The WORST episodes of Hotel
Every episode of Hotel ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Hotel!
Hotel is an American prime time drama based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name (which had also inspired a 1967 feature film). The series was set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. Episodes follow both the activities of passing guests as well as the personal and professional lives of the permanent hotel staff.
#1 - Aftershocks (2)
Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 5/5/1988
Since the announcement of wedding plans for Peter and Devon Sloan, the interior designer hired to re-decorate the hotel, Christine has been depressed. Peter's fiancee has begun to interfere with hotel operations. Unable to convince Peter that Devon's meddling is hurting the hotel's operations, Christine resigns. Peter recognizes Christine's great value, but it's too late. Peter decides that he and Devon are too much alike and neither one could change enough to make their marriage work. Reluctantly, Devon agrees and packs for departure. Later, Peter begs Christine to return. One of the reasons Peter broke up with Devon is the love he still feels for Christine. Cliff Phillips, the personable new assistant manager, is enjoying the rekindling of a friendship he formed with two other men when they shared jury duty a year ago. Tom Conner, the aggressive jury foreman, arranged the reunion with Cliff and Joe Duran for a serious reason.
#2 - Hail and Farewell
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/3/1987
Richard Anderson (TED SHACKELFORD), whose wife has been declared dead but whose body has never been recovered, hires a psychic, Natalie Trent (GINGER ROGERS), to verify her death. At a séance, Natalie brings forth the voice of his wife Linda, who accuses Anderson of plotting her accident. Later in Natalie's suite, the real Linda (KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT) appears, having recruited Aunt Natalie for a sting operation to prove her husband's guilt. After figuring out that his wife is alive and in the hotel, Anderson devises a plot to lure both Linda and Natalie to their death. Dave, having passed the bar, seeks employment as a lawyer. While Megan plans to keep her job unless she and Dave have to move out of San Francisco, Dave is offered an interview for a promising position with a firm in San Diego. Christine, whose torrid love affair with her boss Peter has reverted to a less volatile friendship, is dismayed that Peter has chosen another date for the annual Hotel Association Awards Banquet.
#3 - Reservations
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/24/1987
Christine decides to move to a larger apartment, but the realtor has promised the apartment to another applicant as well: Michael Casey, a retired airline pilot. Michael gallantly withdraws his offer and Christine helps him find temporary lodging at the hotel. The friendship between Christine and Michael blossoms, causing Peter some concern. Michael starts to get serious about Christine, but she cannot commit herself. Leslie Chase, a former New Orleans socialite, is using a suite to operate an escort service. Peter is an old friend of Leslie's, but he is unaware of the nature of her business. Seeing Christine's involvement with Michael, Peter spends time with Leslie, which sparks a mutual attraction. Leslie adds to her staff of escorts a beautiful model named Dana March. Dana, a close friend of Julie's, has found modeling jobs scarce and desperately needs work. When Julie questions Dana about her new job, Dana brushes her aside.
#4 - And Baby Makes Two
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/31/1987
Garment manufacturer Robert Matthews, whose business brings him to San Francisco twice a month, is having an affair with dress designer Lynn Patterson. Their affair is interrupted when Robert's dutiful wife Gail pays him a surprise visit. Distraught, Gail seeks the solace of an old friend, Margaret Hudson, who advises Gail to win back Robert's love. Meanwhile, Lynn informs Robert that she has tested positive for AIDS and that Robert has been exposed to the virus. Robert knows that if he tests negative, he won't have to admit his unfaithfulness to his wife. Christine finds an abandoned baby in one of the rooms and plays baby-sitter while Billy seeks out the mother. Christine, who had been abandoned by her own father at an early age, relates strongly to the motherless child. Christine obtains permission from the child services department to be the baby's foster parent. Noticing that Christine is getting too deeply involved with somebody else's child, Peter begins to show concern.
