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Gideon Bibles appear at the Superior Hotel, in Superior, Montana. The Gideons currently distribute 1 million Bibles a week.
Conrad Hilton starts his empire by buying the Mobley Hotel, in Cisco, Texas, a crash pad for local oil-field workers.
The first airport hotel arrives— at Oakland International.
Kemmens Wilson introduces the Holiday Inn, in Memphis. Family perks: pools, cribs, and free TV.
Eisenhower’s federal highways program is inaugurated, eventually adding more than 46,000 miles of asphalt. The motor hotel, or motel, takes off.
The original budget chain, Motel 6, opens—with rooms that cost $6 a night.
Westin begins providing room service—hot soup is 85 cents; ham and cheese on rye, $2.75. Care for Sanka with that?
Four Seasons sets a trend by offering terry robes, hair dryers, and multiple-line, in-room telephones.
In-room movies premiere at Sheraton; they require engineers to cue the tapes.
The key card is born, at the Westin Peach-tree Plaza, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The polyester bedspread— fade-resistant and flame-retardant— is unfurled and quickly becomes the cover of choice for affordable hotels.
This year, 143,900 hotel rooms will be added to the 3 million already out there. How’s that for a chain reaction?
Copyright © 2008, American Express Publishing. All rights reserved.
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