Hotel chain offers free rooms for Marys and Josephs at Christmas

[superconnected]

Source: AFP

LONDON (AFP) - A hotel chain Tuesday said it was offering couples called Joseph and Mary in Britain, Ireland and Spain free accommodation this Christmas on proof of marriage and name.

Hotel chain Travelodge said husbands and wives matching their criteria would get a night's stay on the house, but with more home comforts than the humble stable of the Christian Nativity story.

The offer, appropriately, runs between Christmas Eve (December 24) to Twelfth Night (January 5, 2008).

"The phrase 'no room at the inn' is something that resonates with us in the hotel business," said Travelodge operations director Jason Cotta.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071211/od_afp/britainhotelchristmasoffbeat

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Do Mohammeds get kicked out?

[951-Riverside]

1. "Do Mohammeds get kicked out?"

:cry: Put a pacifier in it crybaby the hotel isn't excluding anyone from staying.

[superconnected]

2. I know, they're just saying some people get to stay for free, if they have the "right" name.

[superconnected]

4. btw, can you try to refrain from name calling? It's not only against

du rules, it also shows a maturity level which aids in giving credibility to your words.

[Ignis]

22. Classy reply. Very classy.(nt)

:thumbsdown:

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

3. Cheap marketing ploy for the slow season.

[superconnected]

5. It is kind of warm and fuzzy, if you're a Christian.

[msongs]

6. brings new meaning to the phrase "get a room..." nt

[provis99]

7. well if they have a right to make such a stupid marketing ploy

I also have a right to not stay at their stupid motel chain anymore. And I won't.

[winter999]

13. Cool, then I can have your room!

[bigworld]

14. Just FYI - Travelodge UK isn't the same as Travelodge USA.

[BadgerKid]

8. Are the rooms immaculate? n/t

[llmart]

15. Bada boom!

Good one!

[Kurovski]

9. Is there an income ceiling? Stranded Mary's and Josephs?

Homeless couples?

That would be "the true spirit of Christmas". As it stands, it's a bunch of self-serving happy horseshit.

Bully for them. They're fucking adorable.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. How about Marias and Giusseppis?

[Kurovski]

23. Or Marys and Josephinas?

[Posteritatis]

11. Okay, I'll admit I find that one kinda cute

Rolling my eyes a bit at the gimmicky nature of it, but I find it hard to be offended at it.

[Mike Daniels]

16. Probably done more as a cutesy PR gimmick than as a real promotion

First, you have to be married to qualify for the promotion and you have to prove the names. While I guess one could fake both ID cards and a marriage license that seems like an awful lot of bother.

As long as they allow any foreign variation of Mary/Joseph I fail to see any reason why someone should get upset over this little stunt. But based on this thread we seem to live in the times of humorless cranks who will look for any reason to take offense so who knows.

[Endangered Specie]

12. In unrelated news: wave of strippers & prostitutes change stage names to "Mary"

details at 11.

[snooper2]

17. Anyone named Mike Hunt

has to pay double :evilgrin:

[L. Coyote]

18. No Mary, No Joseph, but I got an illegitimate child. Will that do? LOL

[superconnected]

24. rofl

:rofl:

[L. Coyote]

25. Duzzy !!

Had to celebrate with a new avatar!

[Darkseid69]

19. Oh that's funny

Cheap PR gimmick. Surprised no hotel has done it before tho.

[AnneD]

20. But but....

Joseph and Mary weren't married...yet. They need to get with the program.

[elvisbear]

21. How 'bout if your name is Jesus?

and I also need roll out beds for my 3 friends who are very wise. :)

[goforit]

26. This is hilarious! Marketing at it's finest.

[Onlooker]

27. Did they offer free rooms to people named Hanukah? n/t

[orleans]

28. what a bunch of crap. if they really wanted to do a good deed they

would fill up the rooms with families living in their cars.

actually--i like that idea. if i ever own a hotel/motel i think that is what i will do--as often as possible. but on the other hand, i probably wouldn't be in business for very long