Charged for receiving a package
 

I checked out of the Nashville Airport Marriott today and was shocked to see they charged me $5 for receiving a package from Amazon this week. I am a plat and have had packages sent to me at Marriotts for years, and never been charged. I have stayed at this property on a weekly basis for several months, so I am not a convention or one off guest. This was the first time I had a package sent to me at this property, although I am expecting 2 more next week.

The front desk waived the charge "this time." What is the deal with this? They claim this policy began 4 months ago as they are receiving packages no one is picking up, but clearly I picked up my package. I do feel like this particular property is nickel and diming me - these charges, charges for 1800 calls, etc.

Are there new Marriott policies in effect in 2008, or is it just this property?
__
Additionally, here is a 2005 discussion mainly focused on Vegas:
Receiving Parcels Charge?

I think it is more by property. I have received multiple shipments from FedEx, UPS and the USPS at multiple Marriott properties before without ever being charged for it.

My experience has been the same. Never been charged and frankly shocked that they did charge you. Glad they waived the fee at least after you said something.

They're charging you for 1-800 calls? :td:

Man, everyone from Motel 6 on up has them for free. That's really chintzy.

Some Marriott hotels charge for toll free calls. The Tysons Corner Marriott charges $1 for each call. They have an above average concierge lounge and restaurant breakfast buffet, so I still stay with them.

I'd be in trouble if this was the policy.. I always ship things in advance so I don't have to carry it

Never happened to me at Marriott...yet
 

I have gotten many packages at many diff. Marriotts and never been charged anything. I have also gotten at Sheratons and Hiltons and Hyatts and never been charged except one time at the Hyatt O' Hare. I suspect that if they have a special shipping and receiving dept. there's a greater chance of getting charged (for instance the Walt Disney Swan and possibly the Marriott Harbour Beach).

I've never been charged for receiving a package at any Marriott-branded property. I'm sure, however, at least some properties would just love to try it.

My guess is what happened at BNA was simply a routine attempt to shake down the customers for as much extra revenue as possible. I'd further guess that they typically drop the charge anytime a guest complains. But probably there are enough unwitting people who blindly accept this ridiculous fee so as to enable the hotel pick up an easy few extra hundred bucks a month.

I agree that the hotel is trying to squeeze out more money. I expect that a full service hotel to have someone to take deliveries and hold packages and mail for guests. It should be included in the room rate like using the toilet and TV. Obviously, this does not mean that a guest can expect a hotel to hold enough packages to fill a UPS delivery truck, but a few boxes should not be a problem.

I was charged $2-3 to receive a FedEx letter at the Renaissance Las Vegas; never been charged for any other USPS/FedEx packages before or since.

Received a FedEx Express Envelope at Montreal Chateau Champlain no charge.

I've received packages at both FS and non-FS properties and have never been charged for those packages.

I have seen hotels charge for Toll-free numbers before. In fact, there have been a few times, where I would try to find a public use phone in the hotel (usually somewhere around the front desk area). I could make Toll-free calls with no charge from there, just not from the room. :rolleyes:

I think in Vegas all the properties (not just Marriott) charge to receive packages. I know I've attended conventions in LAS & there have been some package charges on my bill. I also think that happened in Orlando, which is another convention town.

Cheers.

I've been charged to receive packages at the Hyatt in Monterey before. But never at a Marriott property though its usually a Courtyard or SHS where I have things delivered. Glad they at least waived the charge, but its just a shameless attempt to make money.

I have never been charged when receiving a package - but last week at the Hyatt Lost Pines they charged me $10 to accept a package for shipment - even though I was using my personal federal express account for the billing!

1-800 numbers seem to be an individual property type of charge - I have seen it more in "convention" hotels than in smaller suburban properties.

I have worked for the same company for 20+ years - and have never had a T&E budget. That changed with 2008 - and am hearing from others that their companies are also tightening up on expenses.

One thing I no longer pay for in FS is i'net access - a wireless card for $59 a month has taken care of that!

Some of these properties with the nickel and dime charges that add up to $25 or more per stay could actually end up losing $$$'s in the long run - and need to wake up.

