starting a

Posted by Sally (In the Mountains, USA) on 07/20/07 05:24 PM

I just received my new National Geographic. In deciding if I will take it with me on my trip next week, I got an idea. I think I will take it and put a label inside. Then I will leave it in the hotel when I am done. Perhaps one day we can all travel and have light reading magazines like Readers Digest in hotels across Italy.

Has anyone used a hotel that has a leave one/take one library? The Guest house I stayed in in Kathmandu had one. It was really nice. Finish one book and start another! Never carrying more than one.

Just a thought...

Posted by Kent

US Pacific Northwest

07/20/07 10:32 PM

10344 posts

It's a nice thought you have!

Posted by Swan

Napa, CA

07/21/07 05:38 AM

3580 posts

It is common to find a few of such books in hotels, B&Bs, and hostels. Policies vary, but usually if you make a trade it is acceptable to take a book. BTW, National Geographics are great travel books but they are heavy, so I wouldn't try to "fly light" and carry one. I sometimes buy one in Europe for about 5 Euros, read it thoroughly for days, then recycle it to a hotel reading rack. The Economist is a good magazine with lots of reading on international issues; sometimes I can find an American newsmagazine such as Newsweek, but there is less reading than in the Economist or NG. For book reading I try to trade or get other free reading material, but frequently I buy the International Herald Tribune for my newspaper "fix." It's expensive, but I can make one last most of the day.

Posted by Kelly

Windham, NH, USA

07/21/07 07:31 AM

34 posts

I really like that idea!

Posted by Sally OP

In the Mountains, USA

07/21/07 09:13 AM

689 posts

I think there are a lot of Rick Steves' followers out here - if we ALL leave one easy read each time we went, we could build up a nice library eventually. I sure will talk with the Hotel Bellavista in Massa Lubrense when I get there!

Posted by Paul n Sara

Newburyport, MA

07/21/07 01:51 PM

683 posts

National Geos are terrif. You can begin to understand other languages by reading the editions in those languages, as the articles are written in the same way.
When we were in Europe, we starved for English reading materials but always enjoyed NGs of whatever kind.
Many places have such libraries. We came across ones in Lisbon (Hotel Residencia Roma),Munich (Gasthof Hubman),Bolzano and a few others

Posted by Gela

San Jose, CA, USA

07/21/07 08:58 PM

423 posts

I have visited many hotels that had a book exchange libary. It was great. I remember reading "Congo" while in Tanzania - and then leaving it in my last hotel room with an inscription to the next reader inside. It felt very good doing that.

Just this past May, I gave my my Rick Steves Florence and Tuscany Guide to a group of gals to enjoy with a request to leave it with Hotel Il Bargellino for their library. I didn't need to drag it with me when I left for Venice and they were thrilled to have it. The hotel sent me a thank you note as well.

Sally - great thought from a thoughtful "traveler" (versus tourist).