Hyatt Regency Delhi REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Mar 16, 2006, 8:18 am
#31
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Perhaps it is a Delhi luxury tax and not collected elsewhere
I've stayed with award points at several hotel chains all around India except in Delhi and have never been asked to pay anything other than the incidental hotel charges for local phone calls, meals, or hotel taxi services. I've stayed at the Starwood properties in Chennai (Park Sheraton), Grand Maratha Sheraton at the Mumbai International Airport (several times), Windsor Sheraton in Bangalore once, Holiday Inn Juhu Beach in Mumbai (once), and numerous times at the Trident Hilton in Chennai. At none of these places was a luxury tax added to the hotel bill on my award stays.
Mar 16, 2006, 1:47 pm
#32
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"This raises the possibility for the hotel to have to refund all prior luxury taxes paid, It would behoove any self respecting prior tax payor to approach them for a refund."
Yep! When I said "I hope this helps some FTer's..." I specifically meant that anyone charged the luxury tax in the past should contact Mr. Datta. Who knows if they'll make the adjustment, but there's a chance!
Yep! When I said "I hope this helps some FTer's..." I specifically meant that anyone charged the luxury tax in the past should contact Mr. Datta. Who knows if they'll make the adjustment, but there's a chance!
Mar 16, 2006, 5:08 pm
#33
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: La Quinta, CA
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Well the pool will be limited to those reading it here. I am sure they are going back through their prior tax filings and taking a credit against current taxes owed. How very cynical of me but few hotels do anythng that wont positively impact the bottom line. I finally got my points a month after the stay.
Have a pleasant stay !
Have a pleasant stay !
Mar 21, 2006, 2:34 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 334
upgraded to a suite room (because of a service issue at a previous stay) and after checking the bill, it seems that they are trying to charge me tax on 19000rs/night rate instead of my corporate rate... this seems completely wrong. also, it seems that they are charging a seperate tax on the complemetary free breakfast... very strange... time to talk to the hotel...
Apr 13, 2006, 6:04 am
#35
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Originally Posted by dd
upgraded to a suite room (because of a service issue at a previous stay) and after checking the bill, it seems that they are trying to charge me tax on 19000rs/night rate instead of my corporate rate... this seems completely wrong. also, it seems that they are charging a seperate tax on the complemetary free breakfast... very strange... time to talk to the hotel...
). Looking forward to dealing with this tax issue... NOT!
Apr 30, 2006, 1:44 am
#36
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I just returned from Delhi where I stayed in the HR. Due to issues with the travel desk previously I and my colleague were both upgraded to 2-room suites (609 and 709) and given truly amazing service (other than yet another travel desk issue) on which I will comment seperately after recovering from a whirlwind week of travel. However I want to detail the tax issue.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
So it would appear that according to the letter of the law the Delhi gov't deserve to be paid tax on even reward stays.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Office of Commissioner (Excise, Entertainment & Luxury Tax) (Luxury Tax Branch)
...
2. As per the provisons of the amended Act, Luxury Tax shall be levied on the decalred/published tariff with regard to newely insterted sub-section-4 of section-? which provides that where the luxury priveded in a hotel to any person (not being an employee of the hotel) is not charged at all, or is charged at a concessional rate nevertheless there shall be evied and colleced the tax on such luxury, as if full charges for such luxury were paid to the hotelier.
It implies that it is the liability of the hotelier to collect and deposit the tax on declared/published tariff irrespective of whether any concession on the same is provided or no tariff is charged. All the concerned are hereby directed to collect the tax as per the amended provisions.
...
...
2. As per the provisons of the amended Act, Luxury Tax shall be levied on the decalred/published tariff with regard to newely insterted sub-section-4 of section-? which provides that where the luxury priveded in a hotel to any person (not being an employee of the hotel) is not charged at all, or is charged at a concessional rate nevertheless there shall be evied and colleced the tax on such luxury, as if full charges for such luxury were paid to the hotelier.
It implies that it is the liability of the hotelier to collect and deposit the tax on declared/published tariff irrespective of whether any concession on the same is provided or no tariff is charged. All the concerned are hereby directed to collect the tax as per the amended provisions.
...
Apr 30, 2006, 2:18 am
#37
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
I just returned from Delhi where I stayed in the HR. Due to issues with the travel desk previously I and my colleague were both upgraded to 2-room suites (609 and 709) and given truly amazing service (other than yet another travel desk issue) on which I will comment seperately after recovering from a whirlwind week of travel. However I want to detail the tax issue.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
So it would appear that according to the letter of the law the Delhi gov't deserve to be paid tax on even reward stays.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Office of Commissioner (Excise, Entertainment & Luxury Tax) (Luxury Tax Branch)
...
