pvn

I guarantee you someone is paying for that delivery.

sbrower

Just to be clear, do you mean: a) your personal Platinum Ambassador; or, b) the reservation agent who answers the telephone for Platinum guests? Or is there some other department that I am missing?

clublounger

There was no "delivery fee" at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport when I required a power adapter (the cheap, ubiquitous adapter - not converter). That's because there was NO delivery. I was directed to the vending machine in the hallway to purchase one for around 10 euro. Yuck.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong and China these are already in the room, or the front desk hands them over without a care. Yay.

Location, location, location. All policies are local . ( I know.....it's a play on words, folks.)

fordan

As others have said, the fee has been around for more than a few years. Not all properties, but enough that it pays to ask the hotel before assuming these days.

There are alternatives. If you know which shipper you can often have it delivered to a nearby store of the shipper's brand and held there for no cost. Amazon's more tricky since at least in the US you never know what carrier they're going to use, but many areas (especially urban ones where you're more likely to see a hotel package fee) have Amazon Lockers that you can have packages delivered to.

sscott77

It was 3 packages, all 8.5x11 copier paper sized boxes. All filled with paper and binders. Nothing too heavy to lift - I lifted them into my car and drove them to Fedex. However, not something I wanted to be charged by the pound for twice (fedex and hotel) and not something I wanted to check as luggage.

I am not a frequent shipper of packages to hotels, but I had to ship something similar last week to the W in Miami. 2 boxes, larger than those mentioned above, and they were happy to bring it to my room, ask if I need help, and offer to unbox.

I saw someone responded with a few Hyatt's that charge by the pound for handling fees. I don't doubt it, but I am saying that of the Hyatt's I have had something shipped to, I haven't been charged.

The Westin South Coast Plaza is mostly not a convention hotel and I really doubt they are getting large volumes of packages, as people are describing of other convention hotels. I would understand that.

I think what it all comes down to for me, is that I feel like a valued guest at Hyatt, and I feel like a standard of reasonableness applies. If I am shipping a couple of packages, no problem. If I need something no problem. They value my business.

I used to feel that way at Starwood. This experience with the Westin South Coast Plaza certainly didn't make me feel that way, and it is starting to be more of a trend with Starwoods. My loyalty to them doesn't seem like it means anything.

It would have been simple for them to say, oh, you didn't realize? No worries, this is three boxes and we will waive it this time. Just be aware next time. Instead, they began quoting me the rules, and what they all think of them, and making my experience more difficult.

I had the packages rerouted to the nearby fedex and I am picking them up and driving them a mile to the hotel and taking them to my room. I am capable of handling it, but I'm not enjoying it, and I'm definitely feeling like the staff of the Westin South Coast Plaza is making my stay more difficult as opposed to easy. And I still wonder, is whatever they would have earned in the package handling fee worth it, to have a longtime platinum member annoyed and looking for a hotel that will be more accommodating? Penny wise and pound foolish, in my opinion.

Dr. HFH

I didn't see a trend in your one-off experience with the South Coast Plaza; but I may have missed it.

pWei

And that package, if shipped to a hotel, is not being paid for otherwise?

Do understand the need to charge for amounts over a certain threshold. But 1 item? Crass. 10? Um, ok.

CommentatusMaximus

I totally agree this is inappropriate for a full service hotel. I have sent things to a hotel maybe once every two years and never been charged regardless of hotel level. If I were you, I would escalate to a manager and express my displeasure. However, if they are unable to resolve to your satisfaction, then suck it up, leave an appropriate review, and never go there again.

pvn

FedEx is getting paid, which is all that was relevant to my post.

RogerD408

Yes, FedEx does delivery to your office as part of it's service. However, do you want their guys walking the halls leaving your package in the hallway (or worse yet, entering your room)? When there is an intermediary involved (especially one not being paid by FedEx) the delivery fee stops and that service needs funding. If it's not covered by a service charge it gets spread out to all the customers (remember, no free lunch). Imagine you call down for someone to come pickup your luggage and are told, it will be at least an hour while our bell staff delivers packages. Not saying charging a fee resolves that, but it just might allow the property to augment staffing to handle the random load.

I do believe their can be a count/weight cutoff so occasional use is complementary, but abusers (yes, I've done conferences where I had bulk material shipped to me instead of paying the drayage fees of the hall) and was fine with any fees assessed to be able to review/assemble material in my room.

mahasamatman

Standard FT venting protocol. Take a single experience and extrapolate it to whatever group you want to pan.

Dr. HFH

I don't really agree with you in the situation of a package for a guest in a 5* hotel. Isn't that what the bell/front door staff is for? To take things to your room? As regulars in these threads know, most of my stays are at SGS. First, they don't just deliver it. They call the room to see if you're there. If not, they leave a message. I can't imagine them ever charging for this.

controller1

When I was in investor relations I would regularly have one box (the same size as each of the OP's boxes) shipped to the hotel to arrive by 10:00 a.m. on my day of arrival. I did this for 20-25 hotels each year. Over the six years of doing this, easily 75% of the hotels charged from $5-$10 per box for receiving and delivering it to my room or the conference room.

These were primarily Starwood, Marriott and Hyatt with an occasional Hilton in the mix.