An Abacus, a One-Cent Note, and Fifty Years of Memory
Terence Ronson reflects on 50-year-old hotel memorabilia from Hong Kong, including a branded one-cent note and an abacus, in a memoir excerpt from The Lobby Boys.
Other little touches included an embossed leather notebook, a box of matches, and, rather charmingly, an abacus — one of which still sits proudly on my desk today, fifty years later.
One last curiosity from the era: the Hong Kong Government, via one of the local banks, once printed one-cent notes — single-sided for general circulation — but the hotel used these as souvenirs by printing its own logo on the reverse side. Since these were often kept as souvenirs, it was a way for the government to make money — albeit one cent at a time.
An abacus — one of which still sits proudly on my desk today, fifty years later.
Terence Ronson
Read the full story ofThe Lobby Boys. Available now.
By Terence Ronson, on behalf of The Lobby Boys — Niale, Rajeev, and Terence
About Pertlink Limited
Pertlink Limited is a boutique hospitality technology and AI advisory consultancy. It was founded in Hong Kong on 23 October 2000 and now operates across the Philippines and the wider Asia-Pacific. Founder and Managing Director Terence Ronson leads the firm and is an inductee of both the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame and the CHTA Hall of Fame.
Pertlink helps hotel owners, operators, developers and tourism bodies make sound decisions about technology and AI, from pre-opening systems design to AI strategy, governance and adoption. Its work is built on its own frameworks, including TCPG (Token Cost Per Guest), HXO (Human Experience Orchestrator) and the Hybrid Hospitality Framework. Through its Pertlink Viewpoint series, the firm turns global AI and technology developments into practical guidance for boards, C-suites and operators.
The goal hasn't changed since 2000: technology that genuinely improves the guest experience, now with AI in the mix.
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Terence Ronson
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