In
Lemony Snicket's Series Of Unfortunate Events , the is the "last safe place" for the
V.F.D. . It is a large building organised in the same way as a
Library , by the
Dewey Decimal System . It is owned by three identical triplet brothers, Frank, Ernest and
Dewey Denouement , although Dewey remains in the shadows and is believed by many to be mythical.
The Hotel Denoument has exactly 10 floors, accordingly organised in concordance with the system, from the basement to the rooftop salon (not ranked numerically). The page references utilised refer to the novel
The Penultimate Peril . There are several references to different rooms in the novel, which are catalogued partially in the following list. Note that the list is not exhaustive, as
Lemony Snicket makes reference to a few other rooms in the opening pages of Chapter 7 (pp. 151-153).
''note: the words in italics following the room number states what the number stands for in the Dewey Decimal system in reality.''
''Information and general works''
- ''Computer science information and general works'': Employees' quarters. (p.65)
- ''Library operations'': Laundry Room. (p.144). Reputed to be the location of the infamous Sugar Bowl .
: "''dedicated to philosophy and psychology''" (p.63)
- ''Theory of Philosophy'': Reception. (p.63)
- ''Force and Energy'': Elevators.
- ''Epistemology'': Small, bare closet. (p.94). This closet holds four things of great importance. Initially, the harpoon gun, and lastly - the Baudelaire orphans.
- ''Humankind'': Bar. (p.56)
- ''Dreams and Mysteries'': Lobby couches. (p.63)
- ''Fallacies and sources of error'': Count Olaf 's impermanent isolation chamber. (p.260)
- ''Arguments and persuasion'': Newsstand. (p.60)
- ''Occupational ethics'': Occupied by a banker, probably Mr. Poe'' (p.152)
- ''Ethics of Recreation and Leisure'' : Concierge Desk. (p.57)
- ''Ethics of consumption'': Coffee Shop. (p.152)
: "''for religion''", features "''a
Church , a
Cathedral , a
Chapel , a
Synagogue , a
Mosque , a
Temple , a
Shrine , a
Shuffleboard court...''" (p.63)
- ''Judaism'': "''A somewhat cranky Rabbi ''". (p.63) This "Rabbi" is actually a volunteer. (p.152)
: "''the social sciences''", includes "''ballrooms and meeting rooms''" (p.64)
- ''Schools and their activities, special education'' : Educational guests. (p.67). This room is used by Vice Principal Nero , Mr. Remora, and Mrs. Bass.
: "''dedicated to language''" (p.64) for foreign guests.
- ''Portuguese'': Portuguese guests. (p.67)
: "''dedicated to mathematics and science''" (p.64)
- ''Organic Chemistry'' (p.114)
- ''Mollusks and molluscoids (might be a mistake, fish are classified under 597 for cold-blooded vertebrates and fish)'': Tanks of tropical fish. Probably for the science of studying aquatic animals ( Marine Biology ).
: "''dedicated to technology''" (p.64)
- ''Promotion of Health, and personal health and safety'': Sauna. (p.64)
- ''Lumber processing, wood products and cork'': Associates in the Lumber Industry. ''Lumber Processing or Wood Products'' (p.67). This room is used by Sir and Charles.
- ''Heating, ventilating and air conditioning'': Controls for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. (p.64)
: "''stands for the Arts''" (p.64)
- ''Keyboard and other musical instruments'': A concertina/musical instruments. (p.114)
- ''Stage presentations'': A theater. (p.64)
: "''reserved for rhetorical guests''" (p.62)
- ''German poetry'': German Poets. (p.62)
''history and geography''
- ''South asia, India'': Indian restaurant. Run by Hal . (p.129)
- ''Extraterrestrial worlds'': Astronomy observatory. (p.65)
- This section of the Hotel proves to be very significant. Violet finds Esmé Squalor , Carmelita , and Daily Punctilio reporter, Geraldine here. Later in the novel, the siblings find themselves on the roof of the Hotel with Count Olaf . The children reluctantly join him in his ship, turning their backs on Justice Strauss .
The words "HOTEL DENOUEMENT" and "ENTRANCE" on the front of the hotel, as well as the floor numbers, are all in mirror writing. There is a reason for this: the hotel is in front of a pond, and what appears to be its reflection in the pond is in fact the real safe place, containing many V.F.D. secrets, information on EVERYONE ever involved or aquainted with V.F.D. The pond is also served as a signal for V.F.D showing to Dewey and Frank that volunteers are on the way
At the end of
The Penultimate Peril , the Hotel Denouement is burned down by
Sunny Baudelaire to provide a signal to V.F.D. that the meeting planned for Thursday is cancelled, as the last safe place is no longer safe.