2. As per the provisons of the amended Act, Luxury Tax shall be levied on the decalred/published tariff with regard to newely insterted sub-section-4 of section-? which provides that where the luxury priveded in a hotel to any person (not being an employee of the hotel) is not charged at all, or is charged at a concessional rate nevertheless there shall be evied and colleced the tax on such luxury, as if full charges for such luxury were paid to the hotelier.
It implies that it is the liability of the hotelier to collect and deposit the tax on declared/published tariff irrespective of whether any concession on the same is provided or no tariff is charged. All the concerned are hereby directed to collect the tax as per the amended provisions.
...
...
2. As per the provisons of the amended Act, Luxury Tax shall be levied on the decalred/published tariff with regard to newely insterted sub-section-4 of section-? which provides that where the luxury priveded in a hotel to any person (not being an employee of the hotel) is not charged at all, or is charged at a concessional rate nevertheless there shall be evied and colleced the tax on such luxury, as if full charges for such luxury were paid to the hotelier.
It implies that it is the liability of the hotelier to collect and deposit the tax on declared/published tariff irrespective of whether any concession on the same is provided or no tariff is charged. All the concerned are hereby directed to collect the tax as per the amended provisions.
...
So it would appear that according to the letter of the law the Delhi gov't deserve to be paid tax on even reward stays.
The tax on the published rate of the room booked -- instead of the room upgraded -- would be in line with standard practice at comparable hotels in Delhi, after the hotel is challenged on the matter.
That is, a request for adjustment is generally needed, and the adjustment you got is about as good as I've gotten it with HR DEL and HR DEL's local competitors.For reward booking stays, perhaps a way to get around the tax on the reward stay would be if the tax were paid for by the hotel award program itself (i.e., generally a foreign entity that is not the hotel owner)? (The likelihood of that is another matter.
)The current default arrangement for taxing hotel customers on the rack rate of the room assigned rather than on the actual room rate paid (if any) is one of the more bizarre arrangements I've come across in my travels. And the post-challenge adjustment should not be necessary if this government-mandated nonsense stops. I feel bad for the hotels and hotel customers who seem to get into an unnecessarily confrontational money matter due to such a bizarre system of taxing hotel guests. I can't help but believe that it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of some visitors; I know it annoys me.
A simpler taxation system -- even if it separates me from a bit more of my money
-- would work better.Thankfully this nonsense doesn't happen in the other places in India that I frequent.
Apr 30, 2006, 6:22 am
#38
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Thankfully this nonsense doesn't happen in the other places in India that I frequent.
This practice makes staying at a more expensive room in Gurgaon cheaper in the long run. If Gurgaon only had rooms in decent hotels that were available.
Apr 30, 2006, 6:31 am
#39
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
The key part being that you frequent. It is being done in Karnataka .
This practice makes staying at a more expensive room in Gurgaon cheaper in the long run. If Gurgaon only had rooms in decent hotels that were available.
This practice makes staying at a more expensive room in Gurgaon cheaper in the long run. If Gurgaon only had rooms in decent hotels that were available.
I knew there was some governmental push and pull and give and take on this issue, but I didn't realize this is being done so differently from place to place and even differently in the same place sometimes. I wonder what went on with our master bill in BLR.
Apr 30, 2006, 9:26 am
#40
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: La Quinta, CA
Posts: 2,056
Originally Posted by yosithezet
I just returned from Delhi where I stayed in the HR. Due to issues with the travel desk previously I and my colleague were both upgraded to 2-room suites (609 and 709) and given truly amazing service (other than yet another travel desk issue) on which I will comment seperately after recovering from a whirlwind week of travel. However I want to detail the tax issue.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
So it would appear that according to the letter of the law the Delhi gov't deserve to be paid tax on even reward stays.
I booked a standard room at a corporate rate which included breakfast.
When I checked out the Luxury tax came to 55% of the rate I was paying for the room. This based on the 'published rate' for the room I actually stayed in. I told them that this was essentially punishing me for upgrading me and they reduced it down such that it was based on the 'published rate' on the room I had booked which still came to 27.5% of the rate I actually paid. As a reminder the Luxury Tax is 12.5%. Also I was charged VAT on the breakfast that was included in the room. I was able to get them to remove the word breakfast though.
They did offer to provide me with a copy of the Public Notice about this Luxury tax. The copy is a bit tilted so there are words I can't make out and I can't find it online but it says the following:
So it would appear that according to the letter of the law the Delhi gov't deserve to be paid tax on even reward stays.
My own experience -
" I didnt pay it during my Febraury stay there. There was an attempt to add it to my bill and I raised holy h*ll over it advising them that it was never disclosed anywhere until checkin. I did suggest that we put just those taxes on a separate charge so I can contest it with AMEX when I return and that seemed to get them waived. "
Not quite certain as to why anyone would voluntarily pay this especially since both myself as well as another poster had it waived ?
