The place was huge. Before I had even entered the hotel proper, I could feel it. The simply presence of the place pressing down on the ceiling above us as we exited the tram into the cold, grey subway that ran just below the resort. As we ascended, we were assaulted by the luxury of the place- the plush red carpets, velvet sofas, all that beautiful furniture- on the other side of the glass doors. We all entered through something they called the 'Clean Room', in which they locked us in, and before long, smoke billowed from the walls. Some people freaked out, but it they were calmed down, and it was over in another minute. We exited into the main hotel lobby, feeling quite clean, at least after the subway.
I lost my breath at the full sight of the lobby. It must have been at least a half-mile long, eight to ten registration desks. It seems like the place was just made for us. There was nobody else present, and I, like a few of the other smarter ones, rushed to the couple back counters to grab a spot first.
In a couple minutes, I had my room- Room 127, on the first floor. I nodded as I made my way to the elevators, bags in hand, and I ascended the elevators with a few of my colleagues.
"So, what floor?" asked Susan, smiling brightly as she always did.
"I'm on 19" someone said.
"Nine"
"Ten"
"One" I added in to the chorus. It was funny how long it was taking to get to the first floor. Every room was guaranteed a view, though, so I suppose I could understand a while in getting to the first floor.
Then something odd happened. The elevator stopped. We expected the doors to open, but they never did. Instead, the elevator began to move again… sideways? That's what it felt like. Before long, it stopped again, to move up again. What was that all about? A few seconds later, the doors finally opened, and I got off on what the elevator announced was "First Floor- Area Diamond" before the door closed behind me.
I waved to my friends, as I made my way to my room. I was all the way at the end of the hallway, it seemed. "One ninety nine?" I uttered. That was suprising. And all the rooms seemed to be well spaced and on only one side of the wall. The other wall had only the occasional door, large wooden double doors. I opened one of them, and let out a gasp. A beautiful sight, unlike I had ever imagined, greeted me through the panoramic windows. A moderate inland delta formed the perfect area for the docks, while some of the delta remained just shallow enough to wade in. There were waverunners and a few small boats docked in the delta, held above the waters until they were ready to be used. A pair of rocks guarded the delta from whatever dared to enter, while letting the boats out easily enough. Then… the ocean. It stretched out before him, the evening sun capping every wave, the ocean sparkling, blue and orange, the beach a golden brown.
I must've been there quite a while, for eventually, someone tapped me on the shoulder, making me jump.
"Oh, I'm sorry" said a young blonde girl. "You just seemed entranced, and I thought it better that you unpack before you go doing that" she said, smiling. "I'm Ashley" she said, brushing her golden hair back.
"John" I replied, smiling. "Yeah, I think that might be best" he replied, and looked at his key again. "Room 127?" he queried.
"Oh, that's just down the hall. A long way, sure, but nonetheless. Here, I'll walk with you, so you have some company" she said, smiling as she walked with him.
"So, whatcha here for?" she asked, smiling.
"Get away for a while. Guess you could say it was a class trip, but I organized it, and basically said "Anyone wanna go on vacation? Get money together, and I'm leaving in a week for one of the nicest hotels in the world. A suprising number of people called me the next day" I replied. "What about you?" I asked.
"Oh, not much. My father is an architect, and I'm just staying here until he's done with his latest project, some bank he's working on" she said. "Well, we're down to 150, at least" she said, pointing to a door with golden numbers on it, unlike the rest of the doors. "That's just the VIP lounge for the level. I'll talk to someone about getting you access" she said. "I can't believe how much they space this place out, though. Sure, everyone gets a view, but at the cost of walking a few miles a day" she said, shaking her head.
"Well, exercise is always good" I smiled, as we reached 130 faster than I expected, and we walked the rest of the way in general silence, until we reached the door.
"Well, now I know where you are. Perhaps I'll come by and visit soon?" she said, smiling.
"If you wish. I'd enjoy the company" I replied, smiling back at her, before she left. I pulled out my key again, and looked at it carefully. It was unlike any key I'd ever seen. It was mostly flat along the edges, and had a bunch of pockmarks along the sides. The middle had a gap, except for the tip, which met in some kind of hexagon. Looking around, I was unable to find a keyhole on the door, but I found one on the wall, I think. I inserted it, and before I had a chance to respond, the double doors swung wide, and allowed me to take in the whole room at once as I grabbed my key.
The whole room had plush red carpeting, which I kicked off my shoes to feel underneath my feet. The room was well split in half, giving both the feeling of space and elegance. Directly ahead, splitting the room, was a picture. It looked digital, but I hadn't a clue how to change it. It was just a simple landscape, the sun over the desert.
The left side of the room consisted of a pair of a large couch, a marble coffee table, and a widescreen TV. I noticed the surround sound towers almost immediatley, on either side of the couch, and either side of the TV. Closer to the door side there was a small kitchen/dining room, nothing as exquisite as the rest of the room, but then, I supposed, most people here would get room service, right? The table was a beautiful rosewood, with an odd design of both glass and marble, and a chair on any one of it's four sides.