Charges for Receiving
 

We were slammed with charges last August at the Courtyard on 2nd Street in San Francisco. We were there for a trade show at Moscone. They ultimately took them off the bill but they was every unpleasant about it, saying this time only etc. We would never stay there again and the trade show is dying a slow death anyway.

I have an update on this. I was so irked, I dropped an email to Marriott online and got a call back on Saturday afternoon (!) from the manager.

He removed the charges and added notes to my account that I should not be charged for receiving packages or making 800 calls. We shall see what happens when I collect my bill tomorrow AM.

His explanation to me is that these charges are not intended for regular guests, but for people who don't stay at the property (e.g. conventioners) who have palettes of packages shipped to them. I really don't get the rationale at all, and I did highly recommend that they remove the charge on a regular basis, but I'm not holding my breathe. He also gave me a few thousand points, which was nice.

I'll be sure to advise if I am charged again tomorrow.

Nickel and Dimeing
 

Was at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott this past week. I had a package sent to the hotel. I was charged $5 to pick it up

$6 for me once at SD Marquis 10 years ago. Ridiculous, small Amazon package I had to go get from a shipping office obviously set up for the convention crowd...

This has been going on for a decade and there are multiple threads on the topic. Why not add to one of those?

The answer hasn't changed. Once upon a time, this practice was reserved for true convention hotels because exhibitors were using the adjoining hotel's mailroom to avoid drayage fees at the convention center. It then expanded to properties such as Baltimore's (50K sq. feet+ of event space) for roughly the same reason.

Properties then started outsourcing the mailroom, even though the guest does not see that back office function, because the administrative cost skyrocketed. That cost is either passed on through higher room rates or per package fees.

I am fine with a la carte pricing for non-essential services. There is no such thing as a "free" breakfast, gym or package service. The proper term is "included."

Good reminder for me to keep most of my business to SHSs, RIs, and the occasional CY. I have yet to run into any of these properties that charges a fee for packages. And most of my stays, I abuse my Amazon Prime/Pantry/Fresh to the max! :D

... hang on- you can set the delivery address for Prime Pantry/Fresh, it's not just fixed to your home? AND you've had reliable delivery to hotels (in the cities that have it, of course)?!

This changes my mind about PP/F if true; I had little use for it at home, but if I can get the kinds of things I normally run out to Target or a grocery store for (water/snacks/yogurt/etc.) sent straight to the hotel, this is a game-changer for me.

Ok I may have exaggerated a little. I usually send a lot of Prime stuff to my hotel rooms when I'm on the road. However, I know a coworker who does it for PP/F while he's on the road.

If hotels were transparent about these things I'd consider it, but hotels always go to great lengths to make it very difficult to find info like this on their website, if it exists at all. Disclose at booking or don't charge.

Exactly - we as consumers should be given a "choice" by letting us know about the price list of their services. I know most people will say it's too small to even bother. I actually like SPG's "announcement" page which all the practical information like family policy. I also saw some Hilton hotels instructing people what to put on the package in order to get to the right guest.

We like to order things online while in the US and we normally have them shipped to limited services hotels as we have never been charge for it. A FTer told me that he was charged $15 for having a Marriott GC sent to a hotel in SD! That doesn't make any sense at all!

Hilton Hawaiian Village charged me a few bucks to receive a package. Really left a bad taste in my mouth too after paying their resort fee then getting another fee on top of that

That's just ridiculous!

There definitely should be a distinction between a guest receiving a one off package and a convention exhibitor routinely shipping / receiving their goods for commercial purposes.

The latter are used to being five and ten'ed for convention like services such as being charged $200 a day for "electrical service", an extension cord duct taped down to the floor by an "electrician".

I thought I was smart having Amazon send me a small package when I was travel out of state to avoid sales tax but the fee wiped that out...

I certainly agree that the hotel should take pains to disclose all of the usual and customary charges such as parking. I guess the question would be what charges should be disclosed on the website. My thoughts would be for any service that the average guest is likely to use and not necessarily expect a charge. Packing delivery might be such an example. I wouldn't expect the hotel to disclose say, room service charges, as it's generally understood by even the most infrequent traveler that room service incurs additional charges

THIS.

Sucks to be lumped in with business and convention exhibitors.