To think it’s not sad to go for dinner at a fancy hotel used for filming?

[tarregone]

We are on holiday in Sicily and near a hotel used for filming of a famous tv show. It has a very well rated restaurant located in said fancy hotel.

I thought it might be fun to go for a nice dinner at the hotel. DP says it’s sad to only want to go somewhere because it was used for filming. He thinks it’s a bit sad really, especially because we couldn’t afford to stay at the hotel. He thinks it’s wannabe to go and snoop around a posh place where we could only afford dinner

If it's open to non-residents, then it would be the norm for diners to go and enjoy a meal there not just those staying and so who, prey tell, is going to be the ones thinking you're sad? Methinks DH has a bit of an insecurity.

Of course it isn't, he's being a weirdo

Depend on the hotel and the show really. If it was a show you loved and the hotel and setting were particularly beautiful then I don't see it as an odd thing to want to do. Plenty of people visit Edinburgh and York because of certain streets featured in Harry Potter for example.

Sadly Fawlty Towers has been demolished and replaced by a retirement home.
https://www.churchill-living.co.uk/news/retirement-property-news/blue-plaque-unveiled-at-site-of-former-fawlty-towers-hotel/

Not sad at all. I'd tell him if he doesn't want to go he doesn't have to but you are going. I too have had a Singapore Sling in Raffles, in the 70's before it was renovated, been for drinks and lunch at the Singapore Hilton around the same time. Have a lovely time.

Meh, my whole wedding was planned around my husband's love for Home Alone 2 Lost in New York.

He actually wanted to get married in the Plaza but we couldn't afford that so ate there a couple of times instead. We have pictures at the the little bridge in Central Park and the angel christmas lights outside Rockefeller Centre purely because the feature so heavily in the film. Likewise we spent a lot of time in FAO Schwarz (also features in Big).

When we first talked about getting married and I said I wanted to get married abroad, he instantly said New York - and it was purely because of Home Alone. Oh and yes, we had to get married at Christmas. I kid you not.

YANBU

Dh is sad

Your DH is a total party pooper! It’s great seeing filming locations. When we were in Cambridge my DH happily allowed me to drag him to Grantchester for lunch, even though he knows I mostly liked the show because James Norton was dressed as a vicar! 😍

everyone does it if the food is good why not

Does he tend to be contrarian in other contexts? Sounds more like a personality thing than an actual dislike of nice dinners.

It’s definitely not sad to want to do that - I would suggest the same thing! Men can be funny about money and status etc, maybe a bit of him feels bad that he can’t afford to treat you to a stay there and it’s making him defensive. Push to go but nicely.

Ooooh @tarregone if it’s White Lotus and your husband relents, please take lots of photos and report back.

He sounds like a horrifically boring person to be married to and to go on holiday with.

bugger relenting just go without him

Different people have different ideas of fun. I’m not sure I’d call it sad but it wouldn’t interest me in the slightest and I’d rather go somewhere which is known for nice food / somewhere I’d enjoy.

💯

OP this is a very normal thing to do. People stand outside the front door that appeared in the movie Notting Hill. I would draw the line at that, but fancy hotel that appeared in a show you like? Get in. If he doesn’t like it, leave him behind.

Restaurants are for enjoying delicious food. If the location/surroundings are good enough to be filmed, then surely that suggests an even more pleasant experience? Go and enjoy your meal, OP. (Leave DH in the hotel if he's going to sulk.)

He sounds sad.
A fun sucker.
Head off yourself.

He sounds completely up himself.

It's exactly the sort of thing I'd do.
A few years ago we spent a few weekends visiting various filming locations for a series DC had enjoyed watching. It was really interesting to see them 'in the flesh'.

Possibly it feels pretentious to go somewhere like this when it's not in keeping with his ordinary lifestyle, he would feel out of place, trying to be something he's not, that sort of thing.

Not judging it as good or bad but that's my view on the psychology behind it.

I think it’s a very normal thing to do actually. People like to see beautiful places used for film sets because it adds a layer of interest.

Is your husband normally so nasty to you?

A friend and I had dinner in a hotel used for filming a series we were totally hooked on at the time. I got somebody else to arrange the exact table the main characters used. It's a good few years ago now and I'm not sure she ever realised it wasn't a coincidence where we sat! I can still laugh about it to this day.

Hah! I was in Marseille earlier this year and had only just realised that 'restaurant' was based there.

Me and DH have a lovely photograph of me up on the mezzanine and him looking up at me! The barman offered to take it for us..

I love to visit places that have been in movies I have watched.

I once booked a trip just for a restaurant 😁

DH and I were a bit tipsy and decided we wanted to go to Ireland as I was looking up airfare (and having another cocktail) I remembered being a broke student with my little nose pressed up against the glass window of the Witchery in Edinburgh and said “Hey, there’s a restaurant I always wanted to go to! But it’s in Scotland… what do you think?” I’m pretty sure he thought I was nuts at the time, but since he had had another cocktail as well he said “sure, why not”

So I booked or flights from the US to Scotland then made dinner reservations. Thank goodness the airline didn’t have an “Are you sober” button 🥃 🍸