I once heard that there is a hotel somewhere that washes all of their money – do you know what hotel that is and can guests watch?

That would be the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco! The hotel runs all coins through a silver-burnishing machine which uses soap and birdshot to clean the money. The custom began in 1938, when coins were used more than bills, as a service to help keep ladies’ white gloves clean. Once a full-time job, the current coin washer works about 10 hours a week. The cleaning takes place in a small private room behind the front desk, out of sight of guests.