What a rip-off! LOL!

[jpcher]

DDs and I don't stay at hotels very often, so I found this rather humorous.

At the same time I thought it somewhat rude (sly? rip-offish?) of the hotel to do this . . .

We had a spa day (different thread) and finally got to our hotel room. There were 2 water bottles on the table. DD#1 immediately grabbed one "I'm so thirsty!" She took the tag off and drank about 1/2 of the bottle.

A little while later, DD#2 wanted some water so she took the second bottle and read the tag (all about the environmental friendly bottle, etc.) and in very fine print at the bottom of the tag it stated that a $4.00 charge will be added to the room if the bottle was used.

The funny part was that once we read the water bottle tag we were looking all over and joking about what the extra charge would be if we used the robes in the closet, or the soap and body wash in the bathroom. When I made coffee the next morning DDs asked me if I read the fine print! "Mom, that pot of coffee is probably going to cost you an extra $10! Oh! and did you open the condiments package? Do you know how much that packet of sugar costs?"

We did have a fun time with this, when we were packing up the next morning I put a pen in my bag. DDs asked me "How much are they going to charge you for that pen?"


I think that the water bottles on the table were a rip-off simply because they weren't clearly marked as an extra charge.

Everything else . . . soap, lotion, coffee, pens, use of robes? That should be an included amenity, right?

[squeakers]

Yeah, we saw that when we went to a motel in St. Louis.  I had brought my own water from home because I love its taste so was not tempted to drink the $5 bottle of water. If I had ran out of my home water I am sure walmart could have supplied me with more than 1 bottle for the same $5 LOL

[Amava]

Wow how sneaky of them!

[stargazer]

I don't see this as sneaky at all but maybe I'm used to it as I see it at almost every hotel I stay at.  Those water bottles are almost NEVER free.

[Jones]

I don't see this as sneaky at all but maybe I'm used to it as I see it at almost every hotel I stay at.  Those water bottles are almost NEVER free.

I don't know that I've ever seen some that were free before. I'm in the habit of stopping at convenience stores on the way to the hotel, get some drinks and little snacks...that could be why I gained so much weight while I was in my "travel across America regularly" job, lol.

[Hmmmmm]

I always assume the bottle water in the room has a charge unless it is tagged complimentary.  But it still ticks me off to see the $4 charge for a normal bottle of water.  But nothing tops the $15 bottle of sparkling water at one hotel I encountered. 

[Shoo]

I think $4 for a bottle of water is pretty standard.  It's crazy expensive, I agree, but that's what I've seen water going for just about everywhere.  That's what a bottle of water costs at all the Seahawks games and UW Huskies games.

Sometimes it seems like they want you to drink it without realizing how much it's going to cost.  That's why the tags are so small. 

[pharmagal]

I'm not sure how this could even possibly be called rude, or a rip off.

In my experience it's a rare hotel that doesn't charge for the bottles of water. Especially hotels that have spas attached to them. Depending on the size of the bottles too, $4 isn't that expensive, especially when I've seen $8 1 litre bottles at one of the hotels I stay at on a regular basis.

To me being ripped off is when I've paid for a product and been given something that doesn't match what I've paid for.  The price was on the label, so you weren't ripped off.  You may feel you were charged too much, but you made the choice to use the product and in doing so agreed to pay the labelled price.

[Thipu1]

We see this sort of thing all the time on ships and in hotels.  If you know what's going on, it isn't really a rip-off.  However, it is an easy way for the place to increase revenue.

When visiting such a place, you must always read labels or tags before consuming anything you find in your room.  Reputable places will put out a card or tag telling you what is a gift and what will be charged to your room. 

We've always found coffee set-ups and fruit bowls to be a gift.  Anything accompanying  a bottle must always be carefully read.  These things usually will carry an extra tariff.

Really, if you're thirsty, how hard is it to get some ice and have a drink of tap water?

[Momiitz]

I think it was sneaky of the hotel not to put the price of the water in large print where you would see it right away. 

I do know that around here, North Carolina, you can get a case of 36 bottles of water for about $10. That's just regular water like deer park. I think the up charge on a lot of products is getting out of hand.

[Barb3000]

I think it was sneaky of the hotel not to put the price of the water in large print where you would see it right away. 

I do know that around here, North Carolina, you can get a case of 36 bottles of water for about $10. That's just regular water like deer park. I think the up charge on a lot of products is getting out of hand.

POD. Why is it that in the "ritzy" hotels, they nickel and dime you for water, breakfast, phone calls, internet, etc. and yet in a "budget" chain like Hampton Inn they manage to provide all that for free? And a great comfy bed, clean room, etc. And cookies in the evening, if not a manager's reception. And sometimes snacks in your room.

I know, because "they can.". Not with me they can't.

[jedikaiti]

I think it was sneaky of the hotel not to put the price of the water in large print where you would see it right away. 

I do know that around here, North Carolina, you can get a case of 36 bottles of water for about $10. That's just regular water like deer park. I think the up charge on a lot of products is getting out of hand.

POD. Why is it that in the "ritzy" hotels, they nickel and dime you for water, breakfast, phone calls, internet, etc. and yet in a "budget" chain like Hampton Inn they manage to provide all that for free? And a great comfy bed, clean room, etc. And cookies in the evening, if not a manager's reception. And sometimes snacks in your room.

I know, because "they can.". Not with me they can't.

I have wondered that about internet access at hotels - the garden variety Holiday Inn gives it to you free, but the nicer (more $$) places I've stayed at want $10/day.

[kherbert05]

I'm on the fence. I get that the OP doesn't usually stay in Spa Hotels. Regulars in a hotel like this would expect to pay. So I would say it was boarderline ethical - boarderline because of the small print.

I was shocked on a couple of HS trips, when kids took things from the rooms not realizing the group would be charged. They were sheltered and their parents never told them about the cost. On the other hand some of the chaperons didn't like the fact I would buy snacks from shops to bring back to the hotel. Apparently that was "low class".

[Style_and_Grace]

That really isn't a rip off.  It is pretty standard for all hotels these days.

You're daughter should have read the tag before she opened it.

[clio917]

Honestly, I think all for-charge items in a hotel room should be confined to a mini-bar. Because my first impression would be that anything left out would be complimentary. Guess I know to inspect everything for price tags now...