Accommodations Through the Ages
Five-star hotels, inns, self-catering cottages, villas for rent — we troop to these places for a place to stay when we are far from home. The hospitality industry rose to its prominence in the 19th century alongside the growth of businesses and the invention of comfortable means of transportation. Inns, for example, have catered to travellers since ancient times. The emergence of the hotel as a commercial institution, however, is a development of the past few centuries. By the end of the 18th century, when the stagecoach had increased travel within Europe, many inns and taverns were constructed to offer lodgings along highway routes. After the construction of rail roads in the 19th century, larger hotels were built near rail road stations to accommodate railway travellers.
A 5-Star hotel accommodation
In urban cities, the types of lodging offered by certain hotels became luxurious. The old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City was among the first of such luxury hotels, but their rates were too high for the average traveller. The volume of construction for tourist accommodations increased greatly after World War I because of the promise of prosperity that it brought. Due to the growing importance of business travel, most new hotels were situated near central business areas. During this period, the direct antecedent of the motel was established; most offered only minimal accommodations and no luxuries. Many businessmen have established large business empires because of the rapid growth of the hospitality industry. Today, it still remains as one of the most viable businesses of the 21st century.
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