A few years ago we took a trip to Amish country in Pennsylvania. As part of the trip, we decided it would be fun to spend one night at a hotel that consisted of rooms inside actual cabooses (cabi??? ;P), so the kids loved it. Me? Not so much. But since the kids were happy, we decided to make the best of it. For a night, we had our own caboose.
Supposedly the rooms have been refurbished since then, but at the time they were...not dirty exactly, but very dingy. The main area had a double bed, sink and a TV built into a fake pot bellied stove. There was a tiny bathroom (it had to be tiny) and two built-in bunk beds in the back. I had trouble sleeping in the bed, so I tried one of the bunks. That didn't work out so well either--it had sort of an old farmhouse smell (not the good kind). I went back to the bed.
Around 3am, I started to nod off. Finally! Soon I was startled awake by a loud crashing sound. It was pitch black and I couldn't see anything. I thought someone had kicked in the door, so I ran towards the door to intercept whoever was breaking in. Was it the Amish???
Halfway to the door I tripped over something on the floor. I still couldn't see, so it could have been anything. A drunk Amish person?
When I discovered the door was still shut, I reached for the light. My opponent in the dark turned out to be the fake stove pipe from the top of the fake stove. It was oddly heavy--and would have done damage if one of the kids had been standing there.
I marched over to the office and shared the "joy" I felt about the situation. I was pretty hot, but the fellow at the counter didn't react at all. Not sorry about what happened, not upset about my attitude, he was just completely disinterested and mellow...made me wonder if there was a drug problem in Amish country.
I've never skipped out on any bill, but if they didn't have my credit card number I would have skipped out and thought nothing of it. Eventually we agreed on a 50% discount.
This story doesn't have much of a point. However, if you like trains and want to see the place (if you're ever in the middle of nowhere PA), just drive by and look at the cabooses. Don't stay there!
Eeekkks... Sounds like an awful story, but at least you got discount. Phew... I'll remember not to look at the cabooses but not stay there for sure!
ReplyDeleteToo bad this happened before Trip Advisor. Nowadays you could threaten to write them up with a well-deserved negative review, and you most likely would have spent the night free. Or, better yet, read the reviews before staying the night and avoided staying there in the first place! :-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, I haven't ever been to the Amish towns before but have certainly heard of odd stories from folks who have visited.
ReplyDeletefirst time I've encountered the term caboose. at first I thought it's like an igloo thing..haha..then found out it's shelter for train crew before? Haha..Am I right? Still confused..what about I used the term caboose for confuse. I'm still caboosed! It sounds right :D
ReplyDeleteAs usual Rick, I tend to google lots of terms when reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteAh, a caboose sounds like what I would love to take a picture of and from the way you say it. I think I would love to mock stay in a caboose just for photo purpose.
I also had to look up caboose on my dictionary XDD That hotel sounds intersting, I once stayed in a hay hotel in Switzerland, and one wouldn't believe it, the beds were qute comfy, even though we lay on hay with just a thin sheet between us XDDD
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see the nowhere of PA ;)
"Was it the Amish??" LOL OMG I laughed so hard!! WTH Rick!
ReplyDeletesounds like an interesting hotel... LOL was it the amish hahaha
ReplyDeletei wonder how the Amish live... i mean, i was about to quit my job when i thought they disabled internet access! clearly i'm spoiled by current technology :D
ReplyDeleteoh no. that is horrible and poor customer service from the person behind the desk.
ReplyDeleteI would mind sleeping in a caboose...
ReplyDeleteI hate disinterested ppl in hotel or other service industry. They SHOULD care esp if a freaking pipe dropped in your room! Glad you got a 50% discount.
ReplyDelete