Coat hangers from Marseille...

It is good, if painful, to be reminded of the grim impact of some hotels. Here is a letter, edited, from one of our editors. She was responding crossly to the following PR announcement from a Moroccan hotel:

When we designed our Hotel , we set out to create the ultimate luxury hotel in Morocco. A project of passion, blood, sweat & tears, and a big dollop of romanticism, has resulted in one of the finest, luxury Marrakech riads available in the city. Our Marrakech luxury hotel is not really a hotel, but is more our home from home. It is a cool, romantic, sophisticated house right in the middle of the Marrakech medina, just a two minute stroll from the main square with its fire eaters, jugglers, snake charmers, and ancient story tellers.

Attention to detail is our mantra – our toiletries are imported from Paris, our water comes from Norway, and our coat hangers from Marseille. So, if you're looking for a contemporary, luxury riad in Morocco, then we are here waiting to welcome you.

Each room in our luxury Moroccan hotel has the wow-factor, with stunning rooms and funky designs. This really is…pure indulgent chic.

Our editor's comment: "And their initial handout says "situated in the affluent heart of Marrakech..." The old Arab city! the medina! where some of the poorest people still live. And they are proud to be part of the transformation/elimination of this authentic culture, have not the slightest idea of the destructions they wreak."

My own thoughts are similar, with a special plaudit for the Marseilles coat-hangers. Now that is a serious case of supporting the host-country's economy....