14 Aug 2015

Should hotels charge separately for amenities and services?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Are 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.

Related Content:

26 Nov 2014

Hotels - a personal perspective

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

This is great overview of ones personal perspective on hotels. With very informative information, it gives you thought and ideas on what makes a hotel good, great or just down right wrong. If you are an avid traveler, I highly recommend this article. The author also gives some recommendations with a list of hotels from personal experience that are worth while to check out to make decision making easier.

9 Nov 2014

Hilton introduces smartphone features

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Hilton is offering a new service to their guests that allows them to pick their own room and floor plan from their mobile device. The guests will also be able to customize their stay by requesting certain amenities for their room. The day prior to check-in, the guest will log in with their mobile device and pick their room and added features. Guests will also be able to check in and out of the hotel remotely from their smart phone.

19 Oct 2014

Hotels like the Omni are basing their renovations on reviews from websites like TripAdvisor. They say that since the customers are so candid, it gives them a good opportunity to understand what is lacking in their hotels, and where they can improve.

19 Oct 2014

What hi-tech hotel equipment do you want?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Hotels are constantly looking for new ways to entice travelers, and the latest development appears to be rooms with hi-tech options for those with a multitude of digital tastes. Business travelers in particular seem to lean toward rooms loaded with new technology, including super-charged remote controls and personal iPads that serve as a digital concierge for guests.

15 Oct 2014

Do you tip housekeeping when you are at a hotel? And, if so, how much?

There was a poll done a couple years ago that concluded that if you don't tip, you are one of the 39% of travelers that don't tip. If you do tip, you belong to the 23% minority that always tips. I believe that most people just are not aware that they should tip housekeeping.