TheCrackedJack

The only thing I find annoying in so called luxury hotels, mainly is America, is that they don't include a service charge in place of tips. For normal hotels like a Holiday Inn or something fine.

But, if your going to come of as a place of luxury and want to make me forgot my worries, making me pull out my wallet anytime something is done for me is beyond irritating. I'll gladly pay the money, but there's a much better way to do it.

DavidO

Broadband connection fees... Moderately priced hotels offer free internet to their guests; luxury hotels should include it in the services provided by their significantly higher room rates.

justforfun

A fee for a locker at a luxury hotel is just ridiculous. I completely understand your issue.

I also agree with the internet charge issue. I usually stay at higher end hotels and I guess I have become accustomed to paying a fee for wireless. But the other day I stayed at a Towne Place Suite Marriott for work, and I was just blown away by all that was included for under $150. A new room with flat screen tv, a mini-kitchen with granite counter tops, free(and fast) wireless, a hot buffet breakfast(low quality, but A for effort), and a mini-mart next to check-in open 24/7. I just couldn't believe it. I was very impressed.

vuittonsofstyle

I was just charged 6 Swiss Francs for a copy of The Times in Le Richemond Geneva. Internet charges are 35 francs a day. By the end of the week, I will have purchased the hotel at this rate....

Raffles

Valet parking charges when the car hardly moves. I love Four Seasons Hampshire to death, but the first time we went we drove up to the front door (as you do) and they offered to park the car for us in the car park 100m away. We then got a valet charge on the bill, which I paid because I was in a good mood - but every stay since I have self parked and done the 60 second walk. (Castlemartry, bless em, did not charge for valet parking although, again, the car only moves a few metres!).

Insulator-King

As I read thru this post, I am boggled by people who pay so much for luxury. Is is really worth it. As several have mentioned, stay at a nice comfort inn or suite, or numerous other motel properties, where internet is included for free, the exercise room is free, continental breakfast is free..... well you get my point.

I would also say that having businesses pay for it is unnecessary overhead that increases their costs, which are passed on to consumers.

I''m not impressed is all I can say. Good service does not mean an expensive hotel.

RockoHorse

I have not stayed at anything "higher" than a Marriott or Sheraton - which I'm guessing don't classify as luxury hotels. Since my first time staying at anything higher than a comfort inn I made the observation that the more that you pay for the hotel room the more they nickel and dime you to death. It's sad to hear that true luxury hotels are just as bad. I guess the old saying that 'you get what you pay for' should be modified to 'you get what you pay more for'.

Kagehitokiri

Insulator-King,

this thread is one of only 3 "complaint" [master] threads in this forum... read these instead >

amanresorts does not nickel & dime, or require guests to sign for anything. those are 2 things amanjunkies love about them.

wolf539

I guess we won't be seeing you at the Peninsula Hong Kong anytime soon?

justforfun

Very true. But my truly luxury hotel stays are not for business, but when I'm on vacation. It's then that you want a certain level of luxe. And you pay for it.

trojanman

[QUOTE=Insulator-King;10196154]As I read thru this post, I am boggled by people who pay so much for luxury. Is is really worth it.

Many of the previous comments assumed $250 was the cutoff between "luxury" and "regular" hotels, but in today's market that is not the case. In many of the places I travel, $250 is little more than a basic hotel.

Having stayed at a multitude of hotels in literally every price category from $50 a night to $1500 a night, I can confirm there are definitely diminishing returns with any room over $300-$400 per night. Here is my non-scientific thesis:

**All prices based on the greater Los Angeles region.**

<$100 a night - Strictly for sleeping purposes with no extra creature comforts. Probably borderline acceptable cleanliness standards. Might have a continental breakfast, but it will be full of jelly donuts and stale coffee.

$101-$200 a night - Many solid hotels can be found in this bracket. Crowne plaza/hilton/hyatt/marriott come to mind. Generally excellent beds, basic tile bathrooms, maybe even an iPod dock. Comfortable, but not luxurious.

$201-$300 a night - More deluxe branches of the above chains, as well as some midrange boutique brands. A chain in this price category will not be any more luxurious than its $150 counterpart, but it will be more centrally located and offer more deluxe facilities. Kimpton properties come to mind as an excellent representation of boutique brands at this price point. You can get a solid 4* experience with marble bathrooms, great service, and a unique amenity usually (like wine hour, etc...), I would probably not spring for the chain hotel at this price point, but the boutique hotel could be quite fun. I stay in these types of rooms the most. Probably the best bang for the buck.

$301-$400 a night - Now we're getting into the low-end of the luxury scale. I certainly would not pay this much for a Hilton/Marriott unless I really had to. Most of these properties will be in great physical shape, have nice facilities and better than average service. We're still not at a 5* experience, but getting closer. To me, these properties offer very little more than the $200 hotels, so I try to avoid them.

$401-$600 a night - This is the creme de la creme. True 5* hotels like Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Bev Hills Hotel, etc... The sleep area of the room is likely to look much like a $250 Hilton, but the bathroom will certainly be marble/granite, with a separate tub & shower. Probably a small walk-in closet. Service is what sets this room apart. Twice daily maid cleaning, complementary overnight shoeshine, and a concierge with the best hookups in town. Common areas will be spectacular and service telepathic.

$601-$1000 a night - There are only a handful of non-suites in L.A. at this price point, and they are in the best possible (oceanfront) locations. Still, there is little, if any substantive differentiation between these properties and the $400 variety except for location. Generally speaking, a waste of the extra money unless you "must" try the Montage/St. Regis/etc...

$1001+ a night - these are "experiential" properties that provide something not available at a "regular" hotel. Burj al Arab, various game reserves in Africa or the Four Seasons tented camp in Thailand come to mind. Most people treat these as once in a lifetime visits.

Keep in mind these are my general observations. There are definitely exceptions to every rule, so I don't need people chiming in about how specific properties were different.

All in all, only YOU can assign a value to something. I know people who have $5,000,000 in assets yet they sleep in $150 hotels. Then I know people with a negative net worth who sleep in $500 hotels. To each his/her own.

fflier_9999

Can't agree more. If I'm paying an tidy sum for my hotel room, it's outrageous that internet is $15 for the evening. Just throw it in for nothing and jack room rates a few $ if you have to. . .the feeling of getting nickeled and dimed is really pathetic.

RichardInSF

I don't recall ever paying to get a newspaper at this hotel before, but this time I was charged E3,25 each day (without being asked at check-in) for the Int'l Herald Tribune -- and the cover price is only E2.50, so evidentally they charge an extra fee for bringing it to my room!

Is this a new low in nuisance fees or what?

Non-NonRev

Hotel L'Europe in Amsterdam did the same to me in 2002. And that was one of the lesser of the service issues that led me never to return to that dismal place.

Braniff

I agree. This is outrageous !!! Reminds me of the time at the Okura in Tokyo where I was charged individually for each piece of roll I consumed from the bread basket put on the table.... Thankfully, this practice was stopped at the Okura.