To the right, was the entire bedroom area. Beautiful dressers, mirrors, and a gorgeous canopy bed in red was this side's entire look. The dark cherry wood accented everything beautifully. I dropped the bags I had at the foot before jumping onto the plush bed. So soft... I thought to myself as I laid there, quite comfortable. I finally mananged to get up, before looking around a bit. I noticed another door in my room- two, in fact. I checked the one along the right hand wall from the door, and found a lavish bathroom all beige tile and white tub, before going out the door along the back wall on the right side, and again my breath rushed out of me as I looked out through yet another panoramic window.
This one was not of an ocean, but of a mountain, a range of them, in fact. The fog rolling over them, just now, rendered me speechless. When I could drag my eyes away from the view, I noticed it was, in fact, an enclosed balcony. It allowed me to see my neighbors, at least, and I saw a young lady a few doors down that looked quite beautiful. But so lonely. It was a situation that would have to be resolved soon.
But not at the moment. I walked back into my room, again sitting on the bed, as I noticed a large dresser at the foot of my bed, with a letter on top of it. I opened the blood-red envelope, and found both a letter, and some kind of phamplet. I looked to the letter first, which read:
Dear Mr. Karu,
We thank you for booking a room here in the Hotel Nioget, and as part of your group's arrangements, there are events planned for you and your group, as well as amenities provided at absolutely no charge. You shall recieve one of these notes daily, outlining daily events, mealtime menus, group activities, and messages from the hotel and other guests. In return, if you would like to deliver a message to another guest, or send a message outbound, you need only ask, and it shall be done, at no charge to you.
You will notice the lack of modern technology, from the lack of a phone to the lack of a computer. We have included television with a plethora of channels from around the globe, however. We are sorry in advance for the inconvenience of having no signal for your cell phones and laptops and well. We have taken some slight measures to allow our visitors to more fully experience the environment, of both the hotel's lifestyle and actual area. We have had problems in the past with overexposure to technology, and have aimed to limit it's use, to help you more fully enjoy your experience here.
The pamphlet you received with this note lists the activities that you are able to do on your own, and the facilities provided for personal use and small group use, as well as landmarks, tour times, and the like. Please consult it for further information regarding what activities might best suit you while you are here.
If you feel you need to contact room service, one of our help desks, or anything else you need, please do not hesitate to contact us via the television option. Just press "Options" on your remote, followed by "Helpdesk" on your television set, to contact us.
Thank you, and please enjoy your time here at the Hotel Nioget.
I read the note twice, just to be sure of what it said, before nodding to myself. So, no tech, except a TV. That's a change from the usual hotel experience, but it sounded like it might be interesting. I took a look at the pamphlet, and it showed exactly what the letter told me it would, and a bit more. Boat tours and rentals- free of charge, it looked like. The place had a roller rink, a dance floor
I lost my breath at the full sight of the lobby. It must have been at least a half-mile long, eight to ten registration desks. It seems like the place was just made for us. There was nobody else present, and I, like a few of the other smarter ones, rushed to the couple back counters to grab a spot first.
In a couple minutes, I had my room- Room 127, on the first floor. I nodded as I made my way to the elevators, bags in hand, and I ascended the elevators with a few of my colleagues.
"So, what floor?" asked Susan, smiling brightly as she always did.
"I'm on 19" someone said.
"Nine"
"Ten"
"One" I added in to the chorus. It was funny how long it was taking to get to the first floor. Every room was guaranteed a view, though, so I suppose I could understand a while in getting to the first floor.
Then something odd happened. The elevator stopped. We expected the doors to open, but they never did. Instead, the elevator began to move again… sideways? That's what it felt like. Before long, it stopped again, to move up again. What was that all about? A few seconds later, the doors finally opened, and I got off on what the elevator announced was "First Floor- Area Diamond" before the door closed behind me.
I waved to my friends, as I made my way to my room. I was all the way at the end of the hallway, it seemed. "One ninety nine?" I uttered. That was suprising. And all the rooms seemed to be well spaced and on only one side of the wall. The other wall had only the occasional door, large wooden double doors. I opened one of them, and let out a gasp. A beautiful sight, unlike I had ever imagined, greeted me through the panoramic windows. A moderate inland delta formed the perfect area for the docks, while some of the delta remained just shallow enough to wade in. There were waverunners and a few small boats docked in the delta, held above the waters until they were ready to be used. A pair of rocks guarded the delta from whatever dared to enter, while letting the boats out easily enough. Then… the ocean. It stretched out before him, the evening sun capping every wave, the ocean sparkling, blue and orange, the beach a golden brown.
I must've been there quite a while, for eventually, someone tapped me on the shoulder, making me jump.
"Oh, I'm sorry" said a young blonde girl. "You just seemed entranced, and I thought it better that you unpack before you go doing that" she said, smiling. "I'm Ashley" she said, brushing her golden hair back.
"John" I replied, smiling. "Yeah, I think that might be best" he replied, and looked at his key again. "Room 127?" he queried.