#5 - Born to Run
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/7/1987
While visiting a horse-breeding farm for a possible purchase, Peter becomes the object of 22-year-old Blaine McDermott's affection. Through seductiveness and trickery, Blaine gets Peter alone and draws him into a passionate kiss, though Peter is reluctant. Peter claims that he is engaged to Christine, even though their relationship has actually cooled to a friendship. Later, Christine accompanies Peter to Blaine's family's horse farm, where Blaine puts her rival on a skittish horse, which injures Christine. When Peter finds Blaine naked under the sheets of his bed, he successfully ends the relationship by calling her parents. In town for a job interview, anxiously unemployed David Endicott and his wife Gail are disturbed by the disappearance of sexual relations from their marriage. The recent loss of David's job has plunged him into deep depression, but Gail is convinced the absence of intimacy is the result of another woman. Pressed, David confesses that he is impotent.
#6 - Desperate Moves
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/14/1987
Helen Johnson (DEE WALLACE), a married career woman, informs her young boyfriend Gary that she is ending their affair and that her husband and 20-year-old daughter, Monica, are joining her for a family vacation. Seeking revenge, Gary makes Monica's acquaintance in the lobby and begins seducing her, and Helen is forced to confess her affair to Monica in order to derail the vengeful seduction. The new receptionist, Cheryl Dolan, is upset by a surprise visit from her mother, Beatrice, who arrives without luggage or a reservation. Beatrice reveals that she has had a fight with Cheryl's father in Brooklyn and has come out to San Francisco seeking the same independence as her daughter. When Cheryl shows her mother all the downsides to the single lifestyle, Beatrice heads back home to her husband. Peter has a close brush with death that radically changes his outlook on life. As a result, he no longer has patience for his work, thinking instead about a long trip around the world.
#7 - Mixed Emotions
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/10/1987
Alex Shepard, a workaholic husband whose business life is endangering his happy marriage, has been receiving death threats against his lonely wife Donna. To shield Donna from harm, Peter takes her out for a boat trip, since Alex is too busy with his latest business deal. Donna is flattered by Peter's attentions, but becomes angry when she discovers he's only doing it to protect her. She reveals that she doesn't need a baby-sitter: she's been sending the death threats to herself, in order to gain her husband's companionship. Dave is offered an excellent job with a law firm in San Diego, and Megan gives him the news that she is expecting the birth of their first child. Not wanting to lose Megan as her secretary, Christine therefore offers Dave a job on the hotel's legal staff. Since Dave prefers the trial law job, he and Megan quarrel.
#8 - Prized Possessions
Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/12/1987
Travel magazine editor Myrna Dawson has an irreplaceable heirloom emerald pin stolen and threatens to publish an unfavorable story about the hotel unless it is recovered. Billy contacts Phil Kroger, a noted private investigator specializing in jewel thefts on an international scale. Kroger spots Trevor Harris in the lobby and identifies him as the jewel thief he's been unable to catch. The news is surprising to Christine because Trevor Harris, a very personable man, has already charmed her into considering a dinner invitation. Christine accepts the invitation in order to keep Trevor at the hotel, while Kroger secretly plots to frame Trevor. Ben Garfield and his adoring nine-year-old grandson Jason arrive fresh from a fishing excursion in Yosemite. Ever since Jason's father (Ben's son) lost his life in a skydiving mishap, the boy's mother, Susan Garfield, has resented Ben's influence on the child. Susan is about to remarry.
#9 - Power Play
Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/10/1988
Charles Cabot, half-owner of the St. Gregory Hotel, introduces Peter to Lee Jordon, who represents a resort conglomerate interested in buying the hotel. Peter resists any thought of a sale because running the hotel is the only life he wants. Lee is willing to settle for Charles's share and day-to-day participation in running the hotel. Peter obtains a bank loan to buy out Charles's share of the hotel; though Peter's offer is less than Lee's, Charles sells his share to Peter, making Peter the sole owner of the hotel. Two young married couples share a large suite for a brief vacation in San Francisco. Jonas Robinson, a nose-to-the-grindstone accountant, is married to Melissa, a frivolous fun-loving blonde; and journalist Sean Marris, a rakish bon vivant, is married to Kate, a prim, practical woman. A daytrip turns into an impulsive fling for Sean and Melissa, which draws Jonas and Kate together for a more serious affair.
