Hotel Freebies

Am just back from Agra. Yes, I must be the only person in the world who goes to Agra on work and gets single rooms with a Taj view! I deserve to be stuffed up an anaconda's arse... yes, yes - I have been told that already!

On a different note, the choices that one gets in these new age hotels are quite beguiling!

The ITC Hotel I stayed in this time offered me the following choices - Slim Rest, Supersoft, Cotton Comfort, Silk Cotton, Relaxed Support, Ortho Care, Air Care and Bath Comfort. In pillows. Aack!
Just when I thought these were different ranges of furniture and upholstery available in the in-house boutique, I was informed that they were pillows. And I may please contact the Housekeeping Manager if I wish to partake such hedonistic delights!
The last mentioned pillow is apparently a water-proof marvel of Slumber Engineering, which can be used for lounging in the bathtub. And to think, I checked in at 11:00 PM and checked out a 5:45 AM...

The Taj Group is also not missing any trick. They are offering the following choices in pillows:
Standard, Super Soft, Slim, Cotton, Energy, Spondi, Meditation, Tranquility and Peace.
Their range seems to be straight out of a Feng Shui book.
So many choices... As if, deciding between Kakori Kabab and Galouti Kabab at dinner was not bad enough!

On the other hand, The Landmark Hotel of Kanpur, a new Executive Floor has opened recently. And to lure the modern business traveler, a long list of the ‘free’ amenities provided is available at the reception board. They include (parentheses mine):
* Fruit Basket (Okay, not bad for a start.)
* Cookies (Excellent... chocolate ones?)
* Mineral Water (Thank you.)
* Soft Drinks (Not charged? What are you saying?)
* Packet of Wafers & Salted (sic)
* Chocolate (Slurp!)
* Buffet Breakfast (Ahem, the room rate is a bomb!)
* Tea / Coffee (You mean the electric kettle, don't you?)
* Toilet Kit (Hmm...)
* Slippers (Made of paper.)
* Hair Drier (Not for us to take away. The damn thing is chained to the wall!)
* Business Newspaper (Your eternal kindness...)
* Large Looking Mirror (So, is the mirror large? Or am I supposed to look large in it?)
* Wall Clock (Brilliant. So that I don't overshoot the checkout time!)

A colleague asked me to be thankful that they did not add the bed and the TV to the list! But of course...