Hotel ripoff

[GMB]

13 hours ago, GMB said:

caught the same morning from Fleetwood

After boasting about the quality of Fleetwood fisheries I saw the programme last night on Panorama about the millions of tons of raw sewage poured into the sea near Blackpool. It was an awful admission of irresponsible action and guilt by United Utilities.

Anyway no-one goes to Blackpool for the swimming and I am off to buy some Dagenham and Barking Fish fingers instead.

People go to Blackpool for the cheap tarts and cheap booze.

[Boomer54]

3 minutes ago, GMB said:

After boasting about the quality of Fleetwood fisheries I saw the programme last night on Panorama about the millions of tons of raw sewage poured into the sea near Blackpool. It was an awful admission of irresponsible action and guilt by United Utilities.

Anyway no-one goes to Blackpool for the swimming and I am off to buy some Dagenham and Barking Fish fingers instead.

People go to Blackpool for the cheap tarts and cheap booze.

Not to mention the Scottish weeks ! Do they still have those ? A fight with every pint.

[Malc1]

1 hour ago, GMB said:

millions of tons of raw sewage poured into the sea near Blackpool.

I remember going to Blackpool in the 50's, my uncle lived near there, and the sea always looked very black even then !

Uncle Bert used to send Fleetwood kippers packed in a wooden box down to us in South London as a treat  .  my dad loved 'em 😃 

Malc

[Boomer54]

11 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

I remember going to Blackpool in the 50's, my uncle lived near there, and the sea always looked very black even then !

Uncle Bert used to send Fleetwood kippers packed in a wooden box down to us in South London as a treat  .  my dad loved 'em 😃 

Malc

"Uncle Bert", not a name you hear much anymore. Funnily enough I had an Uncle Bert also and he ended up living in Islington post war. Actually, I should have had two, but one I never met as a coal mine fell on  him.

[Malc1]

My Uncle Bert lived in Bispham just outside Blackpool 

your parents might have received a cheque signed by him ?? …… Head of Premium Bonds ….. he actually signed the biggy winnings cheques in those ancient times 👍

Malc 

[Boomer54]

7 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

My Uncle Bert lived in Bispham just outside Blackpool 

your parents might have received a cheque signed by him ?? …… Head of Premium Bonds ….. he actually signed the biggy winnings cheques in those ancient times 👍

Malc 

Haha, Believe me when I say for sure they never received a cheque. You don't buy premium bonds when you are busy trying to feed 5 off a large tin of Oxtail soup and chips (homegrown) ! Know Bispham quite well. I think it was what passed for a posh area of Blackpool although I don't know how things stand there currently.

[GMB]

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Uncle Bert used to send Fleetwood kippers packed in a wooden box down to us in South London as a treat  .  my dad loved 'em

Is your Dad still with us? I hope he's OK!

The other local option is Morecambe bay shrimps that glow in the dark re: Heysham Nuclear power plant overspill.

[GMB]

Looks like this local fisherman has eaten one too many judging by his expression.

[Malc1]

44 minutes ago, GMB said:

Is your Dad still with us? I hope he's OK!

The other local option is Morecambe bay shrimps that glow in the dark re: Heysham Nuclear power plant overspill.

Long gone I’m afraid but I don’t think it was the Kippers that did for ‘im 😇

Malc 

[Linas.P]

I kind of agree that parking charges at hotels are unacceptable, but I would not call them "rip-off". The way I see it, it is a choice - if you feel that parking charge is unfair then you don't book that hotel, they lose business and they will make parking free. As a guest I ALWAYS expect free parking, if hotel does not provide it then I simply choose another hotel. We vote with our valet. 

Well I guess to be completely honest it kind of depends, if hotel is excellent value and it would cost me £50/night more to stay elsewhere in worse hotel, or paying £5 parking charge... then common sense beats principle. But if price is similar I may even pay £10 more on principle to have free parking.

I think what makes £5 "a rip off" in this case is that by signing as a member you get free parking, knowing that - it doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. This means parking is actually free, they just basically scam £5 from guests unless they sign for membership. This is disgusting, just don't stay in such hotel where they don't respect their guests. 

