FlyerTalk Forums - New parking charges

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerD408 (Post 30508818)

To suddenly start charging for something that has been no-cost for decades is distasteful to the customers. Regardless how many may actually use the "service". There are many that prefer taking the stairs rather than the elevator. Imagine if they started assessing a fee every time you push that button (or insert your room key). How about using the front door vs the rear door? Yes, the list can get out of hand quickly, but the point is the same. Most of us accept, and expect, the room rate covers much more than just the cost of providing a room. To now start charging extra for that which we feel we've been paying for all along is just plain greed and not disclosing that up front is deceptive. The properties must consider if that addition fee is worth the loss of future business, but I suspect many are very short-sighted.

I think we're both agreeing that this Springhill Suites charging parking is a bad - it breaks a standard for suburban hotels. That said, parking has always been an added fee service for hotels in urban cores for as long as I can remember. Now, parking being used as a purely extractive source of revenue is somewhat new (valet rates of $50-60 in mid-tier cities, I'm looking at you). I definitely would not want parking baked into the price of an urban hotel as this is punitive to those who do not bring a car, and it is a real material extra cost. Parking in NYC costs a lot, and most people don't rent a car there. I'd be pretty frustrated is the $60-80 a night cost for parking (this is a real cost and not extractive) was baked into the room rate since I would not take advantage of this freebie.

The standard for suburban hotels has always been free parking, and this breaks that standard - and I agree it will come back to bite them.