Hotel Stay - Alarm clock reset fee

[Mal]

Recently checked out of a hotel and noticed a few days later that I was charged $9.95 on my credit card after I left. Checked my bill - everything looked ok, but was still puzzled over the charge. Thought it was a mini-bar discrepency or some other similar error.

After calling the hotel and speaking to Accounts, I was advised that the $9.95 was charged because I had unplugged the clock/alarm, and maintenance had to reset it to the correct time.

I replied "It's a 30 second job that could be done by anyone, and besides - you choose not to keep batteries in the alarm clock for backup. I'm not paying the fee!"

They waived the fee as a "one time goodwill gesture" and advised me to correctly set the time on the alarm clock in the future if I remove the power . Has anyone had similar issues?

Not going to name the hotel at this stage.

 

[Moopere]

Sounds like the LCC of hotels to me. How could this possibly be policy at any decent hotel? They'll be charging you for speaking too long with the front desk people next. I wouldn't be going back. Great story though - thanks for sharing, its a weird weird world out there.

 

[Hvr]

Name and shame them.

I generally find the higher class of hotel has unusable alarm clocks anyway and it is about the only place you can find a powerpoint.

I quite often unplug appliances just to get a power point.

 

[Homer]

That's incredible. I'm pretty sure I don't stay in those types of hotels but I would write a short, sharp letter to the Travel section of your local broadsheet to kick things off. I don't see any reason to withhold their name.

 

[Simo]

That is another reason that I always pay a cash deposit when staying at hotels.

 

[amaroo]

What a joke.I often pull the plug out of bedside clocks as many have a fluorescent glow that could light a football field.

 

[Fruitcake]

What a joke.

I suspect it is .

 

[Simo]

Hotels are a law unto themselves once you have checked out and they have your CC details.

I had to pay nearly $20 AUD for 1 face washer that was taken from motel room when OS.

I never took it.

 

[SFSC]

I find that most hotel clock/alarms are about ± 10 mins out (compared my GPS watch) anyway.

(OT) I carry a 4 outlet Australian power board and appropriate converter depending where I'm going which helps if I can only find one convenient outlet in the room. I'm thinking of getting a squid type board but not too sure if it will be better.

 

[Sprucegoose]

That is another reason that I always pay a cash deposit when staying at hotels.

Good call!

 

[pagingjoan]

I find that most hotel clock/alarms are about ± 10 mins out (compared my GPS watch) anyway.

(OT) I carry a 4 outlet Australian power board and appropriate converter depending where I'm going which helps if I can only find one convenient outlet in the room. I'm thinking of getting a squid type board but not too sure if it will be better.

Yes. A "light bulb moment" when I first decided to pack a power board. It has made a huge difference, especially with two of us travelling together - two phones to be charged, plus iPad, laptop, camera batteries etc. Now they can be done with one accessible power point - and one converter. Brilliant! There are light weight boards available, so the additional baggage weight is negligible.

 

[ColinP]

I suspect it is .

I do too. Check the date folks

 

[Mal]

Ok. Sorry. Yes it was a windup. Seeing i couldn't sleep this morning i told my fb friends that I was at apple hq taking a tour.

Took me a while to come up with something that was aff suitable but i found something that was believable but yet very strange so would create doubt.

Apologies for those who took my post seriously. I am sure some hotel would charge that fee but im yet to encounter.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[ColinP]

No need to apologise Mal. That's what April fools is about. There are plenty of obvious jokes around today. The Air NZ Stand up fare is one. Yours was subtle enough to be believable. Well done.

 

[el_rooto]

Ok. Sorry. Yes it was a windup. Seeing i couldn't sleep this morning i told my fb friends that I was at apple hq taking a tour.

Took me a while to come up with something that was aff suitable but i found something that was believable but yet very strange so would create doubt.

Apologies for those who took my post seriously. I am sure some hotel would charge that fee but im yet to encounter.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

Don't worry I convinced everyone it was my birthday today on facebook.

 

[drewbles]

Don't worry I convinced everyone it was my birthday today on facebook.

That would be because you set it to be '1 April' (my right hand side bar told me that).

Good thing I never bother saying happy birthday to anyone on FB (I hate it when people wish me a happy birthday, so I don't tell them when it is. I figure then I don't need to say it back )

 

[jetlagger]

That is another reason that I always pay a cash deposit when staying at hotels.

Nice idea!

Though I have tried this attempt before on several occasions.. The looks you get.. when you suggest a cash deposit... Like i'm some kind of gangster, or suspicious money launderer.. Sometimes it is a lot easier & convenient to hand over the card.. just always check the bill & reconcile the CC statements, in case of any unreasonable charges. I have detected mistakes on multiple occasions, always resulting in the bill being higher than what it should be, so I understand the cash deposit reasoning!

 

[Simo]

Nice idea!

Though I have tried this attempt before on several occasions.. The looks you get.. when you suggest a cash deposit... Like i'm some kind of gangster, or suspicious money launderer.. Sometimes it is a lot easier & convenient to hand over the card.. just always check the bill & reconcile the CC statements, in case of any unreasonable charges. I have detected mistakes on multiple occasions, always resulting in the bill being higher than what it should be, so I understand the cash deposit reasoning!

Last month when I was OS everywhere i stayed I payed the deposit in Cash.

One hotel wanted wanted a deposit more than what the room was worth for the few nights that I was staying but still payed cash anyway.

I had already paid for the room with cash anyway.

 

[Moopere]

I must have missed something ... how does paying cash work in your favour? I guess saving CC surcharges ... and?? Or is it just fun to poke the bear and prove a point with the hotels and their CC charges and the possibility of later incurring still further charges? Something that they can't do with a cash payment?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Ha ha well done!