Marriott-Starwood Merger Continues: the Moment a Sheraton Gets Copies of the Book of Mormon

Bibles have been in hotel rooms for over 100 years, dating back at least to 1908 at the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana. The Gideons, which was formed by two men sharing a hotel room in 1898, give them away for free.

The average life of a hotel room bible is six years. Guests take them, even though they say ‘thou shalt not steal’ inside.

I’m not sure how necessary distributing bibles is any longer. Because just like porn, you can get the content online for free. People stopped buying in-room porn as often with the growth of the internet, and that’s when Marriott stopped offering it.

About 20 years ago a Provo, Utah video store successfully beat an obscenity charge by arguing that the Provo Marriott was renting nearly as much porn as the video store did. That argument wouldn’t work today.

Back in April I stayed at a Hyatt Place where the bible was placed in the bathroom. That may seem like an odd place for it, but in the bathroom you do have a rather captive audience for reading.

Tommy777 shares new copies of btoh the bible and the Book of Mormon were being distributed to rooms at the Sheraton Rockville in Maryland.

Moxy and Edition hotels don’t get religious materials. In my view a hotel that doesn’t have a desk definitely doesn’t need to offer books.

Alaska Airlines used to distribute prayer cards on meal trays. As social norms have changed and as the carrier has expanded they’ve dropped the practice. Religious material seems to be the sort of thing a hotel might provide ‘on request’ like toiletries that someone may have forgotten.

Of course in certain parts of the world and where a large number of customers expect it, practices vary. Etihad flights, for instance, begin with a prayer broadcast through the inflight entertainment system.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Comments

  1. I could be wrong, but I believe the Gideon bible tells people explicitly that they are free to take the Bible.

    It’s been decades since I’ve opened a hotel Bible, but I used to collect them when I was a teenager (although that was the early 90s so…) since I thought it was cool to see them in so many languages.

    Later, I found it fascinating how the meaning of the Bible changes so much based on Language (I read it in English, French, German, Spanish, and had it read to me in Swahili)

  2. The Gideons want you to take their Bibles. The fact you don’t know this is stunning. I realize you are not religious but your total lack of understanding of people of faith is quite apparent in this post. No, looking up the Bible online is not the same as having the book in your hands. Comparing it to porn is what someone might expect from a Bible illiterate person. This is far and away the most offensive post you’ve ever posted. What a small little man you are.

  3. My reference to ‘thou shalt not steal’ was a joke. Of course the purpose of the project is to share copies of the bible broadly.

    I absolutely did not compare the bible to porn. I explained that Marriott simultaneously offered the bible and porn, that’s a point about Marriott not about the bible.

  4. It’s all fake news. Whenever I find those in my hotel room, I put them where they belong. If I wanted to look at some fake news, at least Fox News isn’t killing trees.

  5. I worked in a bookstore, Bibles are one of the most shoplifted items …

    Lamps are one of the most stolen items from hotel rooms so …

  6. correction needed :

    “Tommy777 shares new copies of ~~~~btoh~~~~ the bible and the Book of Mormon were being distributed to rooms at the Sheraton Rockville in Maryland.”

  7. Duh – the Marriott has always had tBoM. I’d be more impressed if the Quran was placed in the Marriott/SPG hotels. Now that’d be news. lol

  8. I take them, but not far. Just to the nearest trashcan. As Albert Einstein said “religion is bunk”

  9. killing trees? the youngsters today are so encroached in these 1-sided issues like such, animals, climate

  10. I’m not a religious person and haven’t been inside a church in over a decade (not even for funerals or weddings) and sadly I am only slightly surprised by all the hate filled bigotry.

  11. @Andrew: Einstein did not at all say “religion is bunk.” He actually said: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

  12. Wow. I’m really surprised by some of the comments about the Bible and the Book of Mormon. With many things in a hotel room, people use some things and not others. But they are available to you. From my many nights in Marriott Hotels (lifetime platinum x 3), I have always found both books quietly sitting in a nightstand drawer. How is that offensive to anyone?

    Some people are religious and some are not. Some believe in the Bible and/or Book or Mormon and some do not. That doesn’t mean one is right and one is wrong. Why do people need to bash or criticize people with views that do not align with their own?

    Gary, I’m really surprised you trying to tie porn to Marriott. Aren’t there more pressing stories of interest for frequent travelers? What did you hope to accomplish with this story?

  13. I remember back in the day there were usually names & phone numbers of local whores written inside the cover. Of course, with internet now that is no longer the case so there is truly no need anymore for that stupid, worthless book.

  14. If some of you despise Gary that much, maybe it’s time to read other blogs. As far as I’m concerned, Gary is the man and has taught many, many of us way too many things to count, things that have had an enormous impact in our lives. If you feel differently, just go elsewhere and spare Gary and those of us who look forward to his posts.

  15. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall receive an unsolicited suite upgrade and club access.

Comments are closed.