"Oh, that's just down the hall. A long way, sure, but nonetheless. Here, I'll walk with you, so you have some company" she said, smiling as she walked with him.
"So, whatcha here for?" she asked, smiling.
"Get away for a while. Guess you could say it was a class trip, but I organized it, and basically said "Anyone wanna go on vacation? Get money together, and I'm leaving in a week for one of the nicest hotels in the world. A suprising number of people called me the next day" I replied. "What about you?" I asked.
"Oh, not much. My father is an architect, and I'm just staying here until he's done with his latest project, some bank he's working on" she said. "Well, we're down to 150, at least" she said, pointing to a door with golden numbers on it, unlike the rest of the doors. "That's just the VIP lounge for the level. I'll talk to someone about getting you access" she said. "I can't believe how much they space this place out, though. Sure, everyone gets a view, but at the cost of walking a few miles a day" she said, shaking her head.
"Well, exercise is always good" I smiled, as we reached 130 faster than I expected, and we walked the rest of the way in general silence, until we reached the door.
"Well, now I know where you are. Perhaps I'll come by and visit soon?" she said, smiling.
"If you wish. I'd enjoy the company" I replied, smiling back at her, before she left. I pulled out my key again, and looked at it carefully. It was unlike any key I'd ever seen. It was mostly flat along the edges, and had a bunch of pockmarks along the sides. The middle had a gap, except for the tip, which met in some kind of hexagon. Looking around, I was unable to find a keyhole on the door, but I found one on the wall, I think. I inserted it, and before I had a chance to respond, the double doors swung wide, and allowed me to take in the whole room at once as I grabbed my key.
The whole room had plush red carpeting, which I kicked off my shoes to feel underneath my feet. The room was well split in half, giving both the feeling of space and elegance. Directly ahead, splitting the room, was a picture. It looked digital, but I hadn't a clue how to change it. It was just a simple landscape, the sun over the desert.
The left side of the room consisted of a pair of a large couch, a marble coffee table, and a widescreen TV. I noticed the surround sound towers almost immediatley, on either side of the couch, and either side of the TV. Closer to the door side there was a small kitchen/dining room, nothing as exquisite as the rest of the room, but then, I supposed, most people here would get room service, right? The table was a beautiful rosewood, with an odd design of both glass and marble, and a chair on any one of it's four sides.
To the right, was the entire bedroom area. Beautiful dressers, mirrors, and a gorgeous canopy bed in red was this side's entire look. The dark cherry wood accented everything beautifully. I dropped the bags I had at the foot before jumping onto the plush bed. So soft... I thought to myself as I laid there, quite comfortable. I finally mananged to get up, before looking around a bit. I noticed another door in my room- two, in fact. I checked the one along the right hand wall from the door, and found a lavish bathroom all beige tile and white tub, before going out the door along the back wall on the right side, and again my breath rushed out of me as I looked out through yet another panoramic window.
This one was not of an ocean, but of a mountain, a range of them, in fact. The fog rolling over them, just now, rendered me speechless. When I could drag my eyes away from the view, I noticed it was, in fact, an enclosed balcony. It allowed me to see my neighbors, at least, and I saw a young lady a few doors down that looked quite beautiful. But so lonely. It was a situation that would have to be resolved soon.
But not at the moment. I walked back into my room, again sitting on the bed, as I noticed a large dresser at the foot of my bed, with a letter on top of it. I opened the blood-red envelope, and found both a letter, and some kind of phamplet. I looked to the letter first, which read:
Dear Mr. Karu,
We thank you for booking a room here in the Hotel Nioget, and as part of your group's arrangements, there are events planned for you and your group, as well as amenities provided at absolutely no charge. You shall recieve one of these notes daily, outlining daily events, mealtime menus, group activities, and messages from the hotel and other guests. In return, if you would like to deliver a message to another guest, or send a message outbound, you need only ask, and it shall be done, at no charge to you.
You will notice the lack of modern technology, from the lack of a phone to the lack of a computer. We have included television with a plethora of channels from around the globe, however. We are sorry in advance for the inconvenience of having no signal for your cell phones and laptops and well. We have taken some slight measures to allow our visitors to more fully experience the environment, of both the hotel's lifestyle and actual area. We have had problems in the past with overexposure to technology, and have aimed to limit it's use, to help you more fully enjoy your experience here.
The pamphlet you received with this note lists the activities that you are able to do on your own, and the facilities provided for personal use and small group use, as well as landmarks, tour times, and the like. Please consult it for further information regarding what activities might best suit you while you are here.
If you feel you need to contact room service, one of our help desks, or anything else you need, please do not hesitate to contact us via the television option. Just press "Options" on your remote, followed by "Helpdesk" on your television set, to contact us.
Thank you, and please enjoy your time here at the Hotel Nioget.
I read the note twice, just to be sure of what it said, before nodding to myself. So, no tech, except a TV. That's a change from the usual hotel experience, but it sounded like it might be interesting. I took a look at the pamphlet, and it showed exactly what the letter told me it would, and a bit more. Boat tours and rentals- free of charge, it looked like. The place had a roller rink, a dance floor