Pay for pool usage at high end hotels

[Flashback]

I'm currently at the Sheraton Hiroshima and was shocked to find out that in order to use the pool it would cost ~$15 AUD. For a 4/5 star property I find this absolutely absurd, especially considering the room was not exactly cheap.

I'm interested to hear other peoples thoughts/views!

 

[lovestotravel]

Not acceptable at any hotel, simply add a small fee to the room prices and cover the "cost" of having the pool there.

 

[moa999]

Sound like all the Vegas/Miami resort fees.

 

[lovestotravel]

Sound like all the Vegas/Miami resort fees.

Except that everyone pays that, but it generally gives you "free" WiFi/bottled water and gym access

 

[Paddy55]

Assume they dropped the room rate accordingly? :shock:

 

[anat0l]

It's an old school thing. Obviously they haven't quite come into the new age yet.

This kind of thing probably should've been free, and the battle moved towards free internet instead.

As people have alluded to, some places in the USA have "resort fees" which you must pay in order to use many of the items in the property, e.g. pools, gym.

Sometimes the pool and gym are covered under the same cover charge (it can be normal for the gym to be chargeable).

To be honest, I've never come across a property before that charges for pool, but from the word on the street it's not unheard of, if only very rare.

 

[lovestotravel]

The closest I have come to, to having to pay for a "pool" is in Hawaii.

If you want any of the sun lounges on the beach in Waikiki you need to pay

 

[benlight]

I see this as a bit different than the resort fee that some Vegas/US hotels charge, because that resort fee is typically mandatory and needs to be factored into the rate. Pool fees tend to be optional, a bit like the Wi-Fi fees that some dinosaurs still charge.

The closest I've come to paying a pool fee is the Rome Cavalieri, which charges a whopping EUR18 for access to the outdoor pool and up to EUR31 if you want access to both the indoor and outdoor pools along with sun lounger (extra towels cost EUR3 each, too!): Rome Cavalieri | Relaxation and Sports

HHonors Gold and Diamond get access for free, though. (Golds still have to pay extra for a sun lounger!)

 

[Kef]

I'm currently at the Sheraton Hiroshima and was shocked to find out that in order to use the pool it would cost ~$15 AUD. For a 4/5 star property I find this absolutely absurd, especially considering the room was not exactly cheap.

I'm interested to hear other peoples thoughts/views!

Hi a few years back we stayed at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay and also found the some thing. We had a package that included the use of the pool. I thought that strange also, a Sheraton being an American brand having guests pay for the privilege of using the pool. I suppose it would stop over crowding. Very rigid with their rules and regulations on using the pool too.
Had to rinse off under the shower near the pool area (I know that public pools also ask here at home to do the same but its not enforced) and then had to wear a swim cap provided. My daughter refused to wear hers and I didnt think it mattered but we were quickly told by the lifeguards that if she didnt wear the cap she would not be allowed to use the pool...

 

[tuapekastar]

I'm currently at the Sheraton Hiroshima and was shocked to find out that in order to use the pool it would cost ~$15 AUD. For a 4/5 star property I find this absolutely absurd, especially considering the room was not exactly cheap.

I'm interested to hear other peoples thoughts/views!

I have heard of the so-called 'resort fees' charged at some propeties but cannot recall a charge specifically for pool use before, and it sounds ridiculous. Of course, staying at a four fifths of a star hotel doesn't help!

 

[Flashback]

Hi a few years back we stayed at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay and also found the some thing. We had a package that included the use of the pool. I thought that strange also, a Sheraton being an American brand having guests pay for the privilege of using the pool. I suppose it would stop over crowding. Very rigid with their rules and regulations on using the pool too.
Had to rinse off under the shower near the pool area (I know that public pools also ask here at home to do the same but its not enforced) and then had to wear a swim cap provided. My daughter refused to wear hers and I didnt think it mattered but we were quickly told by the lifeguards that if she didnt wear the cap she would not be allowed to use the pool...

We were there on Friday/Saturday, same thing is still in place. It's a bit odd.......... there was no mention of any charges, though.

I have heard of the so-called 'resort fees' charged at some propeties but cannot recall a charge specifically for pool use before, and it sounds ridiculous. Of course, staying at a four fifths of a star hotel doesn't help!

Ha, ha!

