Hotel Charges Guests by the Pound

Need a little extra motivation to turn down that piece of chocolate cake? Well, slimming down could get you a cheaper room rate at a hotel in the northern German town of Norden.

At the three-star Ostfriesland hotel in the town, thin in definitely in. Owner Jürfen Heckroth is running a special campaign where guests are charged 50 euro cents a kilo, or about 30 cents a pound, for a one-night stay, breakfast included.

"Slim guests live longer and can therefore come more often," said Heckroth. "That is why we reward them.

So a thin man weighing in at 60 kilos (132 pounds) would pay just 30 euros ($36), but a heftier individual topping the scales at 100 kilos (220 pounds) would have to cough up 50 euros ($60) for the night.

Given all the fresh air and hearty food up in northern Germany, it might turn out that visitors put on a pound or two during their stay. Besides, who wants to diet on while on vacation?

No problem, says Heckroth, who pulls out the scales during check-in, not check-out.