#10 - Double Take
Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/2/1988
An Elegant matron, Barbara Lyman, swears she's marked for death because she witnessed a murder in the hotel that nobody else can prove really happened. Despite two more terrifying encounters with the killer, Barbara can get little help from Billy or Inspector Chin. The so-called killer turns out to be her husband, who often appears as the villain in Barbara's paranoid hallucinations. Peter books his favorite country singer, Joe Daniels, to perform in the hotel nightclub. Joe's career has deteriorated from alcohol, but he is starting a comeback after a five-year absence. His 18-year-old son Mark, who has his own drinking problem, is disappointed when his father hits the bottle again. Joe's ex-wife Lisa is there too, and tells Joe about his son's developing alcoholism. On opening night, Joe is surprisingly sober, giving them the hope of reuniting as a family.
#11 - Till Death Do Us Part
Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/9/1988
Peter has given Andrea Green, a photographer-friend of Julie's, a chance at the photo assignment for the new hotel brochure. Andrea's father Louis is highly critical of his daughter's work ethics, which leads to bitter family squabbling. Andrea's mother Sonya, rapidly succumbing to Alzheimer's, begs her husband and daughter to work things out. Architect David Welch befriends Christine and offers to help convert Christine's Napa Valley barn into a home. While Christine and David share a dinner date, David's ex-wife Rebecca visits Peter. Rebecca demands that Peter stop Christine's affair with her husband before the hotel gets caught up in a scandal. Later, Rebecca trips Christine on a stairway, causing her a painful fall. Peter tells Christine to work at home for a few days until he and Billy can get rid of the obsessive ex-wife. Rebecca, however, visits Christine in her apartment and holds Christine at knifepoint as she screams accusations.
#12 - Contest of Wills
Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/17/1988
Fashion consultant Sydney Page is unable to find a male model for a new clothing line until she meets Chuck Fisher, the hotel's plumber. Chuck exudes sex appeal, and Sydney tries to talk him into doing a photo session. When Chuck expresses that he hates modeling, Sydney resorts to seduction in an effort to change his mind. They spend the night together, but Chuck still refuses to model. Sydney realizes she'd rather have a man in her life than a model for her fashion campaign, and the two make up. A crusty businessman from Maine, Vein Lambert, whose daughter Joanne has been killed in an accident, comes to gather up her personal effects and take her back to Maine for burial. Lambert is unaware that, for the past six years, Joanne had lived with her lesbian lover, Carol Bowman, the hotel's catering manager.
#13 - Grand Designs (1)
Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/28/1988
Julie enjoys a blind date with Billy's friend, Keith Andrews. Later on, however, Julie has to fend off a rape attempt by Keith. The next day, Keith lies, saying that Julie came on strong, and when he resisted, she became very weird. Keith makes a play for another girl in the lobby, Marcy James. Julie tries to warn Marcy about Keith, but the girl ignores Julie's advice and faces severe consequences. While Peter and Christine's romantic rapport dwindles, Peter becomes involved with the interior designer he has just hired, Devon Sloan, a beautiful international socialite. Christine becomes increasingly frustrated as Devon occupies all of Peter's time, leaving her with the overwhelming job of running the hotel. After Devon corners Peter and proposes marriage, Peter consults Christine, who wishes him happiness and exits the office. Once alone, Christine bursts into tears.
#14 - Comfort and Joy
Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/1987
With Christmas only two days away, new full owner Peter and general manager Christine prepare to host the annual St. Gregory Hotel staff party. Among the honored guests this year are Dave, the ex-bellman who became a San Diego attorney, and his pregnant wife Megan. Peter and Christine, returning from a Portland convention, become marooned in a remote mountain village when their rented Porsche breaks down. Because the local garage doesn't have the auto parts to repair the Porsche, Peter and Christine are forced to stay in a decrepit boarding house room with only one bed. On the second night, Peter and Christine share the bed with a hanging sheet as a partition, but eventually end up in each other's arms. Although they have drifted into friendship, the incident brings them closer together. The hotel party is in full swing as Peter and Christine return and learn that Megan has given birth to a healthy baby boy.
#15 - Fallen Angels
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/5/1987
A preacher and her husband are taking a break at the St. Gregory but there is pressure on her to preach on television. A man returns to the hotel and reminisces about a woman he met at the hotel 35 years ago.
