'Fifty Shades of Grey' is so popular that it's replacing the bible. A hotel in England is replacing their Gideon Bibles with copies of the book that is known as mommy porn.
The Damson Dene hotel near Windermere, Cumbria has replaced the holy bible with copies of the erotic book "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James. The hotel's decision has brewed controversy, but the move was done in response to the book's obvious popularity. The spicy novel has been on best seller lists for months and women, and some men are talking about it all over the world.
The hotel was inspired to make the switch after taking note of what its Facebook followers were talking about. "Fifty Shades of Grey is all that people are talking about at the moment, but I know that some are too shy to buy it for themselves. I thought it would be a special treat for our guests to find it in their bedside cabinet and that includes the men," hotel manager Wayne Bartholomew told News and Star. "They are as desperate to get their hands on a copy as are the women," he added.
Bartholomew believes that the steamy novel isn't much different than the bible. "While we are swapping one best-seller for another, the similarities don't end there. The Gideon Bible is also full of references to sex and violence although it's written using more formal language so James' book is easier to read," he said.
Fans of the Damson Dene Facebook page had mixed feelings about the switch.
Some think the switch is a genius idea. "Great idea, but dont expect many women leaving their rooms without it :) I read all 3 in 5 days could not put it down!" wrote Teresa Hawes.
Some fans, like Amanda Keable found the switch to be tasteless. "Erm, are you saying in times of desperation you should read porn???? This country is forgetting it's roots enough without encouragement - many people get comfort and guidance from the Bible, would be foolish to remove it for a book that provides a small amount of pleasure," she wrote.
The Damson Dene is located in the Lyth Valley of the Lake District in Cumbria, England. The hotel has 40 rooms, 10 of which have four poster beds and Jacuzzi bath tubs, making it a romantic setting to play out a real life Fifty Shades scene.The hotel also has a heated indoor swimming pool, a gym, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, bar, restaurant and extensive gardens. Rooms cost between £79 ($123) to £99 ($153) per person depending on the type of room, according to the Daily Mail.
While "Fifty Shades of Grey" will be taking over the hotel rooms, the Gideon Bible will be available at the reception desk.
In addition to providing the book within rooms, the hotel is giving away complimentary copies of the book with every new booking. Rooms can be booked on their website.
The three books of the Fifty Shades of Grey series are at the top of bestseller lists such as the top selling list on Amazon.com and the New York Times bestseller list. The books have made E.L. James the best-selling print author so far this year and they have even passed records made by the Harry Potter series and the Da Vinci code.
The Damson Dene isn't the only hotel to replace the bible. The Hotel Indigo in Newcastle, UK replaced its bibles with Amazon Kindles.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
