Did you notice how nearly every hotel boasts an ice machine on every floor? I always took it for granted — until I learned there was, in fact, a pretty cool story behind it. It all dates back to a fella named Kemmons Wilson, the creator of Holiday Inn, who had a big idea to make hotel stays more comfortable for everyday travelers.
Staying at a hotel back in the 1950s wasn’t quite the cozy, convenient experience that’s de rigueur today. I can only imagine how annoying that must have been — especially when you arrive on a hot summer day, thirsty for something icy, only to discover there’s no ice anywhere. It was the sort of thing that could mar the beginning of a vacation.
Kemmons Wilson really gets a gold star in my eyes. He was a Memphis guy who had his rough hotel stays with his wife and five kids — and he didn’t like it one bit. I mean, can you imagine dragging your family around, going to your hotel at long last, and then not having the ability to get just a little ice? He thought that was total nonsense. So, he decided to do something about it.
Why shouldn’t all guests be at ease, he figured? Why not just make ice — one of the simplest things we know — available to all? (Honestly, god bless him for taking what he can get.)
So in 1952, he launched his own chain of hotels — Holiday Inn — and made certain that each would be equipped with an ice machine no more than a floor away. And just like that, he revolutionized the entire hotel experience. No more chasing ice or feeling sheepish when you call the front desk. Just give your bucket a tug, press the lever, and drink up. It was a little idea with a huge effect — and one we still reap the benefits of today. Kudos to this guy!
You know what really turned the hotel-stay game on its head? Ice machines. There’s just something extraordinary about having a bucket of ice at your fingertips, at any time of the day, whether you want to cool off your summer drinks or stash your snacks. No more running around the building trying to find a store, or asking the front desk if a bag of ice is available. It’s so little, but whoa, does it greatly affect how comfortable and easy your stay is.
Wilson’s new concept quickly caught on, and he wasn’t the only one to adopt the idea. Ice machines became de rigueur and travelers demanded them at any lodging. Thanks to this humble but ingenious invention, hotel guests everywhere could chill a drink, or keep their picnic provisions cool.
It’s rare these days to find a hotel without an ice machine on each floor. It’s simply part of the experience now — and we have Kemmons Wilson to thank for that bit of comfort and convenience.
But another thing to consider: hotels are not only being nice when they offer us easy access to ice. And they are saving money. Yeah, those ice machines are a good play for them. Let me explain how.
Just think — without ice machines, hotels would have to cart ice up to each room every time a guest requested it, either through room service or by a bellhop popping up with a bucket every time it was requested. That’s a whole second layer of work (and expense). But with a machine on each floor, guests can just help themselves, saving the hotel time and the cost of a server.
And anyway, more modern ice machines are specifically engineered to be energy-efficient, so they really do require way less power than the old-school ways. So that means lower energy bills for the hotel — pretty smart, huh?
And let’s be honest: as someone who is a guest, it’s nice to have the option to access something as necessary — and as basic — as ice. It just smooths the entire stay. You’ll probably leave happy if it’s convenient when you are (and perhaps be more inclined to give a good review or return, even). Everyone wins.
Ice machines produce ice as needed, reducing waste compared to pre-packaged bags of ice (that’s awesome). This not only saves money but also benefits the environment by reducing plastic waste.
I had never given much thought to ice machines — until I needed one. Now, when I see one in a hotel hallway, I sort of smile. It’s not just a matter of grabbing ice for my drink. It is about how something so small can help a stay feel easier and more comfortable.
And here’s the thing: It’s not just about being courteous to guests. Hotels are being smart, too. For them, ice machines save time, energy and money. When you stop to consider it, that’s pretty clever.
But then there are the fancier places where they actually charge for ice. At first, I was like, really??? But I get it now. If you’re at an upscale establishment, you may be paying for that added convenience — such as ice delivered directly to your door at the snap of a finger. There are some people who are perfectly at peace with that — or that accept that as their fate.
Me? I’ve been satisfied with the kind you scoop yourself from a hallway machine. And, let’s be honest, the next time I’m there, staring at the clock on the ice drop, I’ll probably reflect on how something so small has become such a disproportionately large part of the hotel experience. Funny how that works.
