Hotel by Arthur Hailey - Book Report/Review Example

Hotel Summary Arthur Hailey book has Hotel written in 1965 is one of his popular novels. This book is deep in details, background information themes as well character development. It gives clear and precise insights during a five-day period in the life of an untimely 1960s independent, glamorous hotel in New Orleans that is encountering several challenges. It covers diminutive pieces of everything. The book offers many flavours and comes remarkably close to be a complete book. It is unlike most thrillers, which offer some but not all other categories of information that capture the readers. Hailey’s romantic style of writing is an in-depth study of the romantic field. The text's setting is in a hotel. The hotel has a mortgage, which puts its management on a financial crisis. This is the basis of the book. It intertwines a multitude of sub-plots, which are a significant part of the story as they combine fabulously in the climax into one formidable ending. The book tackles relevant American civil rights issues at the time, as well as hotel merging versus operating independently. The St. Gregory is a splendid, conservative five-star hotel owned by Warren Trent. Warren’s family built the hotel eighty-five years ago. Currently it is seen as a put away to olden times, for its bosom as well as damaging. The hotel is in problems financially and needs a foremost influx of capital to keep it buoyant (Kasavana and Richard 403). The hotels troubles are obvious in the professional world, and despite it not being officially on sale, it has begun to attract interested buyers. S real estate buyer wants to buy the hotel and rip it off. He also anticipates a proposal from O’Keefe who is boarding in the hotel. The St. Gregory Hotel epitomizes the values of extravagance and generosity of the time. For a long time, the hotel has been losing money leading to Trent’s failure to renew the mortgage. However, Peter thinks that he can be able to organise for a loan from a union, but this entails that the union will have a foothold in the hotel. The other option is to sell the hotel to Curtis O’Keefe who is the owner of a leading hotel chain, and would grasp the opportunity of adding St. Gregory to his assets in the process destroying its character and reputation. O’Keefe’s motifs of buying the hotel are beyond just increasing his domain. This is a situation happening in a clock-like movement, in the hotel. Peter McDermott is the General Manger of the hotel. He is the main character in the hotel story. He is a Hotel Management graduate from Cornell University. He is a man with an ivy-league education but he suffers the ill effects of a bad imprudence from his earlier career at one of the top hotel chains worldwide. This forced him to move to this insignificant hotel, and he meets with Christine who is a secretary to the proprietor (Hailey 6). Christine a secretary to Trent and McDermott develop a fondness for each other (Hailey 4). Christine is caring and loving as witnessed when she individually takes care of a patient in the hotel room. Peter is a faithful and motivated administrator who tussles with the never-ending drama of the hotels guests. McDermott has risen through the positions, and as the hotel General Manager, he tries all he can do to reverse the current situation of the hotel. He does his best to alter some aspects where it matters such as, ending the hotels official and unofficial segregation policy as well as resisting many modern, but impersonal conveniences. He is hoping that with a hotel union fall through to save it from its current predicament. He hopes the union will provide the hotel with the required capital in exchange for the hotel employees becoming unionized and help in saving the hotel from the current crisis (Kasavana and Richard 403). Cutis O’Keefe operates hotel chains worldwide and he tours the hotel before take-over negotiations are decided. A beautiful Parissienne called Jeanne Rochefort, who though, she does not like O’Keefe, but she enjoys what he offers her accompanies him. She is the unwitting pawn in his bid for the hotel. A royal Duke who is the ambassador appointee of the UK to the states is involved in an accident. It is a hit and run accident. The duke and duchess are lodging in the luxurious hotel awaiting his appointment as ambassador to Washington. He struck a pedestrian and sped away when he was coming from a nightclub. They are hiding in the hotel in fear of taking their responsibilities (Hailey 100). The obsolete hotel structure set-up the owner has redundant views and management technique. From archaic policies and physical objects in the hotel, it is a true out-dated premise existing in modern times. The existence of an old elevator plays a crucial role in the fortunes of the Hotel. The man in the elevator whose name was not disclosed finally buys the bank. McDermott is the General Manager and Trent becomes the figurehead of the hotel as its chairperson. It is in the elevator where justice for the hit and run victim is served. The elevator is involved in a free fall, and the duke dies in the process. O’Keefe mistress is also injured in the process (Hailey 243). Some ugly incidents occur in the hotel. They include the professional hotel thief a rape attempt, racism and conventions all happen in the novel. Keycase Milne the bold sneak thief is also staying in the hotel where every night he relieves the customers of their properties and when he is discovered he chased through the hotel underground passages. He manages to flee with all the money he has stolen and manages to leave the country. This is an example of the ugly incidents that happen in the hotel. Another incident occurs when a group of teenage boys who are sons of the prominent people in the town, such as a banker and car dealer attempt to rape Miss Marsha Prescott. She is the daughter of Mr. Prescott, from the store department but currently in Rome. However, a Negro worker Aloysius Royce for Trent helps her upon hearing her screams. From there peter intervenes and asks the boys to write apology letters for the incident. The boys named Bell captain, Herbie Chandler as the person who necessitated the incident in their letters. McDermott considers firing Chandler on the spot but reconsiders due to his many years of service (Hailey 5). He plans to forward the case to Trent. However, in an attempt to block, McDermott from reporting to Trent chandler attempts to bribe him something that infuriates Peter and he chases Chandler out of his office. Another incident that negatively influenced the hotel is the practice of discrimination on racial grounds. A couple made a reservation in the name of Dr. And Mrs. Elmo Adams but failed to specify that they were of black complexion. When they showed up this was a serious problem for the hotel that did not accommodate blacks. During the conventions of dentists that was supposed to be held in the hotel, another incident that annoyed the organisers happened, a Negro man was prevented from entering the hotel because hotel policy was against accommodating black men. The incident was widely covered even in the local newspaper, and it came to haunt the hotel later (Hailey 123). When the hotel wanted to make a deal with a hotel union, the union backs out of the deal in the last minute citing the racism incident as the main reason that upset them leading to their breaking of the deal. McDermott is involved in a romantic love triangle. Marsha Prescott, a beautiful woman, falls for him and proposes that they get married. Though McDermott is attracted to her, he does not love her enough to marry her. He is only in love with Christine. Therefore, he turns down Marsha’s proposal. Hotel is a delightful piece to read. It is captivating as well as descriptive in nature. The author explains even the smallest details in-depth for the easy reading of the reader. It is a mind relaxing and full of entertainment book that will cheer one up. Works cited Hailey, Arthur. Hotel. Leicester [Eng.: Ulverscroft, 1965. Print. Kasavana, Michael L, and Richard M. Brooks. Managing Front Office Operations. Lansing, Mich: Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association, 1998. Print. Read More