Photo: NOAA | Unsplash
When icy temperatures this past winter froze Kodak, Tenn., the owner of the local Quality Inn welcomed all comers. Sean Patel, who came to the US from India in 2004, told people that, "If you can get here, we will take care of you." Over Christmas 2020, all 60 rooms were booked, and some people stayed in the lobby or meeting rooms. Everyone pitched in, sharing food, and some guests even paid for each other's rooms. Later in the winter, when a similar freeze hit Texas, Patel opened up the Segovia Lodge so anyone who could get there could stay and eat for free all week. When the hotel lost electricity, stranded truckers kept a fire going all night. All the rooms were full, yet Patel opened the lobby so more could shelter. The 200 or so guests have kept in touch via a Facebook group. Patel's hotels have been nominated for Reader Digest's 2021 Nicest Places in America contest.
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