Hello all - all the best for 2007! Having spent my career in the hospitality industry - between 1949 and 1996 - I can say that as far as I know, all 'hotels' were indeed 'hotels' - i.e. places of accommodation usually with food service and often, but not always, bar facilities, in the UK. It was not until I came to New Zealand in 1966 that I found out a hotel was indeed a 'boozer' - a pub, but it was called a hotel. I have since discovered the same in Australia. The 'hotels' in New Zealand had accommodation and food service. Neither the accommodation or the food service were much used at that time(who would want to use facilities of such a dreadful standard?!!) and existed because the law required those facilities in order to obtain a liquor licence! In 1966 we still had what was known at the "6 o'clock swill" -!! Bars had to close at 6 pm in those days and the last half hour had to be seen to be believed! The jugs were lined up on the bar and filled from a hose like a petrol pump! People actually lined them up on their tables to see how much they could down in the last half hour before closing time! They often actually drank from the jugs!! My late, former, husband used to call the bars a "cross between a public toilet and a petrol filling station"!! That's a fitting description of some of the awful scenes in those days. Shortly after, in the years after1967, the hours were gradually changed, however, it did not change behaviour and the men - no women in those bars then - rolled home drunk just the same, only it was a bit later. If a woman was bold enough to go into those bars then it was assumed she had an alterior motive! The next 10-15 years saw many changes and huge improvements in all hospitality services, thank goodness. The last 25 years have seen wonderful changes and New Zealand now has top 'real' hotels with superb accommodation and food service and stunning wines! There are also many restaurants which can easily compete with those in other countries. It's a terrific place to live and although I often hanker after Bonnie Scotland - even after 40 interesting years here! - I'm glad to be here!!! In my genealogy researching and 'meeting' up with some cousins who have helped me greatly, I now have relatives here in NZ and also in Australia and Canada. There are other McKellars in the USA who I believe may also be related. That's my next project as well as continuing to try to find more recent relatives. All the best and regards to all Lorna New Zealand