Inside the Hotel Pattee Author:Lela Gilbert The Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa, has been described by a reporter as "the most surprising hotel in America." Welcoming visitors from around the world, it offers an unexpected combination of hispitality and history. Guests are greeted by a crackling fire and a warm welcome, but that is only the beginning of their experience - each of the hotel's ... more »40 individually decorated guest rooms and suites, along with its restaurants and public areas, has a unique story to tell about the people of the Midwest. Besides commemorating the Irish, Mexican, Dutch, Swedish, American Indian, and other ethnic groups that populate the Midwest, there are guestrooms recalling essential community enterprises like mining, railroading, and farming. Still other rooms celebrate individuals, such as Betty Mae Harris, known for bringing dance to Perry children for 37 years; V.T. "Snick" Hamlin, the Perry boy who created Alley Oop; and Louis Armstrong, the jazz great who had the good grace to stay at the Hotel Pattee. Since guests rarely have the opportunity to tour the entire hotel, Inside the Hotel Pattee offers a "vritual" visit to each room and public space in the hotel, and provides the background stories that inspired their decor.« less