Should hotels charge separately for amenities and services?
Submitted by Wanderlust AndiAre you interested in paying the minimum price for a hotel? Hotels have amenities that people believe are unnecessary, and so it might be helpful if hotels "unbundled" their services and charged for these services individually. That way, you could pay less by not paying for amenities you don't use.
So, for example, you might be presented with the ability to pay separately for items like;
- WiFi
- TV
- Housekeeping
- Towels (or, at least, clean towels every day)
- Shampoo
- Coffee in the room
- Holding your bags
- Breakfast
- Early check-in or late checkout
It could be good. In fact, it could lead to hotels providing additional services (for a price), such as a late checkout, Netflix on your TV, or a great breakfast. I do stay at the Extended Stay America hotels, and appreciate the fact that the hotel can offer a lower price due to the fact that it offers only weekly housekeeping.
However, it is already a pain to figure out the best deal for a hotel. Adding in the various amenities you want would make comparison hotel shopping almost impossible. Plus, it just might lead to a feeling of "bait and switch" if you end up booking a hotel room, only to discover that even the most basic amenities are not offered.
So - it is food for thought. But, I doubt if we will see much in the way of "unbundling" for a while.
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