motel chains forgotten woo customers possum philosophy salute independent owners remember little extras make difference
by robert cats play clean country water nashville cats play wild mountain dew
nashville cats playin’ they’s babies nashville cats work they’re two
well there’s thirteen fifty guitar pickers nashville pick notes number ants tennessee anthill
yeah there’s thirteen fifty guitar pickers nashville unpacks guitar play twice better i willâ€ —the song nashville cats lovin spoonful

dateline near airport/opryland area nashville tenn capitol volunteer state tennessee known home world renowned home country music grand ole opry theme park extraordinaire dollywood founded reigning “queen country musicâ€ dolly parton

over years i traveled good bit various conferences meetings training sessions employment fair simply pleasure i grown older i enjoy travel i just don’t enjoy long drives thankfully terry good driver particularly comes navigation strange cities share driving duties good
i stayed types accommodations paid low high room rates young college student years ago buddies i loaded 1960 studebaker lark convertible bad tires little pocket money good sense drove night orlando fla meant spend night beach spent local jail accidentally strayed private beach set camp officer hauled wanted desperately charge vagrancy fortunately gotten paid summer jobs little traveling money ended sleeping night room couple days i think neighborhood $25 night lot money split did fun
i opposite end i traveled chicago work related buddy gregg harris days came help drive stayed hotel “miracle mileâ€ stretch huge businesses headquartered couple doors oprah winfrey’s headquarters twin towers opposite street corners 36 floors tower additional floors underground extending beneath road sized shopping mall bigger bristol mall floors road confines different bars i believe restaurants food fine dining room stayed $280 night folks’ monthly mortgage payments time smyth county i guess
through travel years increase competition travel dollar generally benefitted travelers rise accommodations niceties free things free breakfast buffets places free afternoon cocktails lounge huge rise public’s use computers laptops notebooks ipads tablets smart phones demand access internet grew correspondingly upscale hotels motels rushed offer high speed internet access draw charge
the rooms grew fancier expensive accommodations trend i enjoyable meant average folks got little bang case limited travel bucks
recently i noticed trend beginning change ways expensive motels hotels looking small perks draw public older smaller facilities items large screen tvs free wireless internet connection wi fi advertised prominently 
however just year ago i came terry’s business trips conference nashville stayed high dollar facility known upscale chain ways fantastic lobby area great free breakfast buffet cooked individual guests’ tastes hand rooms average best charged $10 day internet connection i amazed fee tvs suite flat panel type rage televisions
on trip conference booked expensive facility brand usually known decent rooms plenty amenities boy i surprised disappointed particular place looked great outside large topping i think 14 floors room 10th floor lobby nice exactly plush nice
the trouble started arrival facility offered discount tennessee health association conference attendees booked rooms terry’s boss reserved rooms fellow nurse groups arrived checked terry’s friend boss rode hour got away little earlier terry thought 
the young woman helping asked swipe terry’s credit card terry said reservations paid corporation lady explained incidentals want terry said fine just completing check manager time young looking 24 25 acting impressed importance dropped doing checking guests run insist need card used pay fee 
we explained corporate card hour gentleman carrying member party arrived manager way sat lobby roughly hour terry’s workers arrived group situation happy either
finally got checked luggage normally i went luggage carts unload transport room yep just i started guest grabbed headed door i asked manager gave song dance busy people checking actually probably floors entire time i i saw useful carts i told i needed reluctantly said send gather did i tad po’ed entire job performance terry asked say anything
the actual accommodations expect did free internet access far high speed service listed information packets reliable coffee service cup regular decaf yuck room floor looked clean bed like sleeping plank tv looked 10 years old
there refrigerator microwave oven fairly standard expensive motels hotels free food drinks kind including complimentary coffee lobbies food prices ridiculous expensive menu items food service omelets breakfast menu hamburgers ran excess $12 yes $12 hamburger i said paying automatic tip 20 percent added food purchase looks like big hotel chains decided charge guests far far way amenities 
to make matters worse terry’s worker room gone bed went quickly sleep fortunately locked door slipped chain latch extra security 230 heard noise door came open far chain allow suddenly heard ask “is thereâ€ yelled yes grabbed light slammed door shut got peeked whomever disappeared apparently folks desk late arrival issued keys room realizing occupied bothered quite bit 
however lost american traveler way home terry i decided spend night gatlinburg area cut drive home meetings week sleep bed room little tired like gatlinburg area really beautiful time year motel online looked decent reasonable prices independently owned arrived totally surprised folks nice room large larger nashville spotless clean pin fantastic bed really comfortable refrigerator microwave nice flat screen large tv yes free breakfast buffet 
all roughly thirds cost big chain hotel nashville long live independent hotels believe making traveler feel welcome woo business trying possible manner pockets guests

a freelance journalist robert “rockyâ€ cahill writes regularly news &amp messenger possum philosophy column appears saturday edition