"WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING FREE SHAMPOO"

Interesting consumer survey came out the other day from a global market research company called Synovate, headquartered here in Toronto.

It seems Americans love snapping up those free bottles of shampoo and mouthwash and such at hotels. But Canadians (and ain't it just like us?) are a little more reticent.

The survey found that one-half of the Americans surveyed feel that the toiletries are there for the taking and are "part of the experience." But only 34 per cent of Canadians felt that way.

In a press release, Synovate said that, generally, "Canadians are pretty careful with their toiletry samples as 46 per cent say they only use what they need during their stay and leave the rest."

Isn't that cute? I gotta admit I like taking the free shampoo (usually not the conditioner or skin care stuff or mouthwash) if it's a really great hotel and it's got a logo on it. I don't need one that simply says "Joe's fancy saffron-infused, eco-friendly, lavender and olive oil bath products of London, Dubai and Saskatoon," but if it says, "Empress Hotel, Victoria" or some such I'm pretty likely to bring it home as a souvenir.

The survey also found that one-third of Canadians don't care if a hotel has an environmental policy. Four per cent, however, said they won't stay in a place unless it DOES have one.

Officials said 21 per cent of Canadians research every hotel in a given area before making their choice of where to stay. that compares with 31 per cent of folks from Hong Kong and 39 per cent from the United Arab Emirates. And they said four in ten Canadians say a hotel has to cater to their technology needs before they book it.

Finally, Synovate said half of Canadian hotel users surveyed said they're open to trying a new hotel, compared to 40 per cent of Americans. Guess we showed our southern neighbours something with that result. We won't take shampoo, but we're willing to risk a different hotel.

NATION'S CAPITAL IN BLOOM

The Canadian Tulip Festival started May 1 and goes to May 18 up in Ottawa. It's considered the largest festival in the world of its kind, with three million tulips in bloom along the 15-kilometer "Tulip Route" that winds through the Ottawas Region and along the Rideau Canal.

I put chicken wire over my tulips in the fall so the squirrels can't get at them. The shoots grow up through the wire no problem but the squirrels can't get their nasty little paws through the screen. I wonder what they do in Ottawa? Three million bulbs would require a lot of chicken wire.