#16 - Hornet's Nest
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/1986
A fickle young heiress, Erica Atwood reconsiders her engagement to Chip Lansing, heir to Lansing Chemicals, a company with which Atwood Chemicals is on the verge of merging. To her family's dismay, Erica instead intends to marry Tony Patterson, a wildlife scientist and son of the Atwood's gardener. Tony initially learns of Erica's engagement at a disastrous dinner with Erica and her family. Erica's pragmatic older sister Isabel disapproves of Tony at first, then falls in love with him. Elizabeth seduces Peter's banker to get access to his personal investment file. The information turns out to be useless, and instead of being grateful, her scheming father, Charles, chastises Elizabeth for her wanton ways. Elizabeth later invites a strange man to her apartment; the man brutally rapes her. Because she was foolish enough to let the man in, Charles blames Elizabeth. Through Peter and Christine's mediation, however, Charles and Elizabeth take a small step toward reconciliation.
#17 - Shadows of Doubt (2)
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/15/1986
Learning that Christine's boyfriend, Adam Kirkwood, is the FBI's prime suspect in an arms smuggling operation, Peter takes Christine to Agent Rider, who informs her that George Sandler, a powerful politician, and Adam are plotting to sell arms to guerrilla forces in the Third World. After planting a bomb in the hotel basement, security chief Art Patterson anonymously tips off the hotel and personally disarms the bomb in order to make himself a hero. When Billy finds evidence pointing to Patterson, Patterson asks for Billy's resignation. Over Peter's objections, Christine agrees to plant an FBI listening device in Adam's bedroom. When Adam catches Christine, Sandler insists on killing her, but Adam arranges for Peter to take Christine to safety. At the hotel, Billy agrees to resign, but Patterson eventually confesses to Billy and leaves the hotel security in Billy's hands.
#18 - Horizons
Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/21/1986
When Christine announces her resignation, the entire staff is saddened. Christine leaves a note for Mrs. Cabot explaining her frustration with Peter, who uses their professional relationship to avoid showing Christine his feelings. Both Julie and Megan become upset when Peter promotes Julie to Christine's vacated position. Christine is distraught because Peter didn't consult with her in finding a replacement, while Megan is jealous and doesn't understand why she was overlooked. After making an emotional speech at Christine's going away party, Peter is overcome by his feelings and heads for the hotel bar to drown his sorrow. Billy tells Peter to admit his love to Christine. Peter goes to her apartment, but he still can't express himself, and Christine gets into her cab to go to the airport. Peter blocks the cab with his car and finally pronounces his love for Christine. They fall into each other's arms.
#19 - Enemies Within
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/29/1986
Agoraphobia, or the fear of open spaces, has kept Laura Shafer confined to the hotel for three months. Laura's father, Al, who is a used-auto dealer, her jilted fiancé Kevin and Peter all try to help her, but to no avail. When Al's efforts to help his daughter end up doing more harm than good, Peter eventually convinces him to stop trying to run her life. With help from a counselor, Laura makes enough progress to reunite with Kevin. When Charles Cabot fails in courting Christine as an ally against Peter, he resumes his angry confrontation with Peter. Elizabeth, the new concierge, recognizes a film director, Harley Magnuson, and manages a romantic rendezvous with him in his hotel room. When Harley's wife arrives unexpectedly and catches them, Elizabeth has to talk Christine out of firing her. Shortly thereafter, Billy is puzzled to see Elizabeth meeting in private with Charles Cabot.
#20 - Past Tense
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/27/1987
An aristocratic con man, Edward Nicholson, competes with a boisterous Texan charmer, Terry Dolan, in seducing an attractive and wealthy widow, Katherine Woodbridge. Katherine divides her time between the two charming men. Edward and Terry take turns showing Katherine around town. When a woman whom Edward had previously targeted recognizes him, Katherine realizes the truth about Edward. Terry sees the cruelty of his game and voluntarily confesses to Katherine, whom he truly loves. After Edward argues Terry's case, Katherine forgives Terry and takes him with her on a trip to Asia. Christine's first serious boyfriend from her college days, Lt. Commander Tom Hardison, a decorated Navy fighter pilot, checks in for a reunion with Christine. Long thought dead, Tom survived a long ordeal as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and is scheduled to take command of an aircraft carrier in Korea. Tom plans to take Christine along as his bride.
