Hotel in the UK Replaces Bibles with Kindles

Gideons International supplies Bibles to thousands of hotels around the world. However, one hotel in Britain has ditched its 148 copies of the book and replaced them with an electronic version of the Bible that has been pre-loaded onto Kindle ereaders. Guests staying at the hotel will also be able to download any other religious text valued at £5 or less during their stay.

According to the Telegraph, Hotel Indigo in Newcastle is claiming to be the first hotel in the UK to do so. However, the hotel isn't just offering patrons access to holy texts. Guest will also be able to access additional titles in a pay-per-view set-up that will allow them to purchase regular fiction and charge it to their room.

"In the 18th Century, Newcastle was one of the largest print centers in Britain and we're in Grainger Town, close to the Literary and Philosophical Society," general manager Adam Munday is quoted as saying. "We wanted to reflect this literary history in a very contemporary way, so are offering guests the use of cutting-edge Kindles pre-loaded with The Bible, instead of the more traditional hardcopy Gideon’s Bible that they would expect to find in a hotel."

The Kindles will be in Hotel Indigo's 148 rooms on a trial basis until July 16. After that, a decision will be made on whether or not to keep the program. Additionally, Hotel Indigo will decide whether it wants to expand the program and put Kindles in any of its other hotels. A chain of boutique hotels owned by InterContinental Hotels, Hotel Indigo currently has 39 locations around the world.

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  • velocityg4
    Why not just load them up with classics that are now public domain? Frankly I don't see the point though. Any avid reader is going to bring books or a ereader with them. Non avid readers are just going to watch some TV or surf the Internet.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    greghomeConsidering how a large percent of the UK's population are irreligious....I think this is gonna be a big waste of money......Because popular fiction titles that you can charge to your room account, creating a revenue stream, like Harry Potter or Girl With The Gragon Tattoo are not dependant on you being Catholic.
    Reply
  • captaincharisma
    i doubt any of the ultra religious would even know how to use it or even know how to turn it on
    Reply
  • Who replaces the Kindle when the user walks out with it?
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    tominotorWho replaces the Kindle when the user walks out with it?So you book your hotel room with your credit card, then sign in. Why do you think people don't walk out with the TV or the kettle, think for a minute and the answer will come eventually.
    Reply
  • notsleep
    they're probably using the 1st gen kindles which take ages to flip a page. what would jesus think? :) i think zenu would love it more than jesus though since it's hi tech. :)
    Reply
  • del35
    You have to complement them for not using iPads.
    Reply
  • willard
    tominotorWho replaces the Kindle when the user walks out with it?The hotel, care of your credit card, which you have to put on file to book a hotel pretty much anywhere in the world.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Considering the number of non-Christian natives immigrating to Britain now, maybe hotels should consider a Quran too.
    Reply
  • oxiide
    del35You have to complement them for not using iPads.Do you think there much of a chance of that, considering the price difference and their need for a very basic e-book reader?
    Reply