HONG KONG, China - Most people would welcome an extended vacation. Sounds like a bonus, right? Not here at the Metropark Hotel in Hong Kong's Wanchai district. More than 300 guests and staff have been under forced quarantine since last Friday - a full 7 days.

A guest peers through a lobby window of the quarantined Metropark Hotel in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

This is because a Mexican tourist who was later found to have the contagious H1N1flu virus had checked into that hotel. Suddenly plans change. Flights need to be canceled. Shopping trips never happen. Business meetings get missed.

Sure, it's a nice 4-star hotel in the middle of bustling Hong Kong. But the tables are turned: These guests are on the inside longingly looking out.

Today, they finally made it to Day 7.

I am standing outside the hotel, taking in the scene from the sidewalk. On the fourth floor, a man and a woman hang a banner (I'm assuming a hotel bed sheet) that reads: "Greetings to Germany. Hours left: 8, 7, 6, 5 ..." The number 8 has been crossed off.

Less than 8 hours before they can walk out of this building and back to their regular lives.

It's interesting to hear about the different levels of tolerance, and I suppose the anecdotes say something about people's thresholds for sudden change.

This week I spoke with different quarantined guests via Skype. One British citizen complained of the sorry gifts his consulate sent him to pass the time (e.g. worn-out books and magazines from 2007). Meanwhile, a Frenchman who celebrated his 43rd birthday this week under quarantine received a nice bottle of champagne from the French consulate. He had a party on his floor.

A man from Singapore told me he was getting a lot of work done on his laptop and was using his time productively. He did point out that everyone was given a daily supply of Tamiflu, but no health officials checked to see if each guest actually took the Tamiflu.

I personally don't know what I would do if I were quarantined for 7 days. I would surely want my laptop, internet service and some sort of reading. As our producer, Tim Schwarz, says, "It would be a great opportunity to catch up on sleep." But that's coming from those of us on the outside looking in.