#21 - Opening Moves
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/1986
Just as Christine and Peter celebrate their now open romance, they soon face a takeover attempt on the hotel by the Cabot family's ruthless financier, Charles Cabot. As the battle over the hotel intensifies, Christine and Peter depend on each other for love and support. Charles digs up whatever dirt he can find on Peter and teams up with Jessica Cabot to put a legal hold on Mrs. Cabot's will, depriving Peter of a job and home. A successful young architect, Alan, despondent after a bitter divorce, falls in love with a beautiful, high-priced call girl, Michelle. Michelle discourages Alan's feelings for her, but he persists and follows her back to her apartment, where he discovers that she has a child. Alan leaves, and Michelle, emotionally worn, moves out immediately to start anew in another city. Finding her gone, Alan sets out to find the woman he loves.
#22 - Trials
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/2/1984
Adele Ellsworth, her two sons Luther and Brendon, and another family member, Edgar, hold Mrs. Cabot, Peter and Christine at gunpoint and demand justice for Adele's husband, Ellis, a workman who died at the hotel two years before. They accuse Mrs. Cabot of forcing the workers to continue working into the night, leading Ellis to become exhausted and fall off the building. Contradicting Edgar's version of events, Mrs. Cabot points out that the foreman never warned her of safety dangers. Eventually, Edgar admits that he lied to the family, because Ellis had fallen after getting drunk during an afternoon tryst with another woman. Billy introduces Mark to a discotheque go-go girl, Doris O'Neil, whom Mark recognizes from his health club. Doris aspires to be an interior designer and has told her family that she is decorating the hotel. She needs Mark's help to corroborate her story, and also to make it look like she and Mark are dating, another fib she has told her family.
#23 - Rallying Cry
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/2/1985
Dr. Michael Vaughn is involved in a custody battle for Jodi Abbott, an 11-year-old whose late mother willed her custody to Dr. Vaughn and his companion, Alex Halpern. However, the child's aunt and uncle, Nora and Cameron Wheeler, have sued for custody because they don't want Jodi raised by homosexuals. The judge awards custody to the Wheelers, but Jodi, angry and miserable, runs away, returning to Michael and Alex. Mrs. Cabot hosts a meeting to return Jodi to the Wheelers, but Nora convinces Cameron to allow Jodi to live with Alex and Michael. Peter recruits Christine to be his navigator for a road rally. Inexperienced in races, Christine directs them onto the wrong road, where a truck forces Peter and Christine into an accident. Peter suffers a serious head injury, and they spend the night in the wilderness. Later, Dr. Kulwin informs Christine that Peter has a blood clot that must be removed. As they prepare for surgery, Peter slips into a coma.
#24 - Second Offense [aka Missing Pieces]
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/30/1985
Released from prison after eleven years for a crime he vows he did not commit, Phil Tanner has written a best-selling book during his imprisonment. Calvin Polk, a Hollywood screenwriter, is helping Phil raise funds for a prison reform campaign. Polk's young, star-worshipping girlfriend, Kathy Avery, throws herself at Tanner. When Kathy's dead body is found, Tanner, knowing he will be charged with murder, takes Christine hostage, demanding she corroborate his story that Kathy's death was an accident. Christine calms Tanner down, reassuring him that the truth will prevail. Meanwhile, Mrs. Kupchak, grandmother of flower shop employee Sandy Hoyle, has been ailing and is determined to see Sandy married. In order to appease her grandmother, Sandy lies, saying she's engaged to the bell captain, Dave. Elated, Mrs. Kupchak demands to meet him, and Sandy confesses her ruse to Dave and Megan, who reluctantly agree to cooperate.
#25 - Shadows of Doubt (1)
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/8/1986
Former college friends Bob, Tom and Susan meet for a weekend reunion, all three having recently ended long relationships. When Bob and Susan sleep together, Tom's anger betrays his longtime love for Susan, and the reunion begins to disintegrate. Although Bob and Tom get into a fight, the three friends eventually reconcile. Meanwhile, Peter is jealous of Christine's affair with Adam Kirkwood, a wealthy, young, international businessman. Returning after a long mourning period for his late wife, the hotel's venerable chief of security, Art Patterson, believes that his assistant, Billy, is after his job. Patterson plants a bomb in the hotel basement. When George Sandler, a rich man with political aspirations, hosts a fund-raiser, Adam invites Christine and Peter. Trailing them is Mr. Rider, an FBI agent interested in Adam's illegal weapons shipments.