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Quote:
Originally Posted by DCBob
Fine hotels always charge for room service delivery. There is no rational reason to treat a baby bottle any differently than a cold beer. When you choose to travel with young children, you should be prepared to pay for all services related to having them in tow.
Yes, but the hotel had to pay for the beer. Hot water for a baby is free.
Its pretty clear that this was needed for the baby. The OP is not going to lie and make tea!
And again, if I was ordering dinner from the room service menu and it took more than one call and 30min to deliver, I would be requesting that it be comped.
They made the OP go down to the restaurant! What kinda crap is that??
Also, as the OP mentioned that he/she had stayed in other SPG hotels in Italy, I assume that the OP has status with SPG.
Bottom line is that you have to be considerate!
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Yes, but the hotel had to pay for the beer. Hot water for a baby is free.
Its pretty clear that this was needed for the baby. The OP is not going to lie and make tea!
And again, if I was ordering dinner from the room service menu and it took more than one call and 30min to deliver, I would be requesting that it be comped.
They made the OP go down to the restaurant! What kinda crap is that??
Also, as the OP mentioned that he/she had stayed in other SPG hotels in Italy, I assume that the OP has status with SPG.
Bottom line is that you have to be considerate!
Wrong. No hotel has "to be" anything. Would it be nice, yes. Would helping out without charging, yes.
If a "luxury" hotel is consistent in providing QUALITY customer service than this shouldn't have happened.
Could this be an isolated incident or is this standard business practice for this properties or properties in this city?
If the OP is concerned call customer service to find out if this is standard practice.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bsb21
Yes, but the hotel had to pay for the beer. Hot water for a baby is free.
Certainly. The beer is seven Euro. A Euro for the beer and six Euro for the service. The water was for free and six Euro for the service. So what? Why should a water service come for free? I lack a certain understanding.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
Certainly. The beer is seven Euro. A Euro for the beer and six Euro for the service. The water was for free and six Euro for the service. So what? Why should a water service come for free? I lack a certain understanding.
Sure they should be charging for bellman services as well.
"Honey, don't touch the chocolates on the pillow, they carry a 6 Euro delivery charge!"
Did they have the right to charge-YES!
Should they have charged- NO!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
Certainly. The beer is seven Euro. A Euro for the beer and six Euro for the service. The water was for free and six Euro for the service. So what? Why should a water service come for free? I lack a certain understanding.
Charging for boiling water for a baby formula feed is ridiculous. Hopefully an oversight on the part of junior staff at the OP's hotel.
A quick call to customer relations should resolve the matter.
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FWIW I think 6 euros is overpriced.
I lived and worked in London for many years and earned an ok salary (nowhere near a high flyer but a good solid above average wage)... and I would think 6 euro is OTT.
Although, that being said, I agree with some others here that while I wouldn't expect to pay a charge for the delivery of an extra blanket or pillow or even ice (but I'm a little unsure about the latter - I might almost pay for ice!) I would tip , even in a european hotel - but only 1 or 2 euro. Would have been the same for the hot water for baby.
Charging for boiling water for a baby formula feed is ridiculous. Hopefully an oversight on the part of junior staff at the OP's hotel.
Psychic abilities aside, how would the person on the other end of the line in the Room Service/F&B department be able to distinguish between someone, who would like to save 6 EUR by not consuming the mini-bar water, and someone who would like "water for a baby formula feed"?
Furthermore, why should the price of the same product (water) at the same establishment vary, depending on the age of the person, for whom it is [allegedly or genuinely] intended?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KVS
Psychic abilities aside, how would the person on the other end of the line in the Room Service/F&B department be able to distinguish between someone, who would like to save 6 EUR by not consuming the mini-bar water, and someone who would like "water for a baby formula feed"?
Because the request is for boiling water. I don't know anyone who drinks boiling water.
Plus, the waiter would see a baby in the room or maybe the hotel had previously delivered a crib to the room.
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Because the request is for boiling water. I don't know anyone who drinks boiling water.
.
You must move in very restricted circles.
I have associates (very well paid) who, when traveling to certain countries, virtually live on instant oatmeal, which requires boiling (or very hot) water.
My mother carries her own tea bags and is always phoning for boiling water for a cuppa.
Boiling water has lots of uses; and the individuals that I know woulf not object to paying a reasonable room service delivery charge
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KVS
Psychic abilities aside, how would the person on the other end of the line in the Room Service/F&B department be able to distinguish between someone, who would like to save 6 EUR by not consuming the mini-bar water, and someone who would like "water for a baby formula feed"?
Furthermore, why should the price of the same product (water) at the same establishment vary, depending on the age of the person, for whom it is [allegedly or genuinely] intended?
Luckily psychic abilities are not required to see that you have completely missed the point. Have you actually read the OP's first post?
The OP did not ring down looking for a free bottle of evian for the "baby", wink, wink.
He wanted a bottle, glass, pot, whatever of boiled tap-water to mix a bottle of formula baby feed.
Had there been a kettle in the room I am sure the OP would have simply boiled some water there and then to mix the formula feed (as we do when we travel with our kids)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dambus
Charging for boiling water for a baby formula feed is ridiculous. Hopefully an oversight on the part of junior staff at the OP's hotel.
A quick call to customer relations should resolve the matter.
I agree - it's in bad taste to charge for a basic item such as hot water so you can feed your baby. I suspect many opponents of this concept on the board don't have children. You can't please everyone. I'm also very glad my wife chooses to breastfeed so we don't have to deal with issues like this. Instant breakfast, lunch and dinner! But I do sympathize with the OP.
Does the hotel have to do it? No. But it sure helps when they do. Just like providing changing tables in men's bathrooms. I change my daughter all the time and I find it insulting when they have a Koala table in the women's room but not the men's. Off topic, but similar concept.
I have associates (very well paid) who, when traveling to certain countries, virtually live on instant oatmeal, which requires boiling (or very hot) water.
I'm probably one of those associates... And I use it for that and for Osem instant meals
The OP did not ring down looking for a free bottle of evian for the "baby", wink, wink.
And that's why he was only charged the room service fee, 6 EUR. If he had ordered a bottle of Evian, then the charge would have been, say, 13 EUR (i.e. 6 EUR + 7 EUR for the Evian itself).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dambus
He wanted a bottle, glass, pot, whatever of boiled tap-water to mix a bottle of formula baby feed.
Once again, how would this be different from using such water for 'mixing' it with some tea leaves to get tea?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dambus
Had there been a kettle in the room I am sure the OP would have simply boiled some water there and then to mix the formula feed (as we do when we travel with our kids)
And if there has been a kettle in the room, then one would also have been able to prepare their own tea free of charge. However, since this particular property clearly does not provide such a facility, then beverages must be ordered via room service at the corresponding rates (or obtained elsewhere).
1: After I went to the restaurant and called back guest services, she said to me "oh, I see that you are Platinum, let me see what I can do. I am going to call my colleagues and get back to you" and then I got the no. (I didnt menion the part of Platinum earlier because I didnt want it to be the focus of the thread: "just because your platinum...etc..")
2:The first time I made the request was immediately after she called to ask me if they can bring up the crib, we had checked in very late It was the same lady all the times on guest services, and like I mentioned there was a very little occupancy at the hotel
3: Its not something I want to take up with Customer Service, that would just seem petty. But my point here is really missed by some individuals. I might be at fault for not taking things into consideration when travelling with an infant, but I do not think this is a normal charge that hotels should be charging in circumstances like mine. They clearly, beyond any doubt, knew my scenario and should have acted differently.
