Sunday, July 7, 2013
FURTHER TRAVEL DILEMMAS: Following up on our discussion about "why don't hotels offer toothpaste," another hotel amenity question--why do most hotels invariably offer a shower cap? Does anyone actually use the shower cap? Is it a requirement of hotel grading to offer it? Have the titans of the disposable shower cap industry somehow entered into a nefarious bargain with hoteliers under which they are guaranteed the opportunity to supply the shower caps to America's hotels?
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I collect them for my 92 year old mother
ReplyDeleteAlso: I haven't gone looking for it, but do hotels offer power strips from the front desk? I heard travelers mention that they found the number of power outlets in the average hotel room lacking. I've had that problem as well.
ReplyDeleteI was in China recently. There, every hotel room came with a gas mask. For your convenience.
ReplyDeleteI use them. Sometimes for the shower, sometimes to wrap liquid toiletries in my suitcase in case of spills. Would rather have toothpaste.
ReplyDeleteThey're there so you can affirmatively leave them there, which makes you feel better about taking the little shampoos home with you. It's a small psychological service provided by your hosts.
ReplyDeleteAll I can offer is this: in theory, I am slightly more likely to use a shower cap at a hotel than I would be at my own home or any other place I might be sleeping.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I used a shower cap was to treat my girls for lice.
ReplyDeleteDid you, like me, watch Jim Gaffigan's Mr. Universe this weekend? He had a whole spiel about it.
ReplyDeleteOk, a couple of thoughts come to mind.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, when you have long or thick hair, you want to take a shower without the hassle of having to dry and then restyle your hair. I also don't wash my hair as often as I bathe, because it's supposed to be better for your hair. Usually this means I pin it up and take a bath, but there are a lot of hotels in which I'd rather take a shower than a bath. And a shower cap is not something I want to take with me, or, worse, wait to dry out so I can take it back home.
Second thought: Black women. Admittedly, being white, I'm mostly ignorant on this point, but I'm given to understand that water isn't always welcome to some hairstyles often worn by African-American women. (Although the idea of major corporate giants being aware of, sensitive to, and responsive to this issue is probably laughable.)
No. I was traveling in a pair of hotels. Interestingly one had it (a Holiday Inn Express in Donegal PA) and one did not (a Days Inn in Pittsburgh).
ReplyDeleteI am less mystified by the shower cap than by the shoeshine rag and/or shoehorn that one occasionally finds in the hotel room, as well. I can imagine that someone may decide to take a shower but want to avoid the hassle of drying their hair. I have a harder time imagine someone suddenly saying, "Damn, my shoes don't fit. I wonder if there's something around here that can help me squeeze my feet into them."
ReplyDeleteAgree with this as a woman with thick hair. There are times when you need to shower but don't want to get your hair wet and then have to spend almost another hour (in my case) drying it and straightening it. If I'm at a hotel and may be somewhat pressed for time in the morning, it's easier to just use the shower cap.
ReplyDeleteI should note that at home, I have a couple of shower caps that I use from time to time, but it's not something I'd think to, or want to, travel with.
ReplyDeleteSometimes feet swell after a trip (from the elevation in the plane, or from being on them all day sightseeing). I've never known anyone other than my grandfather to use a shoehorn, but I could see someone using it for that reason.
ReplyDeleteShoe polishing cloth makes a lot of sense to me, for people travelling for work or a dressy event.
I only use a shower cap to deep condition (to keep conditioner on for a good amount of time), and I wouldn't travel with the deep conditioner. But a fair number of people want to shower sometimes without washing their hair.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should get a shower cap... I also have extra thick hair and will therefore go to extraordinary lengths to avoid strenuous activity after I shower in the morning. It gets me out of most unpleasant tasks like weeding, etc. :) (on second thought, maybe I should stay away from shower caps..)
ReplyDeleteI would imagine this is a remnant of a time gone by when ladies would get their hair did one or two times a week (or do it themselves) and then protect it from muss in between salon visits. My 94 year old neighbor still operates this way.
ReplyDeleteReading all the comments has made me wonder if this is a US versus Europe/Australia difference. Shower caps seem prevalent in bathrooms of friends and family members without an age bias.
ReplyDeleteThe only other person I personally know my age who has a shower cap is English. Make of that what you will.
ReplyDeleteHers is a variation on this: http://www.amazon.com/PT-SY7284ASSGrn-Fun-Frog-Shower/dp/B005LS7FE0/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1373339832&sr=8-27&keywords=shower+cap
how did it not muss when they slept? my hair is a wreck when I wake up. Maybe straight-haired women don't have that issue as much.
ReplyDeleteSilk handkerchief tied up and over rosie the riveter style, and it would still muss, but you'd only have to repair damaged bits of the style instead of entirely redoing it. Also hairspray like you would not believe.
ReplyDeleteYes; this was exactly how my grandmother operated.
ReplyDelete