November 12th, 2004
Hotel Ratings
Except none of this is truly R&R. In fact, it’s just another day on the job. The woman, whom we’ll simply call “the inspector” so as to not blow her cover, works for Mobil Travel Guide. As one of five employees who crisscross North America checking out the crème de la crème of hotels, she concentrates strictly on lodgings the guidebook publisher deems worthy of four or five stars. Based on previous visits, this four-star resort, the St. Regis Monarch Beach, could make the leap into rarefied five-star orbit. This inspection will determine whether it makes the cut.