“YES MAM THIS IS A VERY FINE HOTEL.”

Was I expecting too much? Are ´western´ standards of hygiene so different? Should I bite my lip and smile when Indian tour agencies boast…”Yes mam, this is a very fine hotel.”?
So dirty cups and glasses, unclean mirrors, dust, mould splattered shower curtains (in fact mould in most bathrooms), greying towels, outdated, stained and scruffy fittings…is this normal? It seems, on looking around the stop over places chosen by my tour agency that I am in the best of a bad bunch. On the many miles travelled, it is a rare sight to see anything which resembles a ´decent’ hotel, despite some of the signs boasting ‘luxurious accommodation’.
Out on the streets on Trichy in the zone around my ´very fine hotel´, the stench of sewers is strong. I walk around for a few minute but quickly return to base to have a beer in the hotel bar (musty smelling). There are three short power cuts in the time it takes to down a beer in an empty bar.
There are always lots of staff around (very few women I note) but none putting much importance on cleaning. Three hotels out the 8 booked by my award winning agency have been reasonably good. I’ve grimaced a bit on entering some rooms. But the final straw happened on my birthday. I had been in a pretty grotty hotel the previous night (in a grotty town) and was glad to hit the trail, after breakfast, to the next stop. After a five and a half hour car journey I was looking forward to a nice shower and lunch. Well…the poor porter got the brunt of my first reaction on seeing the room. This led to them showing me three other rooms (all just as bad). I stomped down to reception and ranted….yes…screamed…. at the totally unperturbed personnel. I went back and took photos of the room and told them I was sending these to the tour agency. I was shaking with rage. My ever so patient driver called the agency and the hotel moved me to their best room (not perfect by any means) with the agency agreeing to pay the extra. What a nerve they have!
PS Today´s hotel is ´very fine´!!! The staff have presented me with a birthday present (a huge and garish sandalwood garland a bit like a Mad Masonic sash ....and a big cake with ´Mrs Wilma Margaret´ iced on it!!!