Disruptive benefits
How a change of plans and expectations can act as shock therapy to help us properly consider our choices… or not
Imagine you’re going on a city break with your spouse to celebrate a special occasion. You’ve decided to push the boat out and book a suite in a swanky hotel for four nights, but as you arrive, the receptionist tells you that there has been a plumbing problem in the bathroom of your suite, making it unusable. All other suites were in use, but you are offered an ordinary room (at the ordinary price) until the bathroom is fixed plus £200 ($270, €240) in compensation. You are a little annoyed (who wouldn’t be), but it is a fair offer, so you accept.
As it happens, the ordinary room — while lacking the opulence of a suite — is perfectly good, and after a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, you cheerfully embark on an exploratory walk around the city. When you return in the afternoon, the receptionist informs you that the bathroom in the suite you had booked has been fixed. You can move into it straight away (and a hotel worker will move your luggage), but if you wish, you can also opt to stay in your current, lower-priced room. What do you do?
