Ireland and Back

I had a great opportunity to travel to Ireland to attend some meetings. The hotel was a very nice older building setting in the Irish countryside. One thing that I discovered after my long flight, drive to the hotel, checking in was that the room seemed to have no power. I couldn’t seem to get any of the lights or TV in the room to work. I ended up walking around the room turning on and off lights until I discovered this behind the door.

In order to save energy they had this gizmo that required you to place your room key in it to turn on the power in the room.

When you left the room and pulled your key it set of a timer that would turn off the power to the room. Having never seen one of these before I thought it was a pretty cool power saving idea.

Comments

• Anonymous
  November 18, 2006
  Hey Thom, This not only an European thing but I have seen this as well in hotels across the States. And just like you I looked and wondered why the power didnt go when I encountered this for the very first time.

• Anonymous
  November 19, 2006
  Really - that is actually a good thing to know. Have never seen it in the states but if I can't get a light turned on I know what I need to look for.

• Anonymous
  November 19, 2006
  Had encountered same in Rome, Italy.

• Anonymous
  November 19, 2006
  How many hotels have you been in???? This is standard in most hotels I have been in