What This Hotel Home-Body Wishes For from Her Hotels

When it comes to my hotel stays, which are virtually every week, I classify myself as a ‘home-body’. Outside of going to work, attending a conference, or eating a meal, chances are I will be in my room. The hotel that I frequent does have a nice concierge lounge which I have access to, and I really should enjoy their red leather sofas more often. There is also a big lobby, but it is noisy and not conducive to relaxing in a quiet spot to read or get work done. As far as going to the hotel’s bar at night … that’s just not for me unless I’m going with friends. It is generally full of guys (as most hotel bars are) and not a comfortable place for a solo female to hang out on a regular basis … unless, of course, I was to be looking for an evening career … which I’m not.

I recently attended a conference at the Hotel InterContinental in Atlanta’s Buckhead area. What I discovered was the perfect lobby area that I could see myself becoming a fixture in if this was a hotel I frequently stayed at. There were plenty of sofas and chairs in a very warm, comfortable area. It was away from the main hotel desk and bar area, so peacefulness reigned. And what got me excited the most was that every table next to a sofa or chair had power outlets – several of them! I never would have thought that power outlets would get me so excited, but when I spend the vast majority of my life on my laptop, power outlets become a necessity. Finally, this was an area where I could sink into the nice cozy sofa, have a cup of tea or glass of wine, and get some serious work or socializing done online.

Unfortunately I was only at the Hotel InterContinental for a six-hour conference, so the sinking into the sofa with a glass of wine was only a nice dream in my head. But that is what I would love to find in the hotels where I stay. I’ll keep dreaming …