Surprisingly, it seems country side hotels in UK have parking charges more often than ones in the cities, which is just inexcusable. That said I rarely stay in hotels in UK nowadays, unless it is paid by the company, for personal use I use airbnb and I have never had issue with them, country side hotels are out of their mind in UK, for horrible pub-like service and premium view to the swamp they try to charge more than 5* all-inclusive hotel in Spain or Egypt or some other decent holiday destination. For example this summer I happened to end-up in lovely town of Shrewsbury and stayed in Lion + Pheasant, I understand it is sort of "trendy" hotel for hipsters, but £180 per night in bloody village with the view to the busy street?! If anything I would not give even 2* for the rooms, they were let's just say "nice", but no air conditioning, no mini bar, no TV, no hair dryer, old rotten "classic" windows so you get all the noise from the street. Now... okey I don't need hair dryer and I can't remember ever using TV in hotel, but air-conditioning is big one, the room was actually very hot (probably 26C at night, middle of summer mind you), as well no mini-bar and not even bottled water... so staying in this "s****y hipster" hotel the guests can help themselves with the water from the tap I guess?! To be fair to them, they only consider themselves 3*, but then how do they explain the price?! Birmingham Grand, which is proper nice middle of the city centre 5* hotel only charges £150. How is that makes sense?! People in Shrewsbury must think they are some sort of Milan or Barcelona... even then I bet you I can find better deals there. There is no way that hotel in Shrewsbury can cost more than £40/nigh.

[Boomer54]

3 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I kind of agree that parking charges at hotels are unacceptable, but I would not call them "rip-off". The way I see it, it is a choice - if you feel that parking charge is unfair then you don't book that hotel, they lose business and they will make parking free. As a guest I ALWAYS expect free parking, if hotel does not provide it then I simply choose another hotel. We vote with our valet. 

Well I guess to be completely honest it kind of depends, if hotel is excellent value and it would cost me £50/night more to stay elsewhere in worse hotel, or paying £5 parking charge... then common sense beats principle. But if price is similar I may even pay £10 more on principle to have free parking.

I think what makes £5 "a rip off" in this case is that by signing as a member you get free parking, knowing that - it doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. This means parking is actually free, they just basically scam £5 from guests unless they sign for membership. This is disgusting, just don't stay in such hotel where they don't respect their guests. 

Surprisingly, it seems country side hotels in UK have parking charges more often than ones in the cities, which is just inexcusable. That said I rarely stay in hotels in UK nowadays, unless it is paid by the company, for personal use I use airbnb and I have never had issue with them, country side hotels are out of their mind in UK, for horrible pub-like service and premium view to the swamp they try to charge more than 5* all-inclusive hotel in Spain or Egypt or some other decent holiday destination. For example this summer I happened to end-up in lovely town of Shrewsbury and stayed in Lion + Pheasant, I understand it is sort of "trendy" hotel for hipsters, but £180 per night in bloody village with the view to the busy street?! If anything I would not give even 2* for the rooms, they were let's just say "nice", but no air conditioning, no mini bar, no TV, no hair dryer, old rotten "classic" windows so you get all the noise from the street. Now... okey I don't need hair dryer and I can't remember ever using TV in hotel, but air-conditioning is big one, the room was actually very hot (probably 26C at night, middle of summer mind you), as well no mini-bar and not even bottled water... so staying in this "s****y hipster" hotel the guests can help themselves with the water from the tap I guess?! To be fair to them, they only consider themselves 3*, but then how do they explain the price?! Birmingham Grand, which is proper nice middle of the city centre 5* hotel only charges £150. How is that makes sense?! People in Shrewsbury must think they are some sort of Milan or Barcelona... even then I bet you I can find better deals there. There is no way that hotel in Shrewsbury can cost more than £40/nigh.

" more than 5* all-inclusive hotel in Spain or Egypt or some other decent holiday destination."

Misprint ? ,or serious good taste deficit?

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

" more than 5* all-inclusive hotel in Spain or Egypt or some other decent holiday destination."

Misprint ? ,or serious good taste deficit?

Sorry, you will need to elaborate on this - can't figure out are what you asking/implying... 

[Boomer54]

2 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Sorry, you will need to elaborate on this - can't figure out are what you asking/implying... 

Given the answer i think I will leave it alone.

[Linas.P]

10 minutes ago, Boomer54 said:

Given the answer i think I will leave it alone.

I am not going to guess/speculate what you meant.

[Bluemarlin]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

Well I guess to be completely honest it kind of depends, if hotel is excellent value and it would cost me £50/night more to stay elsewhere in worse hotel, or paying £5 parking charge... then common sense beats principle. But if price is similar I may even pay £10 more on principle to have free parking.

