美國弗吉尼亞州一位老婦在萬豪酒店旗下一處套房酒店居住十年后于上周正式退房，成為該酒店歷史上居住時間最久的住客。據悉，這位老婦現年79歲，2001年她丈夫去世后獨自從新罕布什爾來到弗吉尼亞工作，并于當年8月4日正式入住這家酒店。她所住套房一月的房費比華盛頓地區普通公寓每月1500到1700美元的租金還要低，而且住酒店不必付水、電、有線電視等費用，而且每天有人幫忙鋪床、整理房間，還可享用免費早餐和無線上網。十年來，老婦已經把酒店當成了自己的家，酒店員工和其他住戶就是她的鄰居。不過，由于年紀大，又有骨質疏松及類風濕性關節炎，老婦最后還是決定搬去跟女兒一起住。

Last week, 79-year-old Joy Bricker checked out of the TownePlace Suites in Virginia.

Last week, 79-year-old Joy Bricker checked out of the TownePlace Suites in Virginia.

She had been living there for 10 years.

The former pilot made headlines when movers came to her Falls Church, Virginia, hotel room to mark the end of her stay. Now ailing with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, the otherwise active woman is leaving her decade-long home to move in with her daughter, Christy Winton.

Before leaving, she served tea to staff and media, all eager to meet the woman with the title of "longest extended-stay guest" in Marriott hotel history, in her 500-square-foot suite. She outlasted six different managers at the hotel.

Bricker moved into suite 202 on August 4, 2001, having relocated from New Hampshire to Virginia to work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) after the death of her husband. A homemaker for most of her life, Bricker's professional life didn't begin until she was 50. She moved into the TownePlace Suites at the age of 68.

"I wrote that one check, and I knew I was good for that month," Bricker said of her move-in day. Her decision to stay long-term was a gradual one.

For less than the price of many apartment rentals in the Washington metro area (roughly $1,500-$1,700 a month), the place offered convenience: round-the-clock security, complimentary continental breakfasts, free WiFi, and no electricity or cable bills. With the addition of just one familiar chair and a few family photos, the suite soon became home.

Over the years, she intentionally sought to built community at the place, despite many of the residents being short-term.

"I call it community planning," she told CNN. "I turned it into a community."

Still determine to offer "whatever I am able to give," go-getting Bricker plans to devote her time to church.

She'll likely have to adjust to her new life, sans hotel luxury.

"There's no continental breakfast at the Winton Inn," she joked about her daughter's house.

And, yes, she's a Platinum Premier member of the Marriott rewards program.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen ）