In some of the Royal Hotel’s guest rooms you will find original cast iron radiators that at one time provided steam heat throughout the hotel. Although the radiators are no longer operational, the character and sense of history they add makes up for the loss of floor space.
I recently came across an article explaining the correlation of steam heat, cast iron radiators and the 1918 pandemic. Really.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-05/the-curious-history-of-steam-heat-and-pandemics
Dan Holohan, writer, researcher, consultant and expert on all thing related to heating systems discovered the term “Fresh Air Movement” while going through an old heating manual. After doing more digging he learned that the New York City board of health determined providing fresh air would help keep airborne diseases at bay especially during the 1918-1919 Spanish flu.
Boilers in that city’s apartment buildings were specifically designed to be oversized – resulting in overheated suites – forcing occupants to open windows for ventilation. This satisfied the Board of Health and helped possibly abate the virus by providing fresh air to residents even during the coldest of winter months. An interesting piece of history for sure – especially in light of today’s current situation.
Looking for a local get-a-way? The historic Royal Hotel’s guest rooms are stringently cleaned and sanitized; meeting all health and WCB requirements. In addition, the windows in all our guest rooms open to provide fresh air. Your comfort and safety are important to us.