May 3, 2006, 12:13 pm
#41
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Suite upgrade due to previous poor experiences
I have stayed at the HR Delhi a few times over the past year and most recently last week. In the past I have had some issues with the hotel including the outsourced travel desk not having booked cars available, the cars being of poor quality and the air quality in the hotel leading to getting sick. I've complained and this most recent stay was on the receiving end of some very special treatment. Below I'll detail that and also include some additional comments on the hotel.
Due to the previous complaints my colleague and I were upgraded to two rooms suites (609 and 709). Seeing these suites it is pretty surprising that they are in the same hotel as the standard rooms. The suites have a living room with 1 + 3 living room sofa set, coffee table with a candle, bowl of water and aromatic oils and complete set of magazines, working desk, ottoman, TV and DVD player in a cabinet. The bedroom has a very large king sized plus bed, TV in an entertainment center and is very spacious. The bathroom has a seperate bath and shower which is to be noted for this hotel as the ceilings are low and so standing in the bathtubs to take a shower is a bit uncomfortable. The shower has a rain showerhead.
The floors in this hotel are hardwood which is nice but they can be quite slippery. I'm not sure if this is from overwaxing or just something normal for hardwood.
The club is quite nice and offers a nice breakfast and the snacks during the cocktail hours are enough that you really needn't have dinner in addition. The hotel staff is quite friendly and helpful in general.
I've only eaten in the cafe on the very bottom floor and found the food to be fine. The buffet is nice as well. The bar which is out the front door and down the side of the hotel is nice and is pretty hopping with a nice weekend crowd and live music. I'm not sure if there is live music every night of the week.
If this hotel was not part of the Hyatt chain I'd find it harder to justify to myself staying there due to the issues with the travel desk. So long as the hotel staff is willing to deal with the travel desk for me I'll happily continue to rack up the GoldPassport points at this property.
Due to the previous complaints my colleague and I were upgraded to two rooms suites (609 and 709). Seeing these suites it is pretty surprising that they are in the same hotel as the standard rooms. The suites have a living room with 1 + 3 living room sofa set, coffee table with a candle, bowl of water and aromatic oils and complete set of magazines, working desk, ottoman, TV and DVD player in a cabinet. The bedroom has a very large king sized plus bed, TV in an entertainment center and is very spacious. The bathroom has a seperate bath and shower which is to be noted for this hotel as the ceilings are low and so standing in the bathtubs to take a shower is a bit uncomfortable. The shower has a rain showerhead.
The floors in this hotel are hardwood which is nice but they can be quite slippery. I'm not sure if this is from overwaxing or just something normal for hardwood.
The club is quite nice and offers a nice breakfast and the snacks during the cocktail hours are enough that you really needn't have dinner in addition. The hotel staff is quite friendly and helpful in general.
I've only eaten in the cafe on the very bottom floor and found the food to be fine. The buffet is nice as well. The bar which is out the front door and down the side of the hotel is nice and is pretty hopping with a nice weekend crowd and live music. I'm not sure if there is live music every night of the week.
If this hotel was not part of the Hyatt chain I'd find it harder to justify to myself staying there due to the issues with the travel desk. So long as the hotel staff is willing to deal with the travel desk for me I'll happily continue to rack up the GoldPassport points at this property.
May 5, 2006, 6:55 pm
#42
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Stayed there twice last week. Not a bad property, but the rooms are a bit small. Staff was rather distant the first time, but much warmer on the return (remembered us by name), giving us a late checkout to 7pm! RC is pretty nice with an extensive evening spread. We had the buffet lunch in the downstairs restaurant on the second day which was reasonably priced, very tasty and very extensive - with both Indian and Western offerings. I'd stay again.
May 23, 2006, 1:42 am
#43
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Are these the girls I saw enter last night in light blue uniforms?
Anyway, I am back at the HR Delhi and once again the travel desk is an issue. Yesterday it was possible to charge the car to the room, today suddenly it is a huge problem to do so. Order a car for a specific time and when you come to leave they start looking around for which car to use pushing you off for 10-15 minutes. Are all the other travel desks which don't have these issues geniuses? What will it take for the HR Delhi to realise that they need to ditch this travel desk?
Anyway, I am back at the HR Delhi and once again the travel desk is an issue. Yesterday it was possible to charge the car to the room, today suddenly it is a huge problem to do so. Order a car for a specific time and when you come to leave they start looking around for which car to use pushing you off for 10-15 minutes. Are all the other travel desks which don't have these issues geniuses? What will it take for the HR Delhi to realise that they need to ditch this travel desk?
May 24, 2006, 12:24 pm
#44
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The Imperial is my first choice in Delhi - excellent service, beautiful facilities, great location for leisure, OK for business (depending on what it is). For large chain hotels, the Sheraton is marginally better than the HR (and in a better location). The Meridien is supposed to be pretty good, though I haven't stayed there. A great offbeat choice is the Manor, a very small boutique hotel in Friends Colony that is simply great (and is used by Aman as a liaison to the Aman-i-khas).