I met more people on the hotel stairway during last week’s stay in Philly than ever before. Was it because the elevator was slow or the crowd was young and fit? Either way, here we were clanking up and down, surrounded by metal, concrete, harsh light, and dismal paint.

Today I tried to go up the stairs I’d come down in the parking ramp in Fort Worth. No luck; the door was locked at the bottom.

Half the time, I can’t even find the stairways. When I do, they are ugly, if not disgusting. Isn’t it time to encourage their use? Once you’ve stowed your roller bag, a flight or three or five is a great way to loosen up after sitting in a plane or car. Gets the blood flowing. Helps people survive the ridiculously huge portions most restaurants serve these days.

Want to appeal to the young and fit? Want to help people get more exercise? Open up those stairways! Paint the walls, carpet the stairs, maybe even hang a picture or two on the landings!

If you agree, spread the word. Maybe we can change the way hotels think about stairways!