Well, spent last weekend in NYC, and in a city rife with Surprises, the one that really Pow!ed me was tucked away inside a laundry bag at the London NYC Hotel (a magnificent find, I may add; all suites, killer location, ultra-efficient service and Gordon Ramsay's first American resto...but I digress).
Instead of the standard Put-Your-Shoes-In-The-Bag for a complimentary shoeshine, the hotel offers what they call a "Workout Wear Refresher." To wit:
"For complimentary cleaning of your workout wear, place your clothing in the laundry bag with this card
and touch 62 for pickup before 10 am. Clothing will be returned by 5 pm."
For a guy who obsessively trains, this is a godsend. No more will my multiples of shorts, socks, t-shirts and bandanas overpower my luggage; one set is ready for the morning shvitz, everyday. Speaks volumes about the hotel's hip target market as well, who may be wearing more canvas and runners than wingtips, as well as the cost of running a shoe-shine operation and/or the declining demand for it.
This may not be for everyone, but for those of us who choose their hotels by their workout facilities, this facilitates the choice.
And I'm sure if I REALLY needed a shoeshine, the London NYC would get me one.