"Keeping the customer intimidated"? Depends on the hotels you
frequent I guess.

Edited by author 07-30-2003 10:50 PM
Speaking of hotels, this spot-on observation from "Fragrant Harbor" by John Lanchester {a wonderful novel of Hong Kong}:

"I liked the feeling of being inside the Bank, behind the public façade, in the smell of paper and business. As a trade, with its emphasis on maintaing appearances, separating morality from practical judgement, and keeping the customer intimidated, it had many similarities with hotelkeeping."