I'd Like A Temptation-Free Room, Please.

There they were, arrayed below the HDTV like an alcohol archipelago: wine, tequila, vodka, gin, rum, and Tennessee whiskey. But that was just the beginning.

The hotel was very nice, right in my wheelhouse in terms of design. The shower was awesome. But the in-room merchandising was over-the-top. It was as if a mini-bar had exploded. There was still a mini-fridge, stocked with wine, beer, and other beverages, with a clear glass door so everything was visible. Immediately to the left of the liquor array was a basket of cookies, crackers, chips, nuts, and other snacks. On a table next to the easy chair sat one Coke and one Sprite, next to tall glasses already strawed. (I didn't say it wasn't stylish.) Still hungry? The one-page room service menu was conveniently displayed on the desk.

Most nice hotel rooms have these things but the traditional mini-bar is discreet, usually hidden in the furniture. If you don't trust yourself, you can lock it and drop the key at the desk. The room service menu is usually in the guest services binder.

This was a very contemporary hotel. If this is a coming wave I don't like it. I need neither the temptation to overspend nor the temptation to overindulge.

If it comes to that I will request a temptation-free room, but I shouldn't have to.