Every once in a while, you check into a hotel and discover something you weren’t expecting.
Maybe it’s a disco closet, as we found at a Hyatt Centric. Maybe it’s a Bluetooth speaker built into the bathroom mirror, like we once saw at a Crowne Plaza. Or maybe it’s a piece of technology that somehow survived from the 1980s.
But every now and then someone posts one of those discoveries online…and the comments wind up being even more entertaining than the original story.
Such was the case on Reddit the other day, when a Redditor who goes by the handle U/CrabOak7730 mentioned in a post that they recently stayed at a JW Marriott and were surprised to see their room had a handheld garment steamer instead of the traditional hotel iron and ironing board.
They said it took a bit to figure out how the steamer worked, but in the end, it worked just fine and did the job. Their main question was whether anyone else had gotten a steamer instead of an iron at other Marriott properties.
The early replies were exactly what you’d expect:
- Some people said they had also seen steamers at certain hotels instead of irons.
- Some preferred irons because they do a better job removing wrinkles and pressing creases.
- Others preferred steamers because they feel cleaner and avoid the risk of rusty hotel irons leaving marks on clothing.
- Several people shared tips for using steamers more effectively, including one important warning: don’t use a steamer on certain suit jackets, since steam can damage internal construction and cause permanent ripples.
And then, travel friends, came the comments where this GIF suddenly became appropriate:
These are written as a reply chain, and it took a wonderfully weird turn:
- Less fire risks from this than an iron left on some surface, I guess — Even-Huckleberry-458
- No risk of someone cooking bacon on a steamer — presvil
- I might have a steamed ham though– angelo8998
- I thought we were having steamed clams. — Canadian RyeWhiskies
- No, steamed hams! Patented skinner burgers. Old family recipe! — OhioToDC
- You call them steamed hams, despite the fact they are obviously grilled! – Pdoc13066
As if that wasn’t enough, another reply chain quickly spiraled into its own brand of internet nonsense:
- Well, what the hell am I gonna grill my grilled cheese sammich on??? — BeenThereDoneThat65
- This is the main downside that no one talks about. Tried steaming leftover pizza last week. It just doesn’t do the job. My pants came out nice, but they’re not edible. — Caution-Contents_Hot
- That’s odd. What kinda pants are you wearing? — gingerbread1321
- The very pants he was returning! Now THAT’S interesting writing! — Z_e_e_e_e_G
- Hahaha. Had to look this up, but I knew it sounded familiar. — Caution-Contents_Hot
- Apparently steam ovens are a thing, so you’re missing out, fellow peasant. — avtechguy
- Windows close, doors open. Try a steamed burger. *not steamed hams, I’m from downstate — cavegoatlove
- Steamed cheese sandwich? — captaindomon
- You can steam some veggies. — DJinKC
- Apparently you’ve never tried a steamed cheese sandwich. Life changing. — ElCunadoNY
In the end, the biggest takeaway probably wasn’t whether hotels should offer steamers or irons.
It was a reminder that you never really know where an innocent question on the internet will lead.
One minute, people are debating the pros and cons of garment care. Next, they’re quoting The Simpsons, discussing steamed cheese sandwiches, wondering how to cook bacon without an iron, and making jokes about returning pants.
Sometimes the best part of a travel story isn’t the story itself.
It’s the comment section.
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