Best hotel amenities

[Chazz2771]

So just out of curiosity, for all you construction hands and tramps, what's the worst "dive" motel you've stayed at? Don't be afraid to get graphic.

The worst I stayed at was 19 and some change a night. You could buy "anything to make you feel good" buy knocking on the door of any of the other 9 rooms. Got rained out one day and went back to the room and found a cop staking out the room next to me. I guess a fugitive or something stayed there the night before. If you put your listening ears on you could hear somebody gettin' lucky EVERY night. Cigarette burn holes in the blankets and bed sheets, and some nice blood spots on the pillows that showed through the pillow cases. I think the shower used to be white, or maybe gray. The aroma was somewhere between porta-potty and the pub. TV was padlocked to the table and the bathroom window was painted open, didn't close, even when there was snow blowing through it. And there was ALWAYS somebody yelling at somebody else into all hours of the night. But shit, was it a good deal.

[BigClive]

I sure have stayed in some dives in the past. It used to be that the JIB (Joint Industry Board) for the electrical industry in the UK set the maximum allowance for accommodation per night, and they fell sadly behind reality.

I used to ask to see the room then openly sniff the pillow and bedding to see if it smelled bad or not. If it did I'd make a polite goodbye and find somewhere more hygienic.

One thing I like about the classic American Motel is the sheer standardisation. You know that you're going to get a room that usually has two single beds, an en-suite shower, toilet, sink cubicle thing, a random wardrobe, a long bench with a TV on it and a wee table at the window where you can sit to do paperwork or have a drink.

Here in Scotland it used to be B&B. Bed and breakfast in what were basically spare rooms in peoples houses. It was extremely variable in the sense that you might get put in an attic room you couldn't stand up in, or you might have shared a family room with up to six of your co-workers, with each being charged the full rate! The cooked breakfast was always something to look forward to though. (Except the place that fried the meals the night before and then re-heated them in a microwave... Including the fried egg.)

[Koga]

you mean job related and not just waking up somewhere ! Although .....
well we won't talk about that, long ago and far away.

Koga

[Chazz2771]

I know this ain't been here long but jeez, I know you all ain't staying at the Marriot or the Hilton while you're on the road.....the best I stay at is a Super8, and even that can get a little dangerous depending where you're at. Some of you old timers have surely stayed at some dandies.....Let's here 'em

[Edge]

yeah kid I can tell ya I've been in some dives for sure... I remember sleeping a crew to a room cuz of shitty contracts with no per diem or ratty fugging contractors that bid per diem into the contract but kept that info from the LU and the workers and pocketed the cash... I think I started to sleep with my Sig under the pillow in the late 80's early 90's or so...

damn becoming a utility whore was one of the best things that ever happened to me lol....

I rememeber on time I was staying in a place I thought was great.... it was in the south Philly/Chester area I think... we were building a 230 interconnect... the wifeypoo decided that she needed to see what all my bitching about was... so she drove rode up with me... she stayed one night...slept on top of the sheets with all her clothes on and left first thing in the morning for home in MY TRUCK! I had to bum a ride off the foreman for the rest of the week she drove up and picked me up that Thursday.... I still remember that afternoon when she looked at me and said "I don't know how you do it... thank you."

And all the time I thought SHE was the one with the HARD JOB...

The job of raising my three boys and making them into the men they are today...

Edge

Yeha I'm half blind I'm on vacation and drinking Peach "brandy"

[LostArt]

Great thread. No, I really don't have a story, but I remember the Boss calling me almost every night just wanting to hear from home. He did mention the "dive" he was in, but not to the details you all are giving-----thank goodness! Because I wouldn't have liked hearing the conditions, but he has laughed with the other guys at some of the things that has happened while they were in the dives. And being gone from home two weeks or more at a time-----let's just say the Boss likes his current job.



For Edge: One night he called and I was so glad to hear him, I cried. I cried so hard that he told me to hand the phone to my daughter. She was 4 or 5 yrs old at the time. She said, "I don't know why she's crying daddy. She was fine when we were at the hospital." I could hear him yell, "HOSPITAL??? Hand the phone back to your mother!"

My son had to have stitches in his head and while I was loading them up to go to the hospital, I realized I didn't have my car keys. They were in the house and the house keys were on them. Right. I was locked out. I had to break into one of the windows to get the keys before I went to the hospital.

I do well under pressure, it's afterwards I fall apart.

[wtdoor67]

Yeah I remember bunking together with about 3 other guys once. Seem like it was a reg bed, a small single bed and one guy slept on the couch. Not to plush. I remember the bed was so damn uncomfortable with an uneven sag to it. If your back didn't hurt already it would come morning.

I remember in another similar situation once. Was lucky, 3 beds and 3 of us. The old hand wasn't able to hold his beer and somehow fell into the wall heater and burned a grill pattern on his shoulder. The last day we worked that job, a grunt took some wide elect tape and taped the steering wheel on his truck. After a little ways out of town we saw him pulling over. He was looking all around at the tires as he thought he had a flat. He finally figured it out. I remember "American Pie" was the big song. Don McClean of course.

[wtdoor67]

Yeah I remember bunking together with about 3 other guys once. Seem like it was a reg bed, a small single bed and one guy slept on the couch. Not to plush. I remember the bed was so damn uncomfortable with an uneven sag to it. If your back didn't hurt already it would come morning.

I remember in another similar situation once. Was lucky, 3 beds and 3 of us. The old hand wasn't able to hold his beer and somehow fell into the wall heater and burned a grill pattern on his shoulder. The last day we worked that job, a grunt took some wide elect tape and taped the steering wheel on his truck. After a little ways out of town we saw him pulling over. He was looking all around at the tires as he thought he had a flat. He finally figured it out. I remember "American Pie" was the big song. Don Mclean of course.

[Pootnaigle]

Went on an ice storm In Greenville Mississippi once n stayed on some kinda barge with livin quarters on it. On each deck there were rows of rooms on each side...... each furnished with 2 or 3 bunkbeds and a community bathroom linked one side to the other. As I said it was a barge and wasnt exacty level so the people who had the pleasure of sleeping on the low side awoke to a few inches of water on their floor if the guys on the high side showered first. seems the shower had no lip or not enough lip to contain the runoff. Talk about cold feet first rattle outta the box. We were told to count our blessings cause lottsa guys were sleepin on church pews and had no showers.Never have cared for ice storms since.

[WCLR]

yeah kid I can tell ya I've been in some dives for sure... I remember sleeping a crew to a room cuz of shitty contracts with no per diem or ratty fugging contractors that bid per diem into the contract but kept that info from the LU and the workers and pocketed the cash... I think I started to sleep with my Sig under the pillow in the late 80's early 90's or so...

I know that feeling. We were working as a 7 man crew up in NW Georgia back in 99 and about 6 of us stayed in one room. Two in each bed and two roll outs in the room as well. You couldnt get out or go piss without walking over beds. Whoever stayed in the beds one guy got the comforter and the other the sheets so there was no way we could touch. You also had to wear a bare minimum a shirt and shorts.......lol Started dating a gal up there and I'd go earlier than everyone else so I could have the room to ourselves for a few hours. After that she had my key and would sneak in after she got off and snuggle up in bed with me until we had our words and it got ugly quick! I DONT miss those days. 6 to a room is NOT recommended