The Wisdom of Never Leaving Your Hotel Room
31st August 2019
I find the spatial layout of a hotel room to be well suited to working, especially to writing. The desk is usually set in a corner, and very small, almost risibly so, as if to hint that work done seated, at a table, is a dumb idea. The bed is the room’s dominant feature. It occupies the centre, and allows different workspaces by configuring the pillows (throw and regular). The nightstands on either side double as storage and work spaces. No wonder that Vladimir Nabokov completed Pale Fire, my favorite book, while living in a suite at the Montreux Palace hotel.
True, working lying down brings its own challenges: it’s hard to avoid dozing off every few minutes. My solution is constant snacking, the fear of choking acting as a stimulant.
I’m in.