I spoke to the GM as I was leaving the hotel this morning, he mentioned that it's because there's not enough space and if they didn't charge too many people would use it. O............ k. He mentioned also that it was a common complaint, especially from those of us on the Club Level .......... he said maybe they consider changing the price (still wouldn't make a difference IMHO) or making it free to those on the Club Level. That sounds OK, but doubt it will happen. Was pleased to get a response less than an hour after I emailed though.

 

[Kef]

We were there on Friday/Saturday, same thing is still in place. It's a bit odd.......... there was no mention of any charges, though.



Ha, ha!

I spoke to the GM as I was leaving the hotel this morning, he mentioned that it's because there's not enough space and if they didn't charge too many people would use it. O............ k. He mentioned also that it was a common complaint, especially from those of us on the Club Level .......... he said maybe they consider changing the price (still wouldn't make a difference IMHO) or making it free to those on the Club Level. That sounds OK, but doubt it will happen. Was pleased to get a response less than an hour after I emailed though.

Hi flashware,
Did you enjoy the hotel? We have stayed on this property a few times, my daughter loved here. We also just got back from Japan, this year we splurged and stayed on the concierge level at the Disneyland hotel, wow
try it out next time if you havent already done so.
Thanks for the feedback. Nice to see your comments were taken seriously and you had an email, you cant beat the Japanese for service and following through..

 

[casanovawa]

Screw that, once i pay my room rate i'm not inclined to pay anymore unless it was very clearly outlined on the booking site...

 

[Ewing]

If it guaranteed me a sun bed I'd happily pay it.

I'm sick of hotels that allow people to walk in, place all their cough on a sun bed to "reserve" it and then bugger off until they're ready to use them.

 

[hummel]

I see this as a bit different than the resort fee that some Vegas/US hotels charge, because that resort fee is typically mandatory and needs to be factored into the rate. Pool fees tend to be optional, a bit like the Wi-Fi fees that some dinosaurs still charge.

The closest I've come to paying a pool fee is the Rome Cavalieri, which charges a whopping EUR18 for access to the outdoor pool and up to EUR31 if you want access to both the indoor and outdoor pools along with sun lounger (extra towels cost EUR3 each, too!): Rome Cavalieri | Relaxation and Sports

HHonors Gold and Diamond get access for free, though. (Golds still have to pay extra for a sun lounger!)

Same experience here, but you have to admit, it's a pretty cool place to lounge next to? Reminded of 'ol Hollywood films.

 

[Timtammi]

This is something I have run into at a number of the larger/more expensive hotels in Japan. It seems to almost be a common practice there. It seems to not just be a charge for the pool but rather a charge to access the gym/pool etc facilities in general. I think they also allow non-hotel guests to use the facilities and charge them for it as well? Anyway, I remember being shocked the first time I ran into it but now see it as almost the norm there in these kind of hotels.

I love Japan, travel there often for business, but if there is one thing you can say about the Japanese they love to do things differently to the way everyone else does things. This seems to be true in business as well!

Cheers

Timmi

 

[Mal]

I have seen "pay for gym" before, but agree it's a nasty charge.

Not much you can do about it though ...

 

[UP4014]

I know which hotel i won't be staying at when I visit there.

m

 

[Fifa]

We have stayed in quite a number of hotels in Japan that charge for pool use.
It's one of those things in Japan - and won't change any time soon as "that's how it has always been done".

 

[Flashback]

Hi flashware,
Did you enjoy the hotel? We have stayed on this property a few times, my daughter loved here. We also just got back from Japan, this year we splurged and stayed on the concierge level at the Disneyland hotel, wow
try it out next time if you havent already done so.
Thanks for the feedback. Nice to see your comments were taken seriously and you had an email, you cant beat the Japanese for service and following through..

It was OK, but not great. Service was a bit patchy TBH. I seemed to get ignored for locals, even standing at the SPG Gold/Plat desk. Buffet was extremely busy, had to queue for 10-15 minutes to get a seat. The hotel itself feels a little dated, but was comfortable enough. The whole pool thing was a bit odd!

Didn't receive an e-mail from the chap, he actually was just walking up to my room as my wife and I were about to head out for some sightseeing! So we had a quick chat before I headed off. He did offer free use "just this once", but it was too late by then!

Screw that, once i pay my room rate i'm not inclined to pay anymore unless it was very clearly outlined on the booking site...

Yep, that's what annoys me. If you look on their site, down the bottom in small font it says "fees/charges may apply" which is fine, but it then has Internet listed there, and a charge. Why not list a charge against the pool?