I think what makes £5 "a rip off" in this case is that by signing as a member you get free parking, knowing that - it doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. This means parking is actually free, they just basically scam £5 from guests unless they sign for membership. This is disgusting, just don't stay in such hotel where they don't respect their guests. 

 

Well then the solution for customers like you would be to make the room charges £10 higher and have free parking. Same cost for you, just a different presentation that makes you happy. The trouble with that though is that those customers who don't drive are paying an additional £10 for something they don't use. Can't please everyone.

The latter isn't so much a rip off, and more a reflection of the value that hotels place on membership. Many large chains have membership/loyalty schemes, and reward members with offers and discount. I've enjoyed many of those benefits in the past.

I guess then there's no right and wrong, just different ways of looking at things.

[Linas.P]

7 minutes ago, Bluemarlin said:

Well then the solution for customers like you would be to make the room charges £10 higher and have free parking. Same cost for you, just a different presentation that makes you happy. The trouble with that though is that those customers who don't drive are paying an additional £10 for something they don't use. Can't please everyone.

The latter isn't so much a rip off, and more a reflection of the value that hotels place on membership. Many large chains have membership/loyalty schemes, and reward members with offers and discount. I've enjoyed many of those benefits in the past.

I guess then there's no right and wrong, just different ways of looking at things.

Or... just treat customers like customers and give everyone who wants to park free parking.

It is no so much different from say grocery store - I have ASDA and Sainsburys close to me, but they have paid parking, so I drive 2 miles further to TESCO, because it has free parking.

If hotel does not give me free parking, then I consider the hotel to be "anti-motorist" and because I am motorist and I am a customer, then also anti-customer and anti-me... so I don't want their service. Obviously, if I am not driving then I don't care, just take the hotel that best works for me that day. 

Loyalty programme exist only to collect customer data and advertise to them, which is fine concept and I am not against it, but it should not be linked to parking charge... I think there is better and more positive way to get those details.

[dutchie01]

3 hours ago, Linas.P said:

I kind of agree that parking charges at hotels are unacceptable, but I would not call them "rip-off". The way I see it, it is a choice - if you feel that parking charge is unfair then you don't book that hotel, they lose business and they will make parking free. As a guest I ALWAYS expect free parking, if hotel does not provide it then I simply choose another hotel. We vote with our valet. 

There is no way that hotel in Shrewsbury can cost more than £40/nigh.

Its all about supply and demand. If demand is high prices go up. You will find absolute crap old ****ty hotels in a prime location in Paris, Rome etc called boutique hotels and they are full for 300 euro/night. always. Same for parking. Why should a city centre hotel give a secure parking for free? its a big asset. i see no problem in paying 30 Euro for that? Like you say maybe not the place for you. 

[GMB]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

I drive 2 miles further to TESCO

If the paid parking is £1 or less you will save money by paying at the closer supermarket. 2 miles in our Lexus costs about £1.10 I think - without doing the calculation.😏. But, I get the point - it's the principle!

Asda is rubbish anyway. Go to Aldi for VFM and decent quality.  Tesco is a place where they put price traps in play and you never know whether you are getting VFM anyway. Sainsburys is so Meh!      ( Translations/ Acronyms available on request )

[GMB]

Being a loyal ( once a year )  Waitrose client I usually park across two disabled spaces in my big red Lexus. then I parade into the emporium with my wife following at a reverential distance behind carrying the John Lewis carrier bags.

We then loaf around the store before we pick up all the "essential" and discounted out of date stuff and scurry out.

TBH I find better stuff at Aldi, but usually go there in an old overcoat and hide the car around the corner at the Costa cafe.

[Linas.P]

37 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

Its all about supply and demand. If demand is high prices go up. You will find absolute crap old ****ty hotels in a prime location in Paris, Rome etc called boutique hotels and they are full for 300 euro/night. always. Same for parking. Why should a city centre hotel give a secure parking for free? its a big asset. i see no problem in paying 30 Euro for that? Like you say maybe not the place for you. 

That is the point - I see car parking as a right, not a service. Unless it is secure car park which is liable for any damage to my car, then yes that is service. So I would not use hotel without free parking on principle. Besides I understand that parking can be restricted, even prohibited for outsiders, but if you staying in hotel then you are "guest" by definition and I assume that decent hotel must have guest parking, it is like part of the deal... no parking means not good enough service. 

35 minutes ago, GMB said:

If the paid parking is £1 or less you will save money by paying at the closer supermarket. 2 miles in our Lexus costs about £1.10 I think - without doing the calculation.😏. But, I get the point - it's the principle!

Asda is rubbish anyway. Go to Aldi for VFM and decent quality.  Tesco is a place where they put price traps in play and you never know whether you are getting VFM anyway. Sainsburys is so Meh!      ( Translations/ Acronyms available on request )

Definitely not £1.10, it was long time since I did actual calculation, but everything included (insurance, mot, service etc) my IS250 costed me like 18p/mile. So perhaps it would be closer to 30p now.

And parking is not £1 either. I think in Sainsburys it is £5 (or maybe £4.80, something like that for 1 hour, then maybe ~£8 for 4 hours and ~£12 for a day). Asda car park is basically free if you shop for £10 or more, but it is all messed-up, so you get parking charge deducted from your shopping, but then you have to go an pay, card often does not work, no contactless payments and there were many (like literally 2 times LOL) times where I had to go withdraw £10, then go and beg for cashier to convert into coins so that I can pay £2.20 for parking... and after that I said "never again".

Tesco is indeed annoying if you don't have their club car... I would go as far as saying they are scam, prices are literally rip-off without club card like cheese is like £6, but £2.40 with club card, the normal price is probably £2.40 but if you don't have club card then they going to rape you. That said Sainsburys is just across the road, so if I need something small I just walk there (maybe 8 min walk), but for larger shopping I go for TESCO... and it works out about the same as everywhere with club card. 

[Tickedon]

Personally, seems some people here have far too much time to be scrutinising and comparing the parking prices between different hotels. I value my time far too much - prefer to live a little instead. Find a nice hotel, book it, enjoy it. Not going to worry too much whether the parking is £0 or £25. 

And we shop at Aldi as the quality and value works for us… Marks & Spencer for the special treat (e.g. Valentine’s Day meal in for two!). Spend sensibly most of the time so we can enjoy our holidays and weekends away.

 

 

[GMB]

1 minute ago, Linas.P said:

And parking is not £1 either. I think in Sainsburys it is £5 (or maybe £4.80, something like that for 1 hour, then maybe ~£8 for 4 hours and ~£12 for a day). Asda car park is basically free if you shop for £10 or more, but it is all messed-up, so you get parking charge deducted from your shopping, but then you have to go an pay, card often does not work, no contactless payments and there were many (like literally 2 times LOL) times where I had to go withdraw £10, then go and beg for cashier to convert into coins so that I can pay £2.20 for parking... and after that I said "never again".

It's not like that around here. I'm with you, I would never darken their door if they treat customers like cash cows. Maybe up North customers are treated with a bit more respect as it is not as crowded as the South - don't know, just speculating

[Linas.P]

3 minutes ago, Tickedon said:

Personally, seems some people here have far too much time to be scrutinising and comparing the parking prices between different hotels. I value my time far too much - prefer to live a little instead. Find a nice hotel, book it, enjoy it. Not going to worry too much whether the parking is £0 or £25. 

And we shop at Aldi as the quality and value works for us… Marks & Spencer for the special treat (e.g. Valentine’s Day meal in for two!). Spend sensibly most of the time so we can enjoy our holidays and weekends away.

It is just principle... if I ideologically hate something I am not going to pay my money for it.

And parking is one thing I never pay for... unless as I said it actually provides value for me, or it is paid by work. 

[GMB]

2 minutes ago, Tickedon said:

the parking is £0 or £25.

It would be nice to be so easy going. £25 is 15 bottles of Wainwrights ale. That would last almost 2 hours up here!!! Here oop North we don't get a lot of money or pleasure or even weather. I would rather go to our local Aldi and pay nothing.

BTW spend the saved £25 on a bottle of Aldi premier Cru champagne and you will get some change too. It's very good you know.

[Tickedon]

1 minute ago, GMB said:

It would be nice to be so easy going. £25 is 15 bottles of Wainwrights ale. That would last almost 2 hours up here!!! Here oop North we don't get a lot of money or pleasure or even weather. I would rather go to our local Aldi and pay nothing.

BTW spend the saved £25 on a bottle of Aldi premier Cru champagne and you will get some change too. It's very good you know.

The parking cost (if any) is a rather small part of the overall total cost of a holiday / weekend away. 

Thanks also for the recommendation but my last case of Moët & Chandon worked out at less than £26 a bottle!