[Assam] The Nano & not so nano stuff

[Krishnendu Chakraborty]

But I have also >>been fortunate 
>>enough now to go stay in hotels that are safer bets.


Just the way I have been fortunate to stay in clean
and safe hotels in India. 


>>we choose our hotels 
>>for location, cleanliness and room comforts , like
>>the quality of the 
>>beds, the pillows, the air-conditioning and so 

Unfortunately,  I do not know of any technology that
allows to physically verify the cleanliness, quality
of beds etc through internet.


>>Perhaps an MBA will explain how HOJOs stay in
>>business, if their 
>>business model is what KC experienced at Orlando 

You can just put a complaint to HOJO or inquire about
their franchise model .   Unfortunately, I  did not
save their response ... else could have sent it to you


Just check up Tripadvisor.com and you will find
complaints against numerous hotels in US not just
"THAT HOJO".   

BTW,  you (and many NRA/NRI) have numerous complaint
against different Indian products/services.  Ask an
Harvard MBA to explain how these Indian businesses are
surviving.

>>But in tropical India it is present almost
>>everywhere. You can tell 
>>by the telltale blood spots  on the mattress when
>>you lift the bed 

As a matter of fact,  I did not find it in any hotel
in India ... even not so expensive ones ... may be I
was lucky. My range of travel included pretty much
most of South India, parts of Western India and
Calcutta.  The hotels ranged from budget to 5 stars
like Park (at companies expense though :) )


>>BTW, where did 
>>that quality reference came from ? Hope it was not
from some FOBs 


We know about your apathy towards FOB but the company
which owns HOJO also owns Ramada which run some star
category hotels. Also, HOJO hotels are rated 2 - 3
star by AAA.

Also,  what is important here is should (ethically) a
chain owner own up the responsibility or just sell his
name and sit tight.


>>If it was AAA rated, I would have gone to AAA for
>>complaints.  They 
>>do care about their credibility.

Heh-heh ----  couple of years back I used a AAA
Approved auto repair shop which was trying to rip me
with an estimate of $1600.  I moved to a different
shop and was done with $900 ... . 
When I complained to AAA they came up with
explanations like our Approved shops give 1 year
warranty on repairs etc.  
And I already mentioned about the fate of my complaint
to AAA in this issue.
Want to know more ?   AAA gave me an incorrect Auto
Insurance quote last year and dropped my collission
coverage.  When I contacted, they added the same and
charged me $400 extra.  It was only after I moved to
Dept of Insurance, did they waived the additional
charge. Being a recent incident I have all the
documents if you want to verify.

>>**** I have never encountered bed bugs myself. I
>>read about the 
infestations in NYC in a magazine.  But I have also
>>been fortunate 
>>enough now to go stay in hotels that are safer bets.

>>In recent years we have traveled a great deal around
in the US. While 
>>we don't stay in four or five star rated facilities
( the star rating 
>>is for facilities and amenities we don't need -- we
choose our hotels 
>>for location, cleanliness and room comforts , like
the quality of the 
beds, the pillows, the air-conditioning and so forth)
, we stay in 
good facilities, higher in quality than we used to
choose in our 
younger days when the primary condition used to be the
cost. But even 
then we never had any bed bug encounters.  Way back in
our early 
years, our favorite used to be Motel 6. $ 6:00 per
night. And they 
were clean and comfortable. There was always a Denny's
nearby for a 
hearty eggs and ham breakfast with

But in tropical India it is present almost everywhere.
You can tell 
by the telltale blood spots  on the mattress when you
lift the bed 
sheet. Something I learned not to do any more if I can
help it. It is 
par for the course.





>
>>>**** Hmmm! I wonder why THAT hotel had vacancy,
>>>while the rest were
>>>all full,
>
>I thought you had a little more commonsense.  We
>booked it in Advance ... through internet (HOJO site)
>if you want to know how.




>If the brand owner shruggs off responsibility, it
only
>means unethical business practice.  
>Again,  I did thought you had more wit to understand
>this.


**** So what one might infer from it is that the
American traveler 
does not care. They are far too unsophisticated
consumers and are 
pleased to be ripped off by HOJOs of the world.   Is
that what it 
means? I ask, because lacking common sense I seek
expert advice. 
Perhaps an MBA will explain how HOJOs stay in
business, if their 
business model is what KC experienced at Orlando and
the quality of 
their franchise is defined by THAT HOJO in Orlando..



>  >That is more appropriate for you who  build his
views
on India staying out of India for over 20 years.


*** I explained I am no Indian hotel hopper. My
experiences are 
primarily with those around Kolkata airport.  And
airport retiring 
rooms in Delhi and Kolkata. My very few stays in Delhi
hotels were in 
very expensive ones where I have no complaint other
than the 
exorbitant prices. Now I have found the Ahuja guest
houses which 
serve my needs quite well.,



>  >I booked the hotel through Howard Johnson website
and
booked it just because it had the brand label.

**** I see the problem: HOJO as the BRAND of choice . 
BTW, where did 
that quality reference came from ? Hope it was not
from some FOBs 
:-). HOJO ,even way back in the 70s  used to be the
butt of jokes 
EVEN  here in the midwest. Many are operated by desis
. That is how I 
associated its ownership.
If it was AAA rated, I would have gone to AAA for
complaints.  They 
do care about their credibility.







