Hotel life

Broadway, early in the morning, from my hotel room on the 57th floor.

My firm has offices around the world, and back when I did more hands-on software migrations I worked in all of them occasionally. Living in hotels for two or three weeks at a time while going to the office every day -- usually for very long days -- never felt like much fun, and there's a part of me that still feels like staying in hotels on vacation is playing serious hooky.

But I've never stayed in hotels in New York before this. Let me start by stipulating: they're incredibly expensive, and not remotely worth the cost. I've used discounts and miles and points whenever possible, of course, but still -- the idea that anyone pays the going rate who isn't an investment banker or an emir boggles the mind. This room over Broadway, for example, where I stayed the first week, was nicely furnished, but had reading lights I couldn't figure out how to turn on and a vague smell of rancid potpourri. And yes, all that can be yours for just over $500 a night, morning coffee not included.