Originally Posted by
graeylin
Was just staying at a Holiday Inn, and when making my reservations, saw the option to book a room and for $12.50 more, get the breakfast. I don't do that, so I just ignored it, and booked the room. There's rarely ever been a breakfast worth $12 in my experience.
Still, by the time my day at the hotel comes along, I discover that the lunch being provided for our meeting there won't have anything I will eat, and I am on the company dime with a boss that chides me for "not spending enough on your meals. Stop eating so cheaply!", so... I go ahead and drop by the food area that morning, and decide to splurge and get the $12 breakfast buffet. It will tide me over until dinner, 10 hours later or so.
Had the buffet, it was fine (not really anything better than HIE, by the way... eggs, bacon, sausage, gravy, biscuits, etc.), and when they brought me the bill... $7.50.
So... what's the deal? If I paid $12.50 for it in advance, I get a free buffet ticket (I saw two other people come in and use them). But if I don't pay in advance, then I save $5?
Actually the prepay reduced rate breakfast is not even that simple, and the substantially discounted tickbox rates are not going to be offered at the hotel.
1. Not offered on award or corporate rate nights
2. The tickbox upsell often varies on the same night depending on your selected rate of Members ADR, ADR, Members Flex, Flex, with rate reducing from Mbr ADR > Flex
3. The tickbox rate is often a substantial discount, worthwhile if room is 2ppn, but if 1ppn in room not a saving as never less than 50% of 2persons breakfast. Rate is offered to help plan food prep quantities, guarantee bums on seats to cover restaurant/staff costs each morning, reduce food waste costs etc
4. At checkin that tickbox rate is not on offer at any hotel, not even the costliest ADR tickbox amount. On flex I have seen as low as us$5/night compared to $20 on full (non-member) ADR
5. At checkin you find usually 2 options... a)pay the going rate on sit down b)register at reception night before (or get voucher) for discounted breakfast at maybe 20% or us$5-10 off walkup restaurant rate.
(At some hotels, you can only take a discounted breakfast a i)checkin time ii)AND need to take on each morning of stay if multinight reservation
nb
On the odd occasions I am on flex rate on 1ppn booking, I will take a tickbox brealfast if a really low figure, but usually on 1ppn stays, tickbox is not lower than 1person fee on the day I eat. Plus I mostly book corp rate so don't get the tickbox option anyway.