>
>>>If I am not mistaken, Orlando  has more motels and
>>>hotels per square
>>>mile than most other cities in the entire USA
>
>Sure you are not mistaken ?  I mean you were pretty
>confident that HOJO is owned by Desi :-)
>
>>>if not the world. And
>>>THAT  HOJO becomes the the standard bearer of the
>>>industry?
>
>Hmmm ....  the same old game.  the Msn news on bed
>bugs talks about hotels OTHER THAN THAT HOJO.  Search
>the blogs and you will find numerous THAT HOJO/Days
>Inn/ Travelodge etc.  Let me know if you need some
>help in searching
>
>
>>>Kup Monduk. The proverbial frog in the well whose
>>>world view is formed by its confines.
>
>That is more appropriate for you who  build his views
>on India staying out of India for over 20 years.
>
>>>*** A very poor analogy. An automobile, a product,
>>>is different from
>>>a hotel FRANCHISE, a service.
>
>I booked the hotel through Howard Johnson website and
>booked it just because it had the brand label.
>Similarly you buy a product based on brand label. 
>
>If the brand owner shruggs off responsibility, it
only
>means unethical business practice.  
>Again,  I did thought you had more wit to understand
>this.
>
>
>>   >Exactly  and so Bed bugs in some sleazy hotel in
>India
>>should not be considered as a bench mark
>
>
>
>>>**** Heh-heh!
>
>>>So, bed-bugs in Indian hotels is a rarity huh?
>>>Since I am no expert
>>>on hotel hopping in India I will just have to let
>>>the experts and the
>>>experienced judge that one.
>
>
>>   >We did move out a day after the incident  did
not
>have
>much choice ... it was a holiday weekend.
>
>**** Hmmm! I wonder why THAT hotel had vacancy, while
>the rest were
>all full, in spite of bed-bugs and leaky bathrooms
>that must define
>the state of hotels and motels, except those horribly
>expensive five
>star rated ones!
>
>If I am not mistaken, Orlando  has more motels and
>hotels per square
>mile than most other cities in the entire USA, if not
>the world. And
>THAT  HOJO becomes the the standard bearer of the
>industry?
>Interesting indeed.  There is an ancient Oxomiya 
>phrase that
>describes the tack: Kup Monduk. The proverbial frog
in
>the well whose
>world view is formed by its confines.
>
>But really it is an unnecessary defensiveness. No one
>is attempting
>to judge the INdian condition with an American
>benchmark. Looks tacky.
>
>
>>   >
>>However,  having choice does not justify the
business
>>model of HOJO ... an  American Company.   Imagine
you
>>buy a Tata Indica/Nano in Guwahati and if there are
>>problem,  Tata says your dealer should take care of
>it
>>.... we do not have any responsibility !
>
>
>*** A very poor analogy. An automobile, a product, 
is
>different from
>a hotel FRANCHISE, a service. Consumers are protected
>by Lemon Laws
>against defective autos. Filthy hotel operation is a
>public health
>responsibility, regulated by local authorities. One
>would have
>thought an expert in American business practices
would
>know the
>difference between a franchise and a product
>liability.
>
>
>
>
>At 10:28 AM -0800 1/11/08, Krishnendu Chakraborty
>wrote:
>>   >>Incidentally the bed-bug infestation in NYC is
>NOT
>>>>confined to sleazy
>>>>hotels. It is an epidemic even in some of the
>>>>city's glitziest
>>>>high-rise condos and apartment houses, a public
>>>>health crisis, almost.
>>
>>Exactly  and so Bed bugs in some sleazy hotel in
>India
>>should not be considered as a bench mark
>>
>>>>*** American consumers have many recourses.
Easiest
>>of it is
>>>>availability of CHOICE.
>>
>>We did move out a day after the incident  did not
>have
>>much choice ... it was a holiday weekend.  In fact,
>>on day of incident we did not have ANY CHOICE except
>>moving to some 5 star paying a couple of hundred
>>dollars.   you will surely have such CHOICE
>everywhere
>>in India if you are ready to pay for 5 stars
>>
>>
>>However,  having choice does not justify the
business
>>model of HOJO ... an  American Company.   Imagine
you
>>buy a Tata Indica/Nano in Guwahati and if there are
>>problem,  Tata says your dealer should take care of
>it
>>.... we do not have any responsibility !
>>
>>
>>
>>>>I have no trouble believing that.
>>
>>>>Actually my very first experience in a Chicago
>>Travelodge in 1976
>>was very much like what these videos portray.
>>
>>>>But to suggest or imply that these facilities in
>NYC
>>or Chicago or LA
>>or SF or Boston define the hotel/motel scene in the
>>USA is what
>>defies ordinary logic.
>>
>>>>Incidentally the bed-bug infestation in NYC is NOT
>>confined to sleazy
>>hotels. It is an epidemic even in some of the city's
>>glitziest
>>high-rise condos and apartment houses, a public
>health
>>crisis, almost.
>>
>>Wonder where they came from.
>>
>>
>>>    >HOJO Franchisees are owned by various people.
>The
>>one
>>>I am talking about is owned by some hispanic person
>>>... but does that mean HOJO will shrugg off all
>  >responsibility ... I mean is it the American way
of
>>doing business.
>>
>>
>>*** American consumers have many recourses. Easiest
>of
>>it is
>>availability of CHOICE. In more damaging instances
>>consumer courts
>>could be approached for damages.  If I go into a
>motel
>>that causes me
>>concern, the very first thing I do is to go check
the
>>room out BEFORE
>>I pay and check in.
>>
>>I did that in Kolkata too, after I experienced  one
>of
>>those
>>three-star rated joints near Dum Dum the first time.
>>Next time I did
>>not go by the Pre-paid Taxi operator's
recommendation
>>or the taxi
>>driver's urging. I went, checked the room, looked
>>around the windows
>>to see if the panes were all in, flushed the toilet
>to
>>see if it
>>worked , looked under the bed cover , turned the
>>shower on to see if
>>it worked or if it had hot water and so forth. In
>this
>>place with a
>>Rs. 2200/- per night  rate  the toilet did not
flush.
>>It was a fast
>>good bye. UNfortunately the CHOICES were few. I had
>to
>>settle for



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