Yesterday I checked out of a big hotel in London. The bill was being paid by the client, except for a couple of extras. After a long wait from the checkout Lady (we stood there in silence for five minutes) she presented me with my bill. Not only was breakfast shown on it, but also lots of little charges (£1.02, 88p and so on).
I queried the breakfast charges which she agreed to remove and then the little charges
"Those are service charges" she said.
"Let me get this straight" I asked "I buy a drink for £3.50, and you add a service charge?"
"Its discretionary" she replied, "Shall I remove them?"
So in addition to clearly paying a premium at the hotel, they then wanted to add 12.5% to everything! Yes she said they were discretionary, and yes she offered to remove them (which she did) but I am amazed that after marking up all sales, there is then ANOTHER mark up.
She removed all of them, then I had to ask what another charge was for ...
"That is the service charge to bring the sandwich to your room"...
That, by the way, is a service charge on a £9 sandwich ... some people might think already that a £9 sandwich is carrying a certain amount of extra service cost!
I just dont think its open and honest ... if as an hotel you need to charge £10 to deliver a sandwich to a room, then fine, charge that ... I then buy or dont buy.
But to tell me it is £9 and THEN add £1.13 for "service" is really sneaky.
I am with Gordon Ramsays opinion of restaurants that levy a "discretionary" service here ... the business needs to makes its money in the food, not add on charges.
(By the way, there is a suggested 15% "reading" charge for this blog ... thanks!)
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1 comment:
Good words.
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