over a wireless network would depend largely on the service provider, and signal strength.

    Non-essentials:

    • Bed
      - If no bed is provided, the sleeping surface must be easily cleanable, for example tile or linoleum. On a bare concrete or dirt floor, I would require an elevated sleeping surface, or at very least a bamboo sleeping mat. In open-air environments, such as rooms with a noticeable gap between wall and roof, mosquito netting would also be nice to have.
    • Shower Head
      - A vat of rain water with a bowl for dousing would be the minimum level of acceptability.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by ww (Archbishop) on Sep 01, 2013 at 14:35 UTC
    A palatial, convenient, handsomely furnished and well-staffed pied-à-terre that my home-office assistants can find in the real estate ads so that my counsel can close on it while I'm still en route. That's all... nothing extravagent; just don't like to occupy space that's 'for let.'

          :-) ...don't I wish.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by wanna_code_perl (Friar) on Sep 06, 2013 at 02:15 UTC

    It depends on the length of stay. I'm happy with Ye Olde Shingle if I'm only in town for a night or two and just need the room for shit/shave/shower/shampoo/sleep. I was recently on site overseas for a couple of months, though, and in that case I was able to rent the top floor of a small apartment building for around $100/day complete with cable, internet, full meals and maid service, which was a steal and well worth it, especially since I was able to host most of my meetings right there, avoiding the 1.5h commute and taxi fare to the office most days.

    Regarding roaches: I found one (housecat-sized!) roach one night and then a few more when I went digging around, but one call downstairs and a professional exterminator crew pulled up first thing in the morning, did their thing while I was away at the office, and I didn't see another pest the entire time I was there.

    I'm convinced, though, that roaches have been around far longer than humans, and will outlive us all and rule the world one day. I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by cdarke (Prior) on Sep 09, 2013 at 10:25 UTC
    Depends. If I am travelling when I don't want to (work) then I want the best place that expenses will allow.

    If I'm on holiday with the wife then I want the place that will keep her happy.

    If I'm hill-walking on my own then I just need somewhere that will keep me warm and dry, where the wildlife won't attack me or my food.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Buk (Novice) on Sep 02, 2013 at 15:55 UTC

    Progress.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by TJPride (Pilgrim) on Sep 12, 2013 at 22:15 UTC
    I have discovered through hard experience that it's not worth saving the difference between a $60/night motel room and a $100/night hotel room. The bathroom facilities are so much better in the latter, and you actually get a good breakfast (if you're willing to get up early). Not to mention the multiple $60/night motels I've used all seem to have really noisy air conditioning units that shut themselves off and on at random intervals and disrupt your sleep.
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by talexb (Chancellor) on Sep 13, 2013 at 13:12 UTC

    I stayed at a hostel during YAPC 2012 and had a lovely time. Well, I was woken up at one point by my room-mate at about 2am to be told I was in his bunk, but we smoothed that over. And SawyerX was in the next room. It all worked out fine.

    Alex / talexb / Toronto

    "Groklaw is the open-source mentality applied to legal research" ~ Linus Torvalds

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by jonadab (Parson) on Sep 18, 2013 at 12:07 UTC

    If you drive through the night, your low-cost sleeping options are significantly expanded. In the afternoon, you can doze for several hours in just about any small hospital's main lobby, for example, or a small-town public library's reading room.

    I haven't actually done this, but I'm pretty sure it would work, especially if you wear something that says "comfortable but not seedy", e.g., khakis and a shirt that buttons down the front and has a collar.

      I haven't actually done this,

      And thats why you still own your shoes :)

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by CountZero (Bishop) on Sep 02, 2013 at 07:56 UTC
    My Thai Girlfriend. :)

    CountZero

    A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

    My blog: Imperial Deltronics
      Only one? You do believe in travelling light.... :-)
      If you spot any bugs in my solutions, it's because I've deliberately left them in as an exercise for the reader! :-)
        Never try to put more than one Thai GF in the mix, the results can be explosive.

        CountZero

        A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

        My blog: Imperial Deltronics
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by Voronich (Hermit) on Sep 03, 2013 at 16:17 UTC

    "require" was tricky.

    I 'CAN' sleep under a bridge overpass just fine, but not in a room with a bunch of random goofuses (goofi?)

    BUT, I did my time roughing it. Now I require civilized accommodations.

Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by gregor42 (Parson) on Sep 25, 2013 at 14:01 UTC
    It merely depends on the company.

    NOTHING is too good for my family.

    But if it is just me, then I will settle for some good beer and a park bench.


    Wait! This isn't a Parachute, this is a Backpack!
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by wjw (Priest) on Sep 22, 2013 at 20:06 UTC

    ..requirements and preference are two different things. My only requirement really is that I have some semblance of privacy and safety. My preference is quiet and discreet comfort...

    This also depends on my reason for travel...I expect work travel to fall into the Hotel/Motel range. For personal travel I prefer a bed and breakfast which I assume is fairly close to a boarding house?

    Odd, I have never really thought about this...

    • ...the majority is always wrong, and always the last to know about it...
    • The Spice must flow...
    • ..by my will, and by will alone.. I set my mind in motion
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by blue_cowdawg (Monsignor) on Sep 30, 2013 at 14:46 UTC

    I looked at the entire list of options and thought to myself "been there, done that." I've stayed at the swankiest places imaginable and I've slept on a beach somewhere with no more than a tarp to keep the rain off my head (sucks when it rains and that's all you got) and just about everything in between.

    I used to have a 27 foot (8.3M) 7000 pound (2613Kg) travel trailer and used to "dry camp" with it when traveling to distant dog agility trials. My favorite outing was up in Maine close to a largish pond being serenaded by loons. Not using A/C or heat we left the windows open and even the light rain we had that night was a very comforting experience

    I take credit for starting the camping at a dog agility trial thing when my wife and I used to stay at the show grounds in a five person tent with seven dogs for the weekend. Tents and dogs don't necessarily work too well.

    On a business trip to Denver back in 1982 I stayed at the Brown Palace Hotel http://www.brownpalace.com/ which was pretty swanky. On our 25th wedding anniversary I picked out a five star hotel in NYC to stay for the night. Both were great to get on the "bucket list" but when you close your eyes at night hotels pretty much look alike

    The caveat to that last statement is there is such a thing as some places you don't want to stay. Motel 6 is a good example (please keep the light off). At a dog agility trial where using our travel trailer was not feasible (winter, bad time to dry camp) we stayed in one in southern New Jersey. Seems there were some entrepreneurs holding office hours well into the wee hours of the morning. Constant foot traffic and noise in the hallways.

    My favorite place to stay ever were the cabins at Moody's Diner in Nobloboro Maine. Simple accommodations and they were not very expensive. Those type of accomodations were common in the USA way back when and have all but disappeared. Too bad. Corporate America has screwed things up for the "little guy" and family run hotels and motels are getting harder and harder to find.


    Peter L. Berghold -- Unix Professional
    Peter -at- Berghold -dot- Net; AOL IM redcowdawg Yahoo IM: blue_cowdawg
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by chacham (Prior) on Sep 24, 2013 at 23:40 UTC
    A friend. Usually, i stay by a friend's house, or a friend of a friend.
Re: When travelling, what level of existential comfort do you require?
by tubaandy (Deacon) on Sep 25, 2013 at 16:18 UTC
    If it's for work, any of the regular hotels will do, although that means between $89/night and $169/night, depending on the town I'm staying in. For family travel, we try to get a room where our kids are in one room and my wife and I are in another. Cost definitely factors in there, plus how many nights we are staying. Otherwise, I've spent many nights in a sleeping bag in a tent, which was nice, too.

    tubaandy

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