Dear Steve Joyce,
I owe you a formal apology. I judged you too harshly after your appearance on Undercover Boss. Last week you actually came through for me. Let me explain.
It was a Tuesday evening when I found myself hungry and exhausted after a full day of driving with my dog. I was halfway through my move from Dallas to Minneapolis and I hit my driving limit. I was in the middle of nowhere and needed an economical place to stay – one that would take me AND my dog. The search engine on my phone directed me to Econolodge, one of your concepts.
I was hesitant at first, Mr. Joyce. However, I thought back to the Choice Hotels episode of Undercover Boss and I remembered that you really seemed to care about giving your guests a nice, comfortable place to stay. I figured I owed you another chance. And I was delirious from sleep deprivation. I checked in.
The moment I stepped into room 113 of the Econolodge in Kearney, MO I realized I was in a first rate establishment. The first thing I noticed was the unique location of the smoke detector. I have been in hotels in which the smoke detectors have gone off, waking me from my slumber. It was awful! All I wanted to do was sleep! Thank you for making certain that in the event of a fire my deep sleep would not be disturbed.
The vanity area made me feel like I was in the dressing room of a Hollywood star. It was lavish, well-lit, and very upscale.
In the bathroom, I noticed another of your safety features. The typical white surface on the bottom of the tub can be VERY slippery. Thank you for allowing it to wear away over time and not replacing it. The hair left by previous guests provided additional traction.
The nightstand let me know how environmentally friendly your hotel is. Why waste cleaning solution, or even water for that matter, on such an unimportant surface??
Mr. Joyce, the best part of staying in your hotel was the unique decoration. I think we’re all tired of typical hotel decor. You know, the floral wallpaper, old-fashioned bed spread, the boring prints of a non-descript landscape…. Thank you for spicing it up.
I must admit, poop on the walls is a pretty progressive approach to interior design, but I think it really worked in this room. Great idea!
In conclusion, Mr. Joyce, please accept my deepest and most sincere apology for my unkind words. My stay at your lovely hotel absolutely changed my mind. Next time I am in Kearney I will be sure to stay again!
Your biggest fan,
Me